We all know how important healthcare appointments are to our ongoing wellbeing. We also know how hectic the day is for our medical providers; the average amount of time doctors spend with patients is under 19 minutes. In this rapid healthcare environment, how can you get the care you need? Two words: patient advocacy.<\/p>\n
At its core, patient advocacy means empowering individuals to assert their rights and preferences within the healthcare system. It may include communicating with providers, making informed decisions about treatment choices, and even navigating the system itself. Patient advocacy involves individuals actively participating to ensure they receive the best possible care. It\u2019s also vital to patient- and family-centered care, an approach to healthcare grounded in mutually beneficial partnerships between medical providers, patients, and families.<\/p>\n
Whether you go in for a routine visit or for a new concern, there are patient advocacy actions you can take to ensure you get the care you want.<\/p>\n
Before the Appointment<\/strong><\/p>\n Many patients use protected portals to connect with providers. If you do, you can email all three of the above ahead of time to ensure your doctor is ready to answer your needs.<\/p>\n During the Appointment<\/strong><\/p>\n It\u2019s important that any plans for your health align with your values. If you are trying to understand a condition\u2019s impact over time, a helpful question to use is \u201cWhat is the long-term outlook or trajectory for [the condition]?\u201d<\/p>\n After the Appointment<\/strong><\/p>\n Patients have a lot of power over their own healthcare \u2013 and that\u2019s how it should be. But as the adage goes: With great power comes great responsibility. So, assert your rights to get the care you deserve.<\/p>\n Source: IlluminAge AgeWise with information from\u00a0JAMA<\/a>;\u00a0IPFCC<\/a>;\u00a0HSS<\/a>;\u00a0NIA<\/a>;\u00a0Washington Post<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" We all know how important healthcare appointments are to our ongoing wellbeing. We also know how hectic the day is for our medical providers; the average amount of time doctors spend with patients is under 19 minutes. In this rapid healthcare environment, how can you get the care you need? Two words: patient advocacy. At […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":1515,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[24],"tags":[],"ppma_author":[28],"class_list":["post-1506","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"yoast_head":"\n\n
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