Do you feel like your doctor doesn’t exactly pay close attention to your needs? Maybe you feel rushed during appointments, you’re worried that they’ve overlooked concerning symptoms, or you simply want more support from your medical provider. No matter your situation, you deserve the best care possible! So today, Patient On The Go shares a few strategies you can apply to become a capable healthcare self-advocate, from organising your records to picking up better habits.
Prioritise Holistic Health
First, it’s important to take care of your entire self. Think of health as a holistic concept - you need to care for every facet of your wellbeing. If you’ve been dealing with chronic pain, it’s time to address the root cause, which could mean seeking chiropractic care to support your spinal health. To find the right chiropractor, Advanced Chiropractic recommends ensuring that the practitioner is licensed, looking up their patient testimonials, and asking them about the specific healing techniques they use.
Finding Assisted Living
What if you’re struggling to take care of basic domestic tasks in your everyday life, or you’re dealing with a chronic health issue that requires skilled round-the-clock care? You may benefit from moving into a nursing home, where you’ll be able to get the help you need while enjoying a wide range of amenities. Finding the right home can be tricky, so you’ll need to extensively research nursing homes in your desired area. Make sure to read the reviews of any home you’re considering, look up the monthly fees and payment options, and go over in-depth facility reports.
Make Beneficial Lifestyle Changes
When your work schedule is packed to the gills, it’s not easy to find time to exercise. Instead of forcing yourself to go to the gym, try finding natural ways to incorporate physical activity into your daily routines. For instance, if you usually take the elevator, use the stairs instead. If you find yourself with some extra downtime on your lunch break, go for a quick stroll. Walking is a great way to keep active.
Also, if you work independently and aren’t receiving health insurance from work, you should take a moment to familiarise yourself with the health insurance options available to freelancers. It may be tempting to go without insurance but remember that especially these days, a single illness or accident could easily wipe out your savings – not to mention all the hard work you’ve put into your independent business!
Living a healthy lifestyle as free from stress as possible is perhaps the most essential lifestyle change you can make, and it all starts at home. A living space free of clutter and other needless distractions frees you up to take on other beneficial activities like exercise, meditation and perhaps yoga. So take steps like decluttering, cleaning, and even bringing in a few houseplants, which also helps to purify the air indoors.
Organise Your Records
Keeping organised medical records is key if you want to access high-quality care. If your records are disorganised and you’re working with different doctors, it might be difficult to identify the right course of treatment for you. To avoid this issue, come up with a clear organisational system for your records. You can conveniently include all of your x-rays and medical images in a single file.
Conduct Your Own Research
Do you ever feel like everything your doctor tells you is going over your head? You don’t have to earn a medical degree to understand their diagnoses and advice - learning how to read studies on your own can be very helpful. Perhaps you’ve looked up studies on your symptoms or conditions before, Cure Today recommends getting familiar with the general format of a typical study and paying close attention to details like clinical trial phases, the study criteria, the number of participants, the study design, and, of course, the results. You may want to compare several studies to get a broader picture of the current research on a specific condition.
Navigating the medical system is complicated. But with time, you can learn how to overcome the hurdles that stand between you and the care you need. By tidying up your paperwork, changing your lifestyle, and keeping your holistic wellbeing in mind, you’ll be ready to talk to your doctor and dive into your healthcare needs.
The Patient On The Go app allows the patient to record their health data, share with their health care providers and involve in health-related decision making. Download the app today!
Kelly Coleman
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