Questions to Ask Your Doctor About Cancer
It was clear when helping grandmother that her Oncologist could have shared more info. Here are questions to ask your doctor about breast cancer and other cancers
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It was clear when helping grandmother that her Oncologist could have shared more info. Here are questions to ask your doctor about breast cancer and other cancers
Read MoreYou've Been Diagnosed with Cancer, Now What? Cancer patients describe feeling like they've been “hit by a sledgehammer" after hearing these three words: ‘you have cancer.’ Most patients describe going into a “mental shut-down” or “brain fog,” unable to process anything after that. As cancer patient advocates, we say it’s “ok” to shut-down when you receive a cancer diagnosis. It’s a normal response. Plus, it’s not the time to take notes or try to understand every word being told to you. However, your very next few steps are important for your health outcomes and survival. Below is a list of 3 things your oncologist may not tell you to do when you first get a cancer diagnosis. Top 3 Things to Do Immediately After a Diagnosis 1) Get a copy of your medical record: Do not leave the office without a copy of your
Read MoreWhat Does Good Healthcare Look Like? Healthcare that’s personal, specific to your needs, and has your health goals in mind is what we call patient-centered healthcare. It improves your chances of survival. Basically, you want to get the doctor to treat you as if they would treat their own family. Sometimes you have to force them to do it and you'll see how below. 4 Easy Steps to Getting Better Healthcare A recent study from Brigham Women’s Hospital looked at ways to improve the healthcare experience of cancer and ICU patients. They used an online tool to improve doctor-patient communication. Here's what they discovered: 1)Patients Need a Dedicated Person the Doctor Can Call. A "healthcare proxy" is a fancy term for an emergency contact or caregiver. Patients may be in a coma or unresponsive for a variety of reasons (e.g. treatments) and the doctor may
Read MoreForce Your Doctor to Slow Down and Talk To You, Not At You Improving your chances of survival is the name of the game when fighting cancer. Patients often feel like they’re on a conveyer-belt being shuttled from one doctor to the next, unable to really speak to a doctor for longer than a few minutes at a time. So here are 3 ways the patient (that's you) can start conversations with the doctor rather than the doctor taking the lead as the conversation starter. This will force the doc to slow down, answer your questions (make sure they avoid answering it with a "yes" or a "no"), and look you in the eyes. 3 Great Conversation Starters to use with Your Doctor 1) Ask the doctor (or healthcare provider) to summarize your current health status. Then repeat it back to them. Typically
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