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Calling Your Medical Provider
If you have ever found yourself frustrated when trying to reach your medical provider, here are a few tips. If your problem is serious or potentially life-threatening, call 911 or have someone take you to the nearest hospital. Examples of emergency situations that usually require an ambulance are included.
Choosing a Medical Provider
Finding a new doctor or other medical professional can take a little effort. Doing some homework up front may make your first appointment go more smoothly. Start by asking for a referral. If you are currently satisfied with one or more of your health care practitioners ask that source for a referral. You can also ask family, friends, and co-workers for suggestions.
Maximizing Your Medical Appointments
The time we spend talking to our doctors or other medical professionals seems to be getting shorter. Here are some tips on how to maximize the time spent with your care provider, from being prepared to checking our email.
The Medical Alphabet
Our health is in the hands of numerous people with a variety of letters trailing their names. For instance, nurses can have over 50 different abbreviations after their names. What do these letters mean and what do these people do? Here are some definitions of some common abbreviations for medical occupations you may encounter.
Medical Appointments
Time spent seeing your healthcare provider is short. Here are some tips on how to set up a good appointment, like Mondays and Fridays are often busier than the rest of the week and the best times to call for appointments are usually between 10 a.m. to noon and from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Medication Guidelines
Make sure you know and remember these facts about your medications, for instance: generic and brand names of medication, reason(s) you are taking the medication, dose and frequency of the medication.
Your Medical History
When you see a new health care professional the appointment starts with communicating details about your present and past medical history. The time you will have to talk will probably be short. You can maximize your time by preparing for the appointment. Keeping a written record of your medical history will help you use the time more efficiently. Bring a copy of this with you to the appointment. You can give your medical provider a copy or you can refer to it during the appointment.
Getting Organized for the Health of It
Start by asking for copies of your medical records. Although you have a right to copies, it is a common legitimate practice to charge a fee for this. From now on, make it part of your routine to ask for copies of every important piece of your medical records, especially test results. You do not need a copy of everything. The most recent copies are usually sufficient.
Tips for Lowering Prescription Drug Costs
Prescription drug costs are going up. Don’t be embarrassed if you can’t afford a medication. Nearly everyone has been hit by rising health care prices. We include some cost-saving tips to consider, like: ask your doctor if there is a cheaper version of your medication, such as a generic form; inquire about free samples; see if you qualify for a pharmaceutical patient assistance program.
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