Overcoming Challenges and Hurdles to Getting the Best Medical Care
By Trisha Torrey, About.com Guide to Patient Empowerment
Americans are constantly faced with problems getting the health care they deserve. You may be misdiagnosed or undiagnosed. You or a loved one may have been harmed by the system through a medical error or other patient safety violation. Patients' rights or privacy problems plague many. And we all know our health care is far too expensive. Awareness of these problems and possible solutions to them helps improve our chances for better care.
- When You've Been Misdiagnosed or Can't Get An Accurate Diagnosis
- When Healthcare is Too Expensive
- When Healthcare Safety is Compromised
- When Communications Break Down
- When Fraud or Illegal Activity Is Involved
- When Healthcare Reform is Difficult to Understand
- When You Need Assistance to Sort It All Out
When You've Been Misdiagnosed or Can't Get An Accurate Diagnosis
Some statistics say that as many as 20% of all diagnoses are incorrect. Some patients may spend weeks or months undiagnosed, with no answer to what is causing their symptoms. Understanding the roots of misdiagnosis or failure to diagnose can help patients work with their physicians to arrive at the right answers.
- When You Can't Get a Diagnosis
- Are You Seeing the Wrong Specialist?
- Is Your Illness "All in Your Head?"
- A Story of Misdiagnosis
When Healthcare is Too Expensive
Whether or not you have health insurance, you know the costs of health care in America are going up. The only way to save money is to understand where the costs add up for you, and take steps toward keeping them down. A smart patient will review insurance costs, use generic drugs, review medical bills, and take other steps to help minimize the costs of healthcare.
- Healthcare Consumerism Basics
- Save Money on Prescription Drugs
- CPT Billing Codes Affect the Cost of Your Care
- Choosing the Right Health Insurance Plan
When Healthcare Safety is Compromised
People are injured or die everyday, not from the illness or injury they started with, but from mistakes made by the system that is supposed to provide care. Smart patients know how and where these mistakes can be made, then arm themselves to prevent possible harm.
- Emergency Room 101 - Stay Safe Basics
- MRSA and Other Superbug Infections
- Medicare and Its Never Events Policy
When Communications Break Down
No matter how good a practitioner your doctor may be, if you don't understand what he tells you (or if he doesn't listen or clearly answer your questions), your care will not be the best it can be. Understanding potential problems with communication, and knowing how to improve your rapport with your doctor or other provider, will help improve the care you receive.
- How to Communicate With Your Doctor
- Sharing Internet Information With Your Doctor
- Should You Complain to Your Doctor?
- Is It Time to Change Doctors?
- Find Help from an Advocate or Advocacy Organization
When Fraud or Illegal Activity Is Involved
Because American healthcare is about sickness and money, the care of too many patients is influenced or affected by illegal activity. From Medicare or Medicaid fraud, to quacks, and medical identity theft, wise patients make themselves aware of these pitfalls so they can be savvy enough to avoid them.
- How Do Patients Become Involved in Healthcare Fraud?
- Avoiding Medical Identity Theft
- What Is Healthcare Billing Fraud and How Can It Be Stopped?
- Quacks and False Advertising
- Counterfeit Drugs in Our Legal Drug Supply
- Controversies Over Complementary and Alternative Therapies
When Healthcare Reform is Difficult to Understand
These are trying times in America when it comes to healthcare. From patients to politicians, everyone knows our system must be fixed, but it's difficult to know what kind of fixes will work the best. If you want to understand healthcare reform, it's best to get a handle on the basics.
- Understanding Healthcare Reform
- Why Does America Need Healthcare Reform?
- What is Universal Healthcare?
- What is Healthcare Rationing and How Will It Affect My Care?
When You Need Assistance to Sort It All Out
Sometimes the problems of access, getting the right diagnosis or even keeping track of costs or paying for your care can be positively overwhelming. It's time to ask for help.
