Treatment: Research, Resources and Decision Making
Once you have been accurately diagnosed, you will have a menu of treatment options to discuss with your doctor. How can you learn about them all? What are the best resources? How will you make the right decisions?
Flu 2009 - Help for Seasonal Flu 2008 - 2009 Season
A master list of resources to learn about diagnosing and treating seasonal flu, tracking flu outbreaks, when it's a good time to get a flu shot, and other important flu related information for seasonal Flu 2008 - 2009.
A master list of resources to learn about diagnosing and treating seasonal flu, tracking flu outbreaks, when it's a good time to get a flu shot, and other important flu related information for seasonal Flu 2008 - 2009.
Alternative, Complementary and Integrative Medicine and Therapies
Alternative, complementary and integrative medicine are approaches to medicine, some of which have existed for thousands of years. You'll recognize names like herbals, acupuncture, meditation and Eastern medicine. A smart patient understands what these therapies are and how they can, or can't help improve her health.
Alternative, complementary and integrative medicine are approaches to medicine, some of which have existed for thousands of years. You'll recognize names like herbals, acupuncture, meditation and Eastern medicine. A smart patient understands what these therapies are and how they can, or can't help improve her health.
Internet Health and Medical Resources
Once you have reviewed the guidelines for making sure the information you find online is credible, reliable and objective, use the following links and descriptions to find exactly the information that can help you partner with your doctor, take responsibility for your healthcare decisions, and find your best medical outcomes.
Once you have reviewed the guidelines for making sure the information you find online is credible, reliable and objective, use the following links and descriptions to find exactly the information that can help you partner with your doctor, take responsibility for your healthcare decisions, and find your best medical outcomes.
What is Healthcare Rationing? It May Cause You to Be Denied Care
When we are denied the medical care we want or think we need, having a knowledge of the concept of healthcare rationing will go a long way toward helping us how to combat it. Understanding healthcare rationing will also help us understand conversations in the coming years about healthcare reform.
When we are denied the medical care we want or think we need, having a knowledge of the concept of healthcare rationing will go a long way toward helping us how to combat it. Understanding healthcare rationing will also help us understand conversations in the coming years about healthcare reform.
Finding Credible and Reliable Internet Health Information
Anyone can publish anything they want to on the Internet, no matter how true or phony it is. A wise patient uses these guidelines to determine which health information is truly credible, reliable and objective, and which is not.
Anyone can publish anything they want to on the Internet, no matter how true or phony it is. A wise patient uses these guidelines to determine which health information is truly credible, reliable and objective, and which is not.
The Four Goals of Medical Treatment -- Managing Your Own Expectations
Once we've been diagnosed, we need to decide what treatment is best for us. There are four goals for medical treatment. Deciding what the goal is helps us manage our expectations and determine which goal will work for us.
Once we've been diagnosed, we need to decide what treatment is best for us. There are four goals for medical treatment. Deciding what the goal is helps us manage our expectations and determine which goal will work for us.
Medical Treatment Decision Making : Taking Responsibility
Empowered patients know that it is their responsibility to make their own treatment decisions, referring to their doctors, but understanding outside influences.
Empowered patients know that it is their responsibility to make their own treatment decisions, referring to their doctors, but understanding outside influences.
Your Role as a Partner on Your Healthcare Team
Empowered patients understand that their participation on their own healthcare team, in collaboration with others, is a vital aspect of finding their best medical outcomes.
Empowered patients understand that their participation on their own healthcare team, in collaboration with others, is a vital aspect of finding their best medical outcomes.
Tools for the Savvy Patient
From choosing the right doctor, to learning about treatment options, to being a proactive healthcare decision maker, to complying with treatment decisions, a savvy patient needs a number of tools to help navigate the system.
From choosing the right doctor, to learning about treatment options, to being a proactive healthcare decision maker, to complying with treatment decisions, a savvy patient needs a number of tools to help navigate the system.
When Do You Need a Second Opinion?
When you have a difficult diagnosis, or if the treatment options presented to you are invasive or long-lasting, you need to get a second opinion.
When you have a difficult diagnosis, or if the treatment options presented to you are invasive or long-lasting, you need to get a second opinion.
Compliance: Following Through on Treatment Decisions
Once you and your doctor have decided which treatment will work best for you, it's up to you to follow through, complying with those decisions.
Once you and your doctor have decided which treatment will work best for you, it's up to you to follow through, complying with those decisions.
Learn the Basics of Clinical Trials
Understand the basics of clinical trials, including the reasons clinical trials are conducted, the types of trials, the phases of trials, and the protocols.
Understand the basics of clinical trials, including the reasons clinical trials are conducted, the types of trials, the phases of trials, and the protocols.
What Patients Need to Know About Evidence-Based Medicine
Doctors often recommend their patients make treatment choices based on evidence-based medicine. Before we make those choices, it's best to understand what evidence-based medicine is, how it can help us, or why it might not.
Doctors often recommend their patients make treatment choices based on evidence-based medicine. Before we make those choices, it's best to understand what evidence-based medicine is, how it can help us, or why it might not.
End of Life Decision-making: The Ultimate in Patient Empowerment
Patients have the right, and some say an obligation, to make their wishes known regarding end of life care. Advanced directives including living wills, health care proxies and do-not-resuscitate orders are reviewed.
Patients have the right, and some say an obligation, to make their wishes known regarding end of life care. Advanced directives including living wills, health care proxies and do-not-resuscitate orders are reviewed.
Understanding Informed Consent
Informed consent is a concept that requires patients to understand the risks and benefits of any test, procedure or treatment a doctor recommends and a patient agrees to. Empowered patients need to understand just what they are agreeing to.
Informed consent is a concept that requires patients to understand the risks and benefits of any test, procedure or treatment a doctor recommends and a patient agrees to. Empowered patients need to understand just what they are agreeing to.