It can be scary when you find out that you or a family member has something wrong with them. Straight away, the focus switches to how to make sure that you get the best care available. 

Here are some tips to ensure you get the best medical care possible.

Advocate

You are the best advocate for yourself and your family members. Often people will skip appointments, forget to ask questions, and leave many of their ailments to drag on, hoping that they will go away, but sometimes this leads to disaster. 

As your own health advocate, you must make sure that you get to the appointments, arrange them for elderly loved ones, and show up for yourself when it comes to your health. 

Schedule 

Many people won’t go to the doctor unless they are in severe pain and they can’t live a regular life anymore. It is a good idea for everyone to go to regularly scheduled appointments. Around six months between each one is ideal. 

When you have a more serious condition, you will be given a timeline of tests, treatments, and checkings. Keep your reminders set so that you don’t mind any appointments. 

Proactive

Do you have the right person for your care? Often we take the first offer of medical care because we want to start treatment and tests asap. Sometimes though, getting the right person on your team is more important. Specialists in research and innovation like Hanid Audish DO often have access to new technology and cutting-edge treatments. 

Be proactive with your care so that you are always a bit ahead. 

Medical Records 

Whether you have a serious medical condition doesn’t matter; what matters is that you understand what is in your medical records. You are free to ask for your medical records at any time. Read through them carefully, and use them to create a list of questions that you can ask your healthcare professional. 

Once you have the notes, you can begin to feel a little more comfortable with your treatment and how it will look in the future. 

Follow up

From time to time, the doctor’s office can be hectic, and they might not call you when they say they are going to. If you find this is often the case with your chosen medical practice, there is a way to avoid waiting. 

Call them instead. Ask your doctor for a rough amount of time that you should expect a follow-up. Call if you don’t hear by the end of that day. You aren’t bothering them; you are just checking for information proactively. Explain that you didn’t receive a follow-up call and need an update. 

Instinct 

Doctors place more importance on the instinct of their patients than ever before. Many stories highlight the importance of finding a doctor that is going to listen to you. Make sure that if you know something isn’t right, you push until you get the tests or the conversations you need to move forward with your care. 

Are you thinking of skipping your next check-up? Here is why you shouldn’t: The Importance of Regular Health Checks in a Busy World