The First Step

I’m all for making informed choices about your healthcare.    What that really means to me is to get the facts straight first about what’s going on with you.

This can be particularly grueling when we’re so busy we haven’t been paying attention to what our symptoms are.

It’s can also feel inconvenient and time consuming to have one more “to do” for yourself with no clear way to keep track of things.

For those of you who are using medications, supplements or getting some form of treatment for what ails you, it is really helpful to keep track of how that is affecting you.  You need an easy to use format to help you do this.

I developed Patient Power:  Get the HealthCare You Deserve because I passionately believe that when we make informed choices about our healthcare, our lives get better.  This gives you the tools to make those choices using four easy to follow worksheets that you custom tailor to your particular health circumstances.

One of the worksheets in Patient Power is the 7 Day Dosage Log.  Knowing that may sound like a scary term, I want to unpack it for you so that you can see how useful it is.

It is for those of you who are already using any form of treatment.  That includes anything from ibuprofen to prescriptions, from vitamins to massage therapy.  And everything in between.

In other words, if you’ve already recognized that your body is giving you feedback that something isn’t working right and you’re dealing with it pro-actively, this worksheet will help you keep track of its effects.

Here are 5 reasons it can help you make informed decisions about your healthcare:

1.  You Understand Your Instructions Correctly:   When you write down the dosage, instructions, etc for your medications/supplements, you are clear how you’re to use them OR you can find out where you’re unclear and ask questions.

2.  You Remember What You’ve Taken:  Reminds you that you’ve taken them – if you tend to forget (I know I do!).

3. Other People Know What You’re Taking: If you want to keep other people in the loop about what you’re taking or what types of therapies you are using, they can find it easily on because you’re keeping track of it.  It eliminates misunderstandings about your treatment choices.

4.  Helps You and Others Notice the Effect of What You’re Taking:  The act of writing things down helps you notice what’s going on with you more clearly.  Why?  Because you now have a place to write down what you’re taking and how it’s working for you.

5.  Helps You Fill Out Your Appointment Preparation Worksheet and Give Important Information To Your HealthCare Provider:  Armed with this handy tool you can now notice what the effects of your current treatment, therapy, etc are AND communicate them clearly to your healthcare provider.  You are now giving your healthcare provider what they need to custom tailor their recommendations to your specific situation.  The result is you have a greater opportunity to make informed choices about your healthcare.

I invite you to check out Patient Power:  Get the HealthCare You Deserve as a tool to help you make the choices that are right for you.  If you already have it, how’s it working for you?

Related posts:

1. Why It’s Vital To Keep Track of Your Medical History
2. Why It’s Important To Get A Second Opinion
3. Case Study: How To Stay Focused On What’s Most Important When You’re Hurting
4. Depression Case Study: Why It’s So Important To Get the Story Straight