Communication - Summary

     Communication is critical to great health care.  If you do not communicate well, you will get sub-optimal health care. 

     To get on the way to getting great health care, follow these steps:

1. Start your personal health care record.  Follow the steps in chapter 1.  This will be different given your age.  Children have a different record than adults.  Those with long medical histories will have more to fill out. 
2. Get a three ring binder to place the forms needed to complete your record.  In the front page of the three-ring binder you should place the personal health care record table of contents to help you organize your information.  The three ring binder should be broken down into six sections.  Get 14 dividing sheets with tabs (some of the sections are broken up into subsections) so the three ring binder is neatly organized.   
3. Fill out the appropriate spreadsheet (adult or child).  Type in the proper information and than print it off.  Place the first three worksheets for the adult and first four worksheets for the child of the spreadsheet under Health History (Section 1).
4. Fill in and print off worksheet 4 for adults and worksheet 5 for children on medications.  Place it under section two.
5. Fill out the appropriate preventative health care worksheet from Don’t Get Sick: Seven Steps to Optimal Preventative Health Care and place it in under section 3.
6. Attain copies from your doctor of diagnostic testing/surgery results.  Place the hard copy of the result in chronological order under the proper section in section 4.  Break up section four into: laboratory tests, radiology reports, procedures/diagnostic tests and surgeries.
7. Continually update your personal health care record at every health care encounter using appropriate forms. Keep this information under section 5.  Break up section five into three sub-sections: primary doctor visits; emergency room, urgent care and retail health care visits; specialty doctor visits; and hospitalizations/nursing home visits.  If you desire, you can further subdivide specialty doctor visits up by specialty.
8.  Section 6 is a place to keep information on specific chronic diseases that you are afflicted with.  This can include information about the disease or specific tracking information.  Specific tracking information can be found for many diseases in the book: Chronic Disease Guide: How to Prevent and Treat Common Chronic Diseases.

     Each time you have an encounter with the health care system get a written record of your encounter.  This may include a copy of the progress note that the doctor writes or a handwritten copy of the visit that you perform, as described in this book.  If you have a test, laboratory evaluation, surgery, procedure, ask the doctor for a copy of the summary.  Keep a written record of every health care encounter under the proper section. 

     If you keep good notes on all of your health care information you will be one-step up on getting the best health care possible in the fragmented health care system.  This system will significantly improve your ability to communicate with the health care system. 

     Despite America’s poor health care statistics, great health care is available.  You just need to take control of your health care.  Keeping a personal health care record may be the most important step in combating the negative aspects of the health care system and improving your health care.