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"Patient Handbook to Medical Care: Your Personal Health Guide" is a source for helping patients. The book's introduction states that "The goal of this book is to inform and educate patients about medical care...It is very important for patients to learn as much as possible about wellness, disease prevention, and disease management for themselves."
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter 1
Medical Records and Diary
Chapter2
The Doctor Visit
Chapter 3
Preventive Checkups and Health Maintenance
Chapter 4
Medical Tests
Chapter 5
Doctors and Specialists
Chapter 6
Health Insurance and Quality
Excerpts from "Patient Handbook to Medical Care"
From Chapter 2, The Doctor Visit
"Now you get to meet the doctor. The doctor will usually greet you by name and introduce herself or himself. Then, the doctor will want to know why you made your appointment. After you have answered, there will be questions from the doctor about your general health and wellness, as well as more information about your reason for the visit.
The doctor may then ask questions about how other parts of the body are working...This is called the "review of systems" (ROS).
This will be followed by your past medical history (PMH), which includes:
- Diseases you have (high blood pressure, sugar diabetes, arthritis, cancer, depression, etc.), or have had that are better or gone (including childhood diseases such as measles, mumps, and inherited disease)
- Operations and times you were in the hospital (including accidents)
- Medication, including prescription, over-the-counter (don't forget about vitamins), natural (garlic, aloe) and herbal
- Allergies and reactions to anything and what it did to you (for example, breaking out in a rash, swelling, itching, upset stomach, etc.)
- Smoking, alcohol, drug use (how much, how often)
- Shots (childhood, flu, last tetanus, etc.)
- Sexual (active, using protection, number of partners, diseases) - in females this will also include menstrual period, pregnancy, last mammogram, and Pap test
- Family history (conditions that run in the family such as cancer, high blood pressure, etc.)
- Social history - your job or jobs; family; marital status; living arrangements (house, apartment, alone, etc.); transportation (drive self, public transport, walk); ambulation (use walker, wheelchair); disability (deaf, blind, amputee, etc.)
- Religion, ethnic customs, and traditions.
If there is anything left out or that you feel the doctor should know, now is the time to speak up. It is sometimes hard to get someone's full attention, so take advantage of it while you have it. Some doctors' offices will have you fill out forms asking the above questions or will ask you the questions and fill out the form for you. This is not a substitute for the doctor's personal interview and questions.
The physical exam comes next..."
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Copyright 2008. Bend of the River Books. All rights reserved.
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