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You: The Smart Patient: An Insider's Handbook for Getting the Best Treatment
Pub. Date: February 2006
ISBN- 9780743293013
Dr Oz (Mehmet Oz)
Table of Contents
Contents
Introduction: Why You Need to Be a Smart Patient
The Smart Patient Quiz
1. Getting to Know You
Let's discover the juicy secrets about the person who controls your health: you
2. Finding Dr. Right
How to find that gem of a doctor who'll make your life easier -- and longer
3. Let's Play Operation!
You're having surgery? Use these insider tips you'll need to sail safely through the OR
4. Prescription Drugs
Take two and pray you're still here in the morning
5. How to Case a Hospital
Use an expert's eye to find the best hospital for your specific goals -- and learn why one size does not fit all
6. Have a Happily Humdrum Hospital Stay
Only $2,900 a night and free sponge baths -- what a deal! Just make sure you check out...
7. Why You Should Always Get a Second Opinion
Whose life is it, anyway?
8. Just What Gives You the Right?
You have rights, you know. Here's how to use them
9. Considering the Alternatives
On pins and needles about acupuncture and herbs?
Here's what you need to know about alternative medicine
10. Take Control of Your Health Insurance
It's your most important -- and expensive -- health resource. Are you wasting it?
Appendix 1 Glossary: Medical Jargon Explained
Appendix 2 Sample Forms: Your Health Journal,
Living Will, Power of Attorney for Health Care,
Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) Order
Appendix 3 Resources
Acknowledgments
Index
Chapter One: Getting to Know You Let's Discover the Juicy Secrets About the Person Who Controls Your Health: You
Most people think they communicate with their doctors just fine. Better than fine, in fact. Fantastic. Given that most of the communication consists of nodding or a request for antibiotics, there's little to find fault with. That's the problem, of course. Most patients don't do a great job of communicating with their doctors because patients often give us too little pertinent information to go on (remember, just like the detective, we're looking for the facts). At the same time, they may also give us too many distracting or off-topic details. It reminds us a little bit of what a mechanic must think when we try to explain a noise in our car. We're not sure when it started, we're not sure what makes it worse, we think it's a whining sound but aren't sure...We bet this becomes a tedious monologue for those earnest professionals trying to help us.
An almost identical conversation goes on in doctors' offices every day. To be accurate, the parallel exchanges often concern befuddled male patients. There's a reason that women aged thirty to sixty are the prime decision makers about health care in the United States. Most of the guys they love either have no clue about their health needs or wouldn't see a doctor unless they had blood shooting out of both ears.
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