Authors: The American Medical Association, American Medical Association, American Medical Association
ISBN-13: 9780471414100, ISBN-10: 0471414107
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Wiley, John & Sons, Incorporated
Date Published: September 2001
Edition: (Non-applicable)
The last time you visited your doctor, did you . . .
You can take control. The more you know about your healthcare needs and the more actively you work with your doctor, the better healthcare you will receive. In this concise, easy-to-understand book, the American Medical Associationthe worlds most prominent organization of physiciansdemystifies the relationship between patient and doctor and guides you in building an ongoing dialogue with your healthcare provider.
Using nontechnical language and a reassuring tone, the American Medical Association Guide to Talking to Your Doctor explains:
Encouraging, authoritative, and thorough, the American Medical Association Guide to Talking to Your Doctor empowers you to communicate better with your doctor so that you can work together to achieve a common goalyour good health.
For more than 150 years, the American Medical Association has been the leading group of medical experts in the nation and one of the most respected health-related organizations in the world. The AMA continues to work to advance the art and science of medicine and to be an advocate for patients and the voice of physicians in the United States.
Introduction | 1 | |
1. | Choosing a Doctor | 5 |
What are you looking for? | 5 | |
Other issues to consider | 6 | |
How to go about choosing a doctor | 8 | |
Your rights and responsibilities as a healthcare consumer | 9 | |
2. | What Your Doctor Wants to Know about You | 13 |
Personal health history | 14 | |
Your child's health history | 23 | |
Family health history | 27 | |
Medications | 29 | |
Self-treatment | 31 | |
Lifestyle | 33 | |
3. | Talking about Your Health and Medical Care | 37 |
Planning in advance what to say to the doctor | 37 | |
Making the most of an office visit | 40 | |
Learning about medical tests and treatments | 42 | |
Surgery | 45 | |
Understanding a diagnosis | 49 | |
Using medications correctly | 50 | |
Making lifestyle changes | 55 | |
Clearing up misunderstandings | 64 | |
4. | Talking for others | 67 |
Accompanying your child to the doctor | 67 | |
Accompanying your older parent to the doctor | 75 | |
5. | Talking about Sensitive Subjects | 81 |
Sexually transmitted diseases | 83 | |
Homosexuality and bisexuality | 86 | |
Sexual problems | 87 | |
Alcohol dependence | 89 | |
Drug addiction | 91 | |
Family violence | 91 | |
Depression | 92 | |
Incontinence | 95 | |
Self-treatments | 98 | |
Dissatisfaction with treatment | 100 | |
End-of-life healthcare issues | 103 | |
6. | Special Situations | 111 |
Specialists and subspecialists | 112 | |
Getting a second opinion | 115 | |
At the hospital | 117 | |
In an emergency | 124 | |
Rare diseases | 128 | |
Participating in clinical trials | 131 | |
Doing your own research | 137 | |
Resources | 141 | |
Advocacy | 141 | |
Clinical trials | 148 | |
Diseases and conditions | 150 | |
General health information | 171 | |
Government agencies | 175 | |
Health information Web sites | 181 | |
Home-care services and hospice | 186 | |
Long-term care and housing | 189 | |
Mental health | 191 | |
Rehabilitation | 195 | |
Self-help and support | 197 | |
Miscellaneous | 201 | |
Glossary | 205 | |
Index | 235 |