Whether you’ve been struggling to get a diagnosis for mysterious symptoms, or you’re simply trying to get your health back on track, you might feel frustrated by your experiences with doctors. Sometimes, it can be tough to ask for what you really need. Healthcare and social service professionals who use tools like FAMCare can have an easier time managing their patients. In the meantime, these tips can help you learn how to advocate for your own health.

Stay Organized

If you’re dealing with a messy stack of medical documents and insurance paperwork, it’s time to get organized! You can create a physical and digital medical folder with all of your key documents. If you’re a parent who manages the appointments for your whole family, you may want to get a binder - you can add dividers to create a separate section for each child. You might want to include IDs, contact information, test results, notes from your doctor, recent bills, a copy of your benefits, and a copy of your insurance card.

To organize your medical documents digitally, you can use free online tools. For example, you can edit a PDF online with a PDF editor. This will allow you to make notes on any important documents.

Understand Your Insurance Policy

Do you ever feel confused by your insurance policy? You’re not alone - dealing with insurance companies can be complicated, so it’s important to spend some time going over your policy details and explanation of benefits. The Balance states that you should learn the ins and outs of your deductible, coinsurance obligations, coordination of benefits policy, copayment, and out-of-pocket costs.

Ask the Right Questions

Whether you’re trying to get to the bottom of frustrating symptoms, or you want to improve your overall health, but don’t know where to begin, you have to start by asking your doctor the right questions. Sometimes, this might mean asking for specific tests that could uncover a problem you suspect you have or eliminate a potential explanation for your symptoms so that you can narrow down the possibilities.

Get Second Opinions

What if you’re not getting satisfactory answers from your doctor? They might dismiss symptoms that have become debilitating in your daily life, or you might feel like they simply aren’t listening to you. At times like this, you have every right to seek out a second opinion. But how can you go about connecting with another doctor to hear a second opinion? Very Well Health recommends telling your doctor that you’re interested in seeking another opinion - they should not take it personally, and they will be able to refer you to a specialist who can help you.

Track Your Health Data

Tracking your personal health data is one the easiest ways to understand what’s going on inside of your own body. But with so many potential metrics to track, what’s actually worth tracking? After all, trying to measure every aspect of your health would be too overwhelming! Instead, you want to zero in on a few statistics that can paint a clear picture of your overall health, such as your daily hours of sleep, resting heart rate, waist size, and body fat percentage. If you notice anything concerning while tracking these statistics, you can take the data you’ve gathered directly to your doctor to discuss it.

Advocating for yourself can be tough, particularly when it comes to your own health. But even if standing up for yourself is difficult, it’s the best way to get the care and support you need. With these tips, you’ll be able to ensure that you get high-quality medical treatment.

Are you searching for a case management solution for your agency? Look no further than FAMCare! Register through our website today for a free demo of our program.

Thank you to Sharon Wagner from Senior Friendly for being our guest blogger. We are grateful for these insightful tips on being a your own health advocate.