By Judie Donaldson

Do you ever have the feeling that you’d just like to go  back to the good old days? You know, when life was simpler. I’m feeling this way today because I have an appointment with my doctor next week. When I was little, I thought that when you had a physical problem, you just went to the doctor and got an answer. But, that was then, and now is now, and patient passivity is no longer in vogue.
Today, we have a new role. As patients, we’re expected to be partners in our health. I don’t know about you, but I’m just learning how to do this. Not to be morbid or dramatic, but from my perspective, it literally has to do with my life and my death.
It’s a significant responsibility being a health partner. For me, it begins with assuming responsibility to take care of my health. It’s up to me to eat and live healthily, to hydrate and exercise smartly. It requires paying attention to my body and being able to articulate its status, patterns, and changes. It consists of tracking relevant health indicators. It includes being intellectually active so that I can query my doctor on his or her perspective and recommendations. It involves making a decision to accept, or not to accept, his or her treatment prescriptions. It requires following the doctor’s directives once I’ve agreed to them.
When I anticipate my appointment with my doctor next week, all of these things coalesce. I feel as though the appointment is a kind of a litmus test, or better yet a report card, on how I’m doing as a partner.
This is what I’d like to spend a few minutes talking about––our strategies as partners when we meet with our doctors.  A couple of years ago, one of the Village’s Senior Speakers Series’ programs focused on this. It was excellent. The program stimulated my thinking about how I could become better informed, better equipped to advocate for myself, and better positioned to ask for the care I need­­.  I’d like to share a couple of  strategies that I’ve learned about and am employing.
The first is ensuring that I have a complete record of everything relevant to my health.   I must admit that, when I first started maintaining records, they were pretty skimpy.  Now I know to include the names of all medications and supplements, their dosages, and when I started taking them. I read once that doctors are all too often frustrated with patients who can only tell them that their medication is “a little white pill.” This may be the reason that some doctors ask you to put everything in a bag and bring it to your appointment.
I also track any noticeable physical changes and events in my life that may have influenced my health. I organize my notes so that I can easily summarize what has occurred since my last appointment. Overall, I feel much more in charge of my health now that I am maintaining comprehensive, albeit anecdotal, records.
When it comes to making an appointment, I have heard that some patients diligently strategize to make their appointments at what are considered the most advantageous times­ to have time with their doctors––the first appointment in the morning or after lunch or on a particular day that is typically less busy. I haven’t done this, but I can imagine that it might be worth a try.
However, we all know that getting all the time we need to get our questions answered is a vestige of the past. Instead, our challenge is preparing to get the most from today’s proverbial 15-minute appointment! What’s your strategy? (I wish that we could all share our approaches.) I clarify my goals and list and prioritize what I want to discuss, being reasonable about what is possible in the allotted time. I learned from experience that all too often I was waiting until the last few minutes of the meeting to raise issues.   Now, I share a copy of my written goals and priorities with the doctor at the beginning of the appointment.    This works better for me, and  I have gotten positive feedback on this as an approach. By the way, I often take the initiative to provide a succinct update on my health since my last appointment.
Because I have difficulty with my handwriting (a Parkinson symptom), I am increasingly inclined to ask permission to record the appointment or to ask a friend to go with me to both listen and take notes. I highly recommend these as strategies, particularly when the appointment may involve something decisive or difficult. Don’t go it alone.
So, here we are in a changed and changing health care system in which we have considerable responsibility. Although there are certainly times that I am frustrated with the realities of health care today, I am finding that I am more informed about my health and better able to advocate for it and make decisions about it. So, for me, this role of health partner is beneficial. I hope it is for you as well. May we all be healthier as a result.

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