8 ways to be your own health advocate

In 1996, I had an illness that nearly killed me. I was exhausted, felt awful, could barely stand up and had trouble remembering things. Yet, I somehow had to find the energy not only to take care of my newborn and 5 year old, coordinate our upcoming move, consult with doctors and other medical providers on my condition and treatment, and receive treatments that might or might not help me regain my health, but also track our quite substantial medical bills in order to forestall what would have been economic ruin for us. At the time, most of our medical providers did not file insurance claims, so that task fell to me. One of my clearest memories is sitting on the floor of our home office surrounded by piles of medical claims that needed to be reconciled. I remember the babysitter coming into the room to ask me a question. When she saw the piles of paper surrounding me, she turned around and walked out of the room without saying a word. She later told me that she’d been shocked that a person in my condition would have to deal with paperwork. Continue reading ... Your patients are rating you online: How to respond. Manage your online reputation: A social media guide. Find out how.
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - Category: General Medicine Authors: Tags: Patient Hospital-Based Medicine Patients Primary Care Source Type: blogs