Health Care Tips You Need to Know - Preparing for the Unexpected

A few days after Christmas, I received a phone call from a relative. They were calling to let me know a family member was in the hospital after suffering a heart attack. What was so shocking was the hospitalized family member was only 53-years-old and had just been at my house for the Christmas holiday, Just a few days ago, my family member had seemed perfectly healthy and now he was in the hospital recovering from stent procedures to correct blockages in his coronary arteries. Why tell you this story? -- Because it is a real life example illustrating an important point. No one can accurately predict when they might have a medical problem, what it will be or how serious it might become. Medical problems can happen to any of us, at any time. The question you need to ask yourself is, "Are you ready today, if a medical problem happens to you or a loved one?" The following questions and tips are listed to help you decide just how prepared you are.

1. Do you have a physician you see regularly? Everyone needs to have a doctor they can call on, even if you are generally healthy. Regular visits to a doctor can help discover problems patients may not even know they have (like high blood pressure) and allow a relationship to develop so the doctor can be familiar with your history even before you have a serious medical problem. It is much better to have a doctor who knows you before an emergency or serious medical problem develops. They can help coordinate your care and help you get in to see specialists sooner if that's what you need to do. If you don't have a doctor you can call tomorrow, then this tip needs to be high on your priority list!

2. Do you seek care early when a problem develops? This is so important to do! Seeking care early can greatly improve your prognosis (how well you will do). Everyone has heard this, but do you do this? My relative did! He went to the emergency room before his condition became irreversible. He is now home recuperating and learning what else he needs to modify to reduce his chances of having more cardiac problems. If he had not sought care early, his story might have had a very different, potentially fatal outcome. So, if you think you have a medical problem, you probably do. Don't delay - get care as early as you can.

3. Do you have a patient advocate? Everyone needs to have a patient advocate before they need one. For minor problems you may be your own best patient advocate. For serious matters you need someone else (family member or friend) who can help you look out for your best medical options. Patient advocates can help in so many different ways. They can be an extra pair of ears to listen at appointments, help you make tough decisions, transport you to appointments, help you research your particular medical problem, etc. If you don't have one yet - get one as soon as possible. Don't wait until you have an emergency to choose someone to help you.