14
Apr
The Importance of Effective Communication with your Medical Care Provider
After making the important decision to seek prompt medical treatment for a personal injury, the next step is to effectively communicate with your medical care provider. Effective communication with your medical care provider has two benefits. First, the medical care provider utilizes all the information provided to him or her to develop an accurate diagnosis and an effective treatment plan. The type of information you give and the accuracy of that information directly affects your recovery. Second, effective communication documents and substantiates the timing, extent, and duration of your injuries. If you do decide to pursue a lawsuit, this documentation will assist your attorney in proving your case. Personal injury cases are complex and intricate, and success is not guaranteed. Effective communication with your medical care providers is one thing you can do to strengthen your case.
While making the decision to seek prompt medical attention is not complex, effective communication with the medical care provider you choose is not so simple. Patients often become frustrated by the challenges of communicating their pain and symptoms to their medical care providers. A strong patient-doctor relationship can help you feel more comfortable describing your pain and can facilitate a doctor’s understanding of your pain. A few simple guidelines may aid you in the process of effective communication.
If you have seen other medical professionals prior to a doctor visit or underwent prior diagnostic testing, such as x-rays or MRIs, bring the pertinent medical records you have in your possession to your appointment. Also, you may want to keep a list of prior treatment, to give your doctor a more complete description of the circumstances surrounding your pain. You can also, during the days and weeks leading up to an appointment, jot down any questions you have. It happens to everyone, before you get into the examination room you have multiple questions, but when the doctor asks, somehow they all escape you. Jotting down the questions you have as they come to you will help avoid this phenomenon.
In addition, it is often difficult to find the right words to describe the pain you are feeling. If you have trouble describing your pain, the following words may be helpful: aching, burning, nagging, sharp, throbbing, stabbing, radiating, and sore. Being able to accurately describe to your doctor exactly what you are feeling will greatly help your doctor in accurately diagnosing and treating you.
Next, when you are meeting with your medical care provider do not be afraid to ask for a laymen’s explanation of what the doctor is telling you, if you do not understand. You are paying for your time with the doctor; you should never be timid about asking for a more clear explanation. It may even be helpful to bring someone with you to help absorb and remember everything the doctor says and can even help you to remember your pain and symptoms.
Lastly, BE HONEST. Do not lessen the pain you are experiencing to protect the feelings of your doctors or therapists. If the treatment your doctor or therapist is prescribing you is not helping, let them know as soon as you realize its ineffectiveness. It is not your job to boost their confidence; it is their job to provide you effective treatment.
By following these helpful guidelines you will be more able to articulate your pain experience to all your medical care providers. It is important to realize that these techniques can be used with any type of medical care provider, at any stage of your treatment. Effective communication throughout your treatment will ultimately assist your medical care providers in accurately diagnosing you and in creating an effective plan of treatment, while simultaneously documenting and substantiating your pain, which assists your attorney in proving your case if a lawsuit arises. Effective communication, no matter what your situation is or where you are in your treatment is a must.
This was an interesting take on a personal injury case. I never thought what I told my doctor would make such a big difference. It really does matter what attorneys you choose.
April 25th, 2008 at 3:18 pm