Wise Health Consumer - February 9, 2010 Newsletter

National Wise Health Consumer Month

EHE Newsletter, Volume 10, Number 6
February 9, 2010

Each year, Americans pay for insurance premiums, prescriptions, office visit co–pays, deductibles and other medical expenses — all of which add up to a significant investment. Now more than ever, it is important to make sure that you are being a wise health consumer and are getting the most for your money. February is National Wise Health Consumer Month, sponsored by The American Institute of Preventive Medicine. By practicing prevention, managing costs and taking good care of yourself, you are not only taking steps toward saving money and becoming a wise health consumer, you are also taking steps toward living a long and healthy life.

Who are Wise Health Consumers?

The key to shopping for any service or product is being informed. This is especially true in regards to healthcare. Being a wise health consumer means exploring your options and taking responsibility for your good health; it means staying involved and informed, and paying attention to the care that you receive. Knowledge is power: educate yourself about any illnesses that you have and/or medications that you take, as well as preventive healthcare steps that you can follow to achieve optimal health.

The healthcare decisions that you make directly influence your overall well–being and the quality and cost of your care. Individuals who learn as much as they can about their choices are often more confident about the decisions that they make. People who work with their healthcare providers to make health decisions are generally happier with the care that they receive and the results that they achieve.

There are several things that you can do to become a wise health consumer:

Understand your healthcare coverage: Take the time to read your health insurance policy. Make sure that you understand what it covers, including premiums, co–payments, deductibles, maximum covered amounts and participating providers. Some types of care may have to be approved by your insurance company before your doctor can provide them. If you have read your policy and still have specific questions about coverage, call your insurance company and ask a representative for clarification.

Select your healthcare providers with great care: Take time to carefully select a healthcare provider. Ask your friends and family for recommendations. When you have narrowed it down, call and make sure that the provider accepts your insurance and has office hours that will work for you. Schedule an appointment to meet and talk to the physician; make sure that you are comfortable talking to the doctor and that he or she answers all of your questions in terms that you can understand. Additionally, look into your local hospitals and compare and contrast them. In many instances, you can check prices, hospital ratings and offered services online before you need to visit. Knowing your preferences in advance can help you decide how to proceed quickly if you ever need to rush to the emergency room.

Get appropriate health screenings: Be aware of routine diagnostic tests, examinations, self–exams and screenings, as well as the recommended times to have them. When — and how often — you have screening tests depends on your age, gender, family history, lifestyle and health status. These tests are important because the sooner that a disease is diagnosed, the more likely it is that it can be cured or managed. Managing a disease, especially in its earliest stages, may reduce its impact on your life and prevent or delay serious problems.

Practice self–management: Practicing self–management means taking responsibility and doing what is necessary to effectively manage an illness. Take notes at the doctor’s office so that you will later be able to refer to your notes and remember what was said. Follow your doctor’s instructions; treatment will not be successful if you do not take prescribed medications and follow your doctor’s advice. A physician can provide valuable advice, information and recommendations to help you deal with an illness, but a physician cannot make decisions for you or control your behavior; only you can. Additionally, organize your healthcare information in a file that contains your medical history, including doctor visits, immunizations, test dates, results, medications with doses and allergies. Bring this with you to all your healthcare appointments.

Use medicines safely: As a consumer, the best way to use your medicines safely and appropriately is to be well–informed with good, reliable information and willing to ask questions. It is very important to understand key information about any medication that you take: why you are taking it, how and when you should take it and the possible side effects. If you do not understand something, do not walk out of the doctor’s office confused; ask for clarification. By understanding this information, you will be better prepared to prevent errors and to ensure proper care for yourself.

Maintain a healthy lifestyle: Making lifestyle choices that promote good health is important. Choosing unhealthy behaviors puts you at greater risk for serious health problems. Programs that focus on self–care such as smoking cessation, weight control and stress management are designed with the wise health consumer in mind. Such programs show the consumer how to make healthy lifestyle choices that contribute to a long, healthy and productive life. The following lifestyle choices promote good health:

• Quit smoking (or do not start)
• Exercise regularly
• Eat a healthy, balanced diet
• Limit alcohol consumption
• Manage your stress

Even by doing just one of these things, you will improve your health and reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer and stroke.

Seek reliable sources of information: The internet is a rich and easily–accessible source of information about consumer health, which makes it possible to be more informed about your healthcare options. Medical websites can be an excellent resource. They can help you decide when you need to see a doctor, provide information on selecting the right physician, show you how to evaluate the treatment that you receive and provide questions to ask your doctor about an illness, invasive procedure or surgery. There is, however, an overwhelming amount of health information available both on the internet and in the media. It can be difficult to discern what information is reliable and what is not. The American Institute for Preventive Medicine suggests sticking to websites that have addresses which end in ".edu," ".gov," or ".org," because these sites are run by schools, government agencies or nonprofit organizations and are less likely to promote a biased point of view. Before you act on any information you find, however, you should first discuss it with your physician to ensure that it is accurate. Your physician is always going to be able to provide the best assessment of your health.

Take care of your mental health: It is well known that our mental health can have an effect on our physical health. Being exposed to stressful situations on a daily basis can be mentally and emotionally draining. Stress that continues without relief can lead to physical symptoms including:

• Sleep disturbances
• Stomachache or diarrhea
• Tension or migraine headaches
• Greater susceptibility to colds and other infections
• Fatigue
• High blood pressure
• Skin problems (hives, eczema, psoriasis)

It is important to find ways to manage stress and to reduce the stress in your life. The process of learning to control stress is life–long and will not only contribute to better health, but a greater ability to succeed in life.

Learning how to navigate the complicated healthcare system is not easy. To be a wise healthcare consumer, you must learn how to work with physicians, nurses, pharmacists, insurance companies, hospitals and more. Fortunately, there are many consumer health resources available to help you make smart choices. Take advantage of these resources and take charge of your health decisions.

MEDICAL DISCLAIMER: The information is not intended to constitute medical advice and is not a substitute for consultation with a physician or other health care provider. Individuals with specific complaints should seek immediate consultation from their personal physicians.