The Essential Patient Handbook: Getting the Health Care You Need - From Doctors Who Know

by Alan B. Ettinger MD, Deborah M. Weisbrot MD

Overview

The Essential Patient Handbook was written for the millions of Americans who are dissatisfied with their medical care, and are looking for a practical no-nonsense way to get the help they need from their doctors. It contains lessons learned by two doctors (husband and wife) who endured immense challenges on the patient side of the medical care system. Here are the secrets to:

• getting your doctor to listen
• preparing information your doctor needs to know
• understanding the reasoning behind your doctor's questions
• asking the essential questions about tests, diagnoses, medications, surgery, and second opinions
• checking for medication side effects and drug interactions
• dealing with confusing insurance and billing forms
• working with your doctor when considering alternative and complementary medicines
• handling difficult doctor-patient interactions
• dealing with a hospital stay

The Essential Patient Handbook will walk readers through the entire medical evaluation process, from the first question to the last. It gives them a guide to thoroughly prepare medical information BEFORE seeing a doctor, and explains why each piece of information is crucial. The information prepared with the aid of this book are symptom-specific, and will help physicians to arrive at a differential diagnosis. Once a diagnosis is established, it will help readers prepare further information that your doctors needs to learn to remain on top of your medical condition.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781934559444
Publisher:	Springer Publishing Company
Publication date:	08/01/2004
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	233
File size:	803 KB

About the Author

Alan B. Ettinger, MD, is Chief of the Division of Epilepsy and Electroencephalography, Department of Neurology, at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New Hyde Park, New York, and director of the Huntington Hospital Seizure Monitoring Program in Huntington, New York. He is Associate Professor in the Department of Clinical Neurology at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, President of the Long Island Epilepsy Foundation Professional Advisory Board, and has published widely in medical journals and textbooks on the topic of epilepsy.

Deborah M. Weisbrot, MD, is Director of the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Outpatient Clinic and is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University Medical Center at Stony Brook, NY.

Table of Contents

Preface
How to Use This Book
The Medical Evaluation Process and Developing Your Own Medical Record
What are You Complaining About? - The Chief Complaint
Make Your Mark in History - Your History of Present Illness (HPI)
Your Specific Symptoms
Blast From the Past - Your Past Medical History
All in the Family - Your Family History
Put Yourself to the Test - Your Prior Diagnostic Workup
Current and Prior Treatments
Beyond the Facts and Figures - Your Psychosocial History
Your Current and Future Health
Did We Forget Anything? - The Review of Systems
Let's Get Physical - The Physical Examination
Testing Patients, Not Your Patience - Future Tests and Procedures
Putting it all Together - How the Doctor Arrives at the Diagnosis
To Waste Time or Not Waste Time, That is the Question - The Follow-up Visit and Specific Diagnoses
Special Situations
Your Child's Medical History
The Psychiatric Consultation for Adults and Children
Preparing the Medical Evaluation for Patients with Impaired Thinking
Whose Life is it Anyway? - Preparing Advance Directives
Questions for the Doctor
Not Asking About Test Results Is Out of the Question
Questions About Your Diagnosis and When to Get a Second Opinion
If You Don't Ask Questions About Your Medications, You Are Asking for Trouble
Surgery and Others Procedures Are Not a Cut and Dry Matter
Don't Compliment a Doctor Who Won't Discuss Complementary Medicine
Call of the Wild or Don't Get Excited When You Call Your Doctor
Other Useful Information
Don't Go Out of Your Mind When You Go Out Of Network - Understanding Medical Insurance Plans
You Don't Have to Be a Doctor to Get a Medical Education - Ignorance is NOT Bliss When It Comes to Your Health
Doctors: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly - Don't Let Difficult Doctors Get On Your Case
Feelings You May Have When You See the Doctor
Read this BEFORE You Go to the Hospital
Final Thoughts
Appendices
Completed History Form Example
Common Medical Errors Related to Testing
Differential Diagnosis
Medication Categories

Editorial Reviews

Reviewer: Andrea D. Posey, RN, BSN, MSN (University of Alaska Anchorage)
Description: This handbook provides the reader with a guide to help navigate the medical system. It includes forms to assist in organization of personal medical records and advice about how to interact with healthcare providers.
Purpose: The purpose of the book, according to the author, is to give the nonmedical person a framework for understanding the reasoning behind healthcare processes and how to communicate with the healthcare provider. The book includes all the necessary items to meet these objectives.
Audience: It is written for the lay population. The language and terminology is at an acceptable reading level for most people to easily follow and understand. The authors are physicians and have experienced the complexities of the healthcare system personally.
Features: This publication includes information and helpful forms for organizing a personal medical history. These forms are also available on line and the URL is included in the text. The book also includes helpful information and suggestions about questions to ask the healthcare provider and how to present symptoms in a meaningful manner. There are also discussions about health insurance and dealing with difficult healthcare providers.
Assessment: There are many healthcare guides available to consumers. This one stands out because of the useful tools that are provided for the reader and the discussions about the reasons behind many of the healthcare processes that may be unknown to the consumer. The book is a useful source of information that is easy to access.

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