How To Be Healthy: 12 Ways to Save Your Life

1. Lead your health care. People who are involved in their care are less likely to be the victim of a medical malpractice.
2. Please Read your prescription. Ask your doctor to write the purpose of the drug on the prescription so the pharmacist can double-check that he’s reading it correctly. Ask the pharmacist to read it back to you so you can check, too. Check the medicine when you pick it up to make sure it’s what your doctor prescribed and that the dosage is correct.
3. Tell you doctor the medications you take. Include prescriptions, over-the-counter, vitamins, supplements, and herbs.
4. Understand new medications. What is it for? How much do I take? How often do I take it? What food, drink, and activities should I avoid while taking this medication? What would an adverse reaction be and what should I do if that happens?
5. Get the results for any lab tests. Ask for a written report of your test results and an explanation from your doctor of what they mean. Don’t assume “no news is good news.”
6. Find out if your doctor is doing enough. Check the national guidelines to make sure you’re getting at least the minimum recommended treatment. A reliable source for treatment standards can be found from the National Guidelines Clearinghouse at www.guideline.gov.
7. More isn’t always better. Know why you are having a test, treatment, or new medication prescribed—and what side effects you could have, both long- and short-term. You might decide
   you would be better off without it.
8. If you’re having surgery, make sure that you, your doctor, and your surgeon are all clear on what is going to be done. Wrong-site surgery is rare, but don’t be afraid to write on your body parts with an indelible marker to let them know where the operation site is and isn’t. It’s your body, so take it seriously.
9. Ask who is going to do your surgical procedure. Doctors often use residents (doctors in training), physician assistants, and other doctors to assist them during surgeries. It’s your right to know who will be doing what and their qualifications.
10. In the hospital, ask anyone you come in contact with to wash their hands. Although hand-washing is an important way to prevent the spread of infections, it’s estimated that only 17 percent of physicians wash their hands as they move between patients.
11. Before having any procedure, check the background of the person doing the procedure as well as the facility where it will be performed. Ask the doctor how many times he has performed the procedure. Make sure the hospital you choose has a lot of experience with your procedure.
12. When you are in the hospital, ask someone close to you to be your advocate. You may be unconscious, and even if you’re wide awake, it pays to have another set of eyes and ears to make
    sure you understand and approve of what’s going on. And if you have a child in the hospital, try to have someone with her as often as possible to make sure her treatments, medications, and care are administered correctly.

Posted in: Health, health tips