Be Active in Your Health Care
By Scott Culver
Communications Specialist
WEA Trust
January 2003
Being a wise health care consumer not only makes good sense for your
well-being, it can also stretch your premium dollar.
As advanced as the U.S. health care system is in many ways, it falls
short in some respects. It is responsible for many preventable deaths
and avoidable injuries as well as billions of dollars in unnecessary or
avoidable health care expenditures.
An often-cited 1999 report by the Institute of Medicine found that 44,000
to 98,000 people die each year in this country because of preventable
medical errors in hospitals. While health care experts debate the accuracy
of those figures, even the low end of that estimate is unacceptably high.
And this report does not even address other shortfalls in health care
quality, such as those that occur in physicians’ offices or clinics.
Nor does poor quality health care always stem from medical errors. Unnecessary
tests, procedures, and medications typically aren’t classified as
medical errors but they unnecessarily put patients at risk.
Besides the human toll in terms of loss of life and injuries, poor quality
health care drives up direct and indirect costs of health care. A report
by the Midwest Business Group on Health concluded that 30% of all direct
health care expenses are the result of poor quality health care. With
national health care expenditures of roughly $1.3 trillion in 2000, the
30% figure translates into $390 billion spent on poor quality health care.
All those numbers can leave your head spinning, but you don’t have
to stand idly by. Research shows patients who are involved in their health
care decisions (see sidebar above) tend to get better care and make better
use of their health care dollar.
How can you become more involved?
In today’s health care system, it’s important for you and your
doctor to work as a team. The more you know about your condition, treatment
options, and overall health, the more likely you are to get quality and
cost-effective care:
- You know important things about your symptoms and your health history.
Tell your doctor what you think he or she needs to know.
- It is important to tell your doctor personal information – even
if it makes you feel embarrassed or uncomfortable.
- Always bring a list of any medications you are taking (include when
and how often you take them). Talk about any allergies or reactions
you have had to your medicines.
- Ask questions. If you don’t, your doctor may think you understand
everything that was said.
- Write down your questions before your visit. List the most important
ones first to make sure they are asked and answered.
- You might want to bring someone along to help you ask questions.
This person can also help you understand and/or remember the answers.
- If you had tests and do not hear from your doctor, call for your
test results.
Source: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
Posted December 20, 2002