TALKING WITH PHYSICIANS

• Last update 06/02/10
• Team Leader
  • It is best if one of your various physicians treating you will take the lead in coordinating with your other physicians.
    • You can't assume that your various physicians will communicate with each other.
    • Unfortunately, it is sometimes difficult to get one to do the coordination.
  • That means you must request each at each appointment that your other physicians (by names) get a faxed copy of test and examination results.
  • Organize your copy of those findings in your medical records binder.
• Getting attention
  • Have your advocate with you
  • There are more ways to communicate with your physicians than merely telephone or in person. Many physicians today have fax and/or e-mail facilities.
    • Some, but not all, physicians are delighted with e-mail as a way to keep up to date and as a quick way to answer patient questions at the physician's convenience.
    • Physicians and their staff are familiar with the use of Fax
    • Ask your physician(s) if they prefer you to transmit non-urgent messages by email or fax rather than telephone or in person.
    • That way you both will have a record of what was sent and received.
    • One can fax one's physician using the service provided at http://www.myfax.com/
      • No additional software is needed.
      • Another fax service that may be free is at http://www.efax.com
    • Many physicians find their nurses or assistants can effectively screen calls and messages. 
    • Many questions can be answered through someone on the physician's staff.
    • Be insistent when it is the physician with whom you need to discuss the problem.
• Bounced around?
  • Patients often get bounced between specialists who don't keep others informed.  Do your best to get your rheumatologist to take the lead in coordinating treatment.
  • If no physician will take the lead, the patient or the patient's advocate must take an active role in keeping all the patient's physicians informed.
  • Request at the start of each appointment that each physician's office and each lab send copies of each report to your other physicians and to yourself.
  • When it appears necessary, insist that your physicians confer together.
• Appointments
  • When
  • Notify appropriate physician(s) promptly of any new symptoms or changes in existing symptoms that occur between appointments.
  • Call in advance about appointments you will miss and need to be rescheduled.
  • Your next appointment should be scheduled before leaving the physician's office.
  • Questions?
    • Click here to learn more about how to talk to your physicians,
    • Make a list of your prescriptions before leaving home.
    • Note any refills required before the next appointment.
    • Prepare a list of current symptoms, changes in symptoms, and other concerns before each appointment.
    • Don't diagnose yourself.  List current diagnoses already made, but stress current symptoms.
    • Make sure the current medications and supplements, diet, and changes in medications and supplements is up-to-date.
    • Always question your physician and pharmacist before starting, stopping, or changing dosages of herbal or non-prescription.
  • Ask
  • Always ask to review recent test results.
  • The physician should be consulted about the frequency of dipstick urine tests for blood and protein.
  • Ask your physician about adjusting your medication levels according to age and kidney condition.
  • The patient should ascertain if there are other tests that should be done periodically.
  • Ask about anti-inflammatory supplements and foods.
  • Click here for a glossary of medical terms used in vasculitis.
  • Schedule
  • Patients should mark their calendars or person digital assistant (PDA) when the next tests should be scheduled.
  • If the physician does not order the tests as expected, question her/him or the office personnel about the next scheduled tests.
  • Clarify
  • If you don't understand something the physician says, ask the physician to explain in non-medical language.
  • Kidneys
    • AV patients with kidney involvement should always check with their physician before starting any new medications, changing dosages, or stopping a medication, and when changing eating habits.
  • That includes both prescription and over the counter medications.
  • It also applies to starting new supplements or stopping current ones.
  • Staff
  • Click here to see a list of questions a patient could use to formulate their list of questions to ask their physicians.
  • These questions can be reviewed before each appointment and the 5-10 most pertinent jotted down for the appointment.
  • It is not intended the entire list of 76 questions should be handed to the physician.
  • That would likely prove unproductive at best and very possibly damage the relationship between patient and physician.
  • Prepare
  • Problems with office staff should be referred directly to the physician and perhaps best in the presence of the patient's advocate.

THIS SITE

• Intent
  • To assist vasculitis patients in getting early diagnoses, effective treatments, and to advise of patient, organization, and scientific resources concerning vasculitis.
• Sources Used
  • The following information is derived from a variety of sources over some ten+ years and is not to be considered as medical advice, but merely the opinions or experiences or findings of the writer who is not a physician and has no medical training.
  • Much comes from Medline abstracts and medical journal articles on vasculitis.  Some is from autoimmune vasculitis patients and carers, some from newsgroups,  internet web pages, etc. that also deal with vasculitis.
  • The compiler has attempted to use only recent valid medical information regarding vasculitis, but cannot guarantee the validity nor the currency in every case
• Limitations
  • No medical decisions should be made on the basis of information on this web page or on associated linked documents and web pages unless those are from a recognized medical professional or professional medical publication.
  • Limits to this web page concerning vasculitis:
    • The author/compiler/editor of this web page and related pages has had NO medical training.
    • Only autoimmune vasculitides will be considered, not hypersensitivity vasculitis nor vasculitis as a result of an allergic reaction to medication or vaccine..
    • Most sections apply to most autoimmune vasculitides.
      • One refers specifically to Wegener’s granulomatosis.
• Terminology
  • Some abbreviations and equivalencies are:
    • Hereafter, “autoimmune vasculitis” may be abbreviated “AV” or “AVs” for plural.
    • The term “Prednisone” is sometimes used where it or a similar glucocorticoid might be prescribed to treat vasculitis.
    • “Immunosuppressives” used to  treat vasculitis are sometimes abbreviated “ISs”.
• Updates
  • This update was on June 1, 2009 and is a complete rewrite of the former web page at http://www.wegenersgranulomatosis.net that also dealt with vasculitis.
• Files & links – Vasculitis related.
  • Click here to view a web page listing all the links and files from this page.
• Tables & Figures – Vasculitis related
  • Click here to view a listing of the tables and figures in this web page.
• Disclaimer
  • ALL MEDICAL QUESTIONS, SYMPTOMS, CONCERNS AND PROBLEMS SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO APROPRIATE LICENSED MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS.
  • The writer/editor/compiler does not vouch for the accuracy, completeness, nor applicability of the information included on this site to any person, whether a vasculitis patient or otherwise. 

This website and all content - © Copyright 2009, Bruce Macdonald. All Rights Reserved.
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Compilations, Observations & Suggestions by a Vasculitis Patient This web page hosted courtesy of Andrew MacLean at www.andrewmaclean.com Please use the SITE PLAN for advanced navigation if slide-out menus do not appear.

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