Healthcare
Your Health. Your Choices. Your Voice.
Healthcare can be complicated.
A diagnosis. A hospitalization. A new medication. A procedure. A change in your condition. Suddenly, you may find yourself making decisions you never expected to face.
You don’t have to know everything. But you deserve to understand your choices.
Be Brave Now helps individuals and families prepare to become informed participants in their healthcare—before a crisis occurs and when important decisions need to be made.
KNOW WHAT’S HAPPENING
Don’t be afraid to ask questions.You have the right to understand your diagnosis, treatment options, risks and benefits, and what to expect.
Ask:
■ What is happening to me?
■ What are my treatment options?
■ What happens if I don’t have this treatment?
■ What are the benefits?
■ What are the risks?
■ Are there alternatives?
■ Is this treatment intended to cure, control, or manage my condition?
■ What should I expect next?
■ Who should I call if I have questions?
If you don’t understand the answer, ask again.
Bring someone you trust to important appointments when possible. Take notes. Ask for written information. Keep your medical records organized.
You are not being difficult by asking questions.
You are being informed.
Your healthcare may involve many people:
■ Primary care physicians
■ Specialists
■ Nurses
■ Pharmacists
■ Therapists
■ Social workers
■ Case managers
■ Home healthcare professionals
■ Hospice and palliative care professionals
■ Caregivers and family members
Knowing who is responsible for what can make an overwhelming situation easier to navigate.
Keep a current list of your healthcare providers and their contact information.
BUILD YOUR HEALTHCARE TEAM
KNOW YOUR MEDICATIONS
Medication errors and confusion can happen when people move between doctors, hospitals, rehabilitation facilities and home.
Keep an up-to-date medication list that includes:
■ Medication name
■ Dose
■ When you take it
■ Why you take it
■ Prescribing provider
■ Allergies or medication reactions
Whenever you are admitted to or discharged from a healthcare facility, review your medications carefully.
Ask: What changed? What was stopped? What was added? Why?
If you’re going to the hospital, preparation can make an enormous difference.
Know:
■ Your medications
■ Your allergies
■ Your medical history
■ Your healthcare providers
■ Your emergency contacts
■ Your insurance information
■ Where your advance directives are located
■ Who should be contacted if you cannot communicate
And know who you want beside you.
PREPARE FOR A HOSPITALIZATION
UNDERSTAND YOUR OPTIONS
Sometimes there isn’t one right answer.
You may have choices about treatment, rehabilitation, surgery, medications, home care, skilled nursing, palliative care or hospice.
Your choices should reflect your medical situation and your values.
Be Brave Now encourages patients and families to ask:
“What are all of my options?”
And:
“What would you recommend if this were your family member?”
Having that conversation can help you make decisions based on information rather than fear.
One of the most important healthcare decisions you can make is deciding who will speak for you if you cannot speak for yourself.
A Health Care Proxy/Health Care Agent can make healthcare decisions for you when you are unable to do so, according to applicable state law.
But choosing someone is only the beginning.
Talk to them.
Tell them what matters to you.
Tell them what quality of life means to you.
Tell them what kinds of medical interventions you would or would not want.
Make sure they know where your documents are.
WHEN YOU CAN’T SPEAK FOR YOURSELF
HEALTHCARE TRANSITIONS
Leaving the hospital doesn’t mean your healthcare is finished.
You may transition:
■ Hospital → Home
■ Hospital → Skilled Nursing Facility
■ Hospital → Rehabilitation
■ Hospital → Hospice
Every transition creates opportunities for information to be lost or misunderstood.
Before leaving one setting, make sure you understand:
■ Where you are going
■ Why you are going there
■ What medications you should take
■ What services have been arranged
■ What appointments are scheduled
■ What symptoms require immediate attention
■ Who to contact with questions
■ Who is responsible for your ongoing care
Your care should follow you, not just your paperwork.
Palliative care and hospice are often misunderstood.
Palliative care can help people living with serious illness by addressing symptoms, quality of life and the physical, emotional and practical challenges that can accompany illness. It can be provided alongside treatment for the underlying condition.
Hospice focuses on comfort and quality of life for people who are approaching the end of life and meet applicable eligibility requirements.
Choosing comfort-focused care is not “giving up.”
Sometimes it means choosing how you want to live the time you have.
PALLIATIVE CARE & HOSPICE
BE YOUR OWN ADVOCATE
You don’t need to be a medical professional to advocate for yourself.
You need to be willing to ask questions.
■ Bring someone with you.
■ Write things down.
■ Speak up when something doesn’t seem right.
■ Ask for clarification.
■ Ask for another opinion when appropriate.
And remember:
“I need more information before I make this decision.”