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Ask questions!
Try to stay active when you discuss your health issues, or your family’s health issues with the health care team.
3 important questions you can ask at every visit are:
- What is my main problem?
- What do I need to do?
- Why is it important for me to do this?
More information about this approach can be found
here.
Asking questions can help you to understand what you need to do, and can help to prevent medical errors. Other important questions you can ask include:
- What is the test for?
- How many times have you done this procedure?
- When will I get the results?
- Why do I need this treatment?
- Are there any alternatives?
- What are the possible complications?
- Which hospital is best for my needs?
- How do you spell the name of that drug?
- What are the main side effects?
- Will this medicine interact with medicines that I'm already taking?
More information about the importance of asking questions can be found here.