How to be a good patient, too
Part of being a smart patient is being a good patient. Show up (on time) for appointments, take medications (as prescribed), and fully disclose your history and habits to your doctor. But there's more.
Start a file. Collect copies of test results and imaging studies such as MRI s. Note the exact names, dosages, and timing of all your medications.
Call for test results. Don't settle for "If you don't hear, you're fine." Ask for your specific results and the values considered normal, and write them down. Request a copy.
Be your own scheduler. Patients don't always get reminders about regular screening tests or follow-up appointments. Call to ask when you're due to come in.
Keep your physician informed. If you think a medication is making your muscles ache or your stomach hurt, say so; side effects are not rare, and you can usually be switched to another drug. Make sure every physician knows about others you saw and tests and drugs that were ordered.
Spread good news. "When things get better, we want to hear about it," says Manhattan pediatrician Michel Cohen. -Katherine Hobson
This story appears in the November 8, 2004 print edition of U.S. News & World Report.