Effectively communicating with physicians and nurses

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Effectively communicating with physicians and
nurses

• Kristen Edington Saunders
• Bloomberg School of Public Health
• Navigation Coordinator
• TTT Study

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(No Transcript)
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Patient Navigator Dr. Smith, my mom is having a
hard time taking those pills you gave her two
weeks ago. Any suggestions? Doctor Yes--can
you tell me who your mom is?!
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Steps to Success

• Be prepared
• Give the information
• Get the information

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Be Prepared

• Make a list of your concerns and prioritize them
• Take information with you
• Plan to update the doctor on changes since your
  last visit
• Paper and Pen

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Giving Information

• Share new symptoms be clear and concise when
  describing symptoms (descriptions help doctors
  identify the problem)
• The following information is needed
• What exactly is the issue
• Is the concern constant? If not, when does it
  occur
• Does anything make the issue/concern better?
  Worse?
• Do the systems affect my daily activities? Which
  ones? How?

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Getting Information

• Learn about medical exam(s)
• Why is it being done
• What will it show
• Is there preparation for the test
• How much will it cost
• Discuss diagnosis and what you can expect
• Find out about your medications
• What are the common side effects
• What should I do if I miss a dose

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Making decisions with your doctor

• Discuss the choices
• Discuss risks and benefits
• Consider personal values and circumstances
• How much will the treatment cost
• Will insurance cover it

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Keys to Success

• Be Prepared
• Make a list, and prioritize your concerns
• Bring paper and pen to the doctors office
• Give accurate information
• With as many details as possible describe, the
  person, how they are feeling, and what is going
  on
• Get Information
• Ask questions

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So lets use what we have learned.
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Dr. Smith, my Mom is having a hard time taking
those pills you gave her two weeks agoany
suggestions?
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Dr. Smith, My mom, a 72 year old African
American Female, with a history of heart disease
and a recent diagnosis of breast cancer, alerted
me yesterday that when she takes the medicine
Xeloda she feels nauseated. She feels this way
even if she takes it with food. Is this normal?
Can we do something about this side effect?