On Nov. 1, I invited two health care professions to join me to discuss a topic I’m passionate about and have written about here several times—patient empowerment.

Barbara Lewis, host of WFYI’s Sound Medicine and Inside Indiana Business, moderated this talk on the IUPUI campus. Several students and faculty attended—including some physicians.

Chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Indiana University School of Medicine, Dr. Lee Learman discussed the importance of communication between patients and physicians. Dr. Learman has a doctorate in social psychology and has studied physician/patient interaction.

Too often the interaction is one-sided, he said, with the patient not contributing enough information. “You want the type of conversation that benefits you. And, use your voice—that will definitely benefit you,” he added.

I truly believe what Dr. Learman said. We need to shift from being passive patients to being active patients. I know from my own experience that we patients can do so many things to keep us empowered. Communication is key to this. For example, when you leave a physician’s office, the two of you should agree on the next steps in your treatment plan. Dr. Learman often asks his patients what they understand about the diagnosis just given to them or about what was discussed in the office.

Executive Director of Indiana University National Center of Excellence in Women’s Health, Dr. Debra Stiffler has a deep interest in communication. Before she began delivering babies as a midwife, she worked as a labor and delivery nurse. She wasn’t happy with that role because she didn’t have a chance to communicate much with patients after the birth of the baby. In midwifery, she can work beside a woman from adolescence to old age.

Dr. Stiffler discussed the importance of choosing the right health care provider that will address your specific concerns. “Once you find the right one, bring what meds you’re on and which doctor prescribed which medication. Bring a list of questions so you won’t forget them.”

According to Dr. Learman, the best doctors want patients who care about their health and are willing to communicate effectively with them. “The right health care providers are delighted to meet empowered patients.”

How many of you have felt cheated after leaving a medical appointment? Your complaint may be about a shortage of time, or the doctor talking mumble jumble (med talk that you don’t understand), or simply leaving with another handful of prescriptions without precisely understanding what’s changed.

Ask yourself, though, how much of this is your own fault?

I know what you’re probably thinking. “Lorene, you weren’t there and don’t understand the situation.” Well, I have been there many times myself. I finally decided that I couldn’t change the doctor, but I could change my approach to the appointment.

Here’s what I do:

1. I bring my personal health care notebook that contains information on every appointment. (You can find information about how to create your own notebook elsewhere on my website.)

2. I have another loose-leaf notebook with dividers where I keep information about different doctors. I write down the date of the appointment at the top of the page and the name of the doctor. You may also want to make a note of how long you waited to see the doctor and how long your actual appointment with him or her was. In the first paragraph I write why I’m seeing the doctor noting symptoms, the length of time they’ve existed and what I’ve done about them on my own. In the next paragraph, I write a list of questions to ask, leaving space to write down answers. It’s always helpful, if you can, to bring someone with you to take down this information. Finally, I summarize the visit, note if drugs have been prescribed and why, or if other therapy and referrals to specialists have been suggested. I also ask the doctor if there is a preferred way to communicate with his or her office if questions arise after the appointment.

You will be amazed at the professional care you will receive because the doctor will know that you are on target with making sure that you get the maximum from the appointment. Everyone should take a pledge to be a better patient. That will also ensure better appointments.

We live in a society where we can “purchase” science for one of the most important aspects of our lives, our bodies. And we often pay nothing for it, or at the least no money changes hands at the time of our “purchase.”

Where else can you do this when you don’t pay with cash, a check or credit card? Instead, if you have a Medicare card, you just hand it over and expect to get service. It’s really amazing when you think about it.

But what is generally our attitude when we have nothing invested in a service or activity? We think it isn’t worth much. How often do you think that attitude prevails today when we receive our “free” health care?

Perhaps if we felt that we had some responsibility for our medical outcomes, we might invest more effort in the process. Consider this: We make an appointment with the doctor, show up and leave with advice that we don’t necessarily follow. And then we complain about health care?

Come on folks. Do your part in this physician/patient partnership. If you don’t agree with your doctor’s advice, talk about it and come to an agreement on what you are willing to do. Here are some examples of sound medical advice that patients very often don’t follow. Hang your head in shame if any of these apply to you.

1. You are told to lose weight, yet you have no intention of changing the way you eat.
2. You are told to stop smoking, but know how hard that will be, so you don’t even try.
3. The doctor tells says you drink too much and advises you to cut back. Your response? “Oh, come on doctor, be serious. I don’t drink that much.”
4. When told to take every bit of prescribed medicine, you stop when you start to feel better.
5. The doctor tells you that an exercise program will help you lose weight and feel better.

What do you say? “I don’t do sweat, doctor. Besides, exercise just doesn’t fit into my schedule right now.”

See the problem? We waste everyone’s time and then we complain we’re not getting results.

What could possibly be more important to you than you good health and well-being?