How do you talk about a sensitive subject with your doctor? What if you forget to ask an important question? What if you feel rushed during your visit? How can you get the most out of your visit with your health care provider? Being able to communicate openly, comfortably and assertively with your doctor can help you make good health decisions and stay well. But some older people shy away from this approach and hesitate to ask questions or take the doctor's time.
The best patient-doctor relationships are more of a partnership, with both sides taking responsibility for good communication. To guide older patients in speaking with their doctors, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) offers Talking with Your Doctor, a newly released topic on NIHSeniorHealth.gov, a Web site developed by NIH with the needs of older people in mind. The NIHSeniorHealth.gov Web site is a joint effort of the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and the National Library of Medicine (NLM), which are components of the NIH.
del.icio.us
Digg this
