How to Get the Most From Your Next Doctor’s Appointment
The federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has a new campaign with the Ad Council called "Questions are the Answer." It is designed to help patients be more involved in their own health care.
Check out their new web site (http://www.ahrq.gov/questionsaretheanswer/), which includes information for patients about talking to their doctor, getting medical tests, preventing medical errors and more.
Most important, it includes a Question Builder which helps users build a custom list of questions to print out and bring to their next medical appointment.
AHRQ developed the web site because research shows that patients who are involved in their own health care and communicate effectively with their doctors make better decisions, get better quality health care and even help prevent medical errors.