Five Reasons to have an Appointment Advocate

You aren't seriously ill. Why do you need to take another person / advocate to your appointments? Below are five major reasons and what he or she can do to help you get better care.
1) Research shows you immediately forget one-half of what you are told at doctor appointments. Your advocate can:
a) Take notes for you. It is very difficult to take notes and interact effectively with your doctor at the same time.
b) Prompt you from questions or concerns on your prepared list.
2) When in good health, your advocate will be a note taker and prompter. However, when very ill or receiving news, such as cancer, effective interactions diminish. In both cases:
a) It is very difficult to think clearly, ask questions or remember the answers or actions you need to take going forward.
b) Your advocate can interact with and / or for you and take notes.
3) Your advocate can be an encourager and provide positive reinforcement to help you stick with difficult treatment or lifestyle changes.
4) Two heads are better than one.. You may have two or more conditions with vague and hard to describe symptoms & / or take numerous medications. Your advocate can help you:
a) Recognize symptoms & piece information together. She will hear what the provider says, can share her observations and participate in asking questions.
b) Assess your options and be a sounding board for decision-making after your appointment.
c) Recognize when you may be creating your own medical error(s) by not taking a medication properly or following your treatment plan.
5) Your advocate will have the knowledge to care for & fight for you when you can't do so for yourself.