How to be involved in your own care

To be involved in your own healthcare may mean for you, or your family member, to take part in every decision possible. This will give you greater control over your situation. It will also help to ensure your health choices are influenced by what matters most to you. Working with your healthcare team will lead to better, safer healthcare for you.

These are some important actions you can take to be involved:

Speak up if you have any questions or concerns during an appointment or consultation.
Ask questions and request answers that you can understand. Don’t be afraid to ask for clarification if an answer doesn’t make sense to you.
Ask for a support person to be there with you, if you wish.
Learn more about your health and any treatments you may need.
Keep an up-to-date list of all the medications you are taking.
Keep information with you if you have any drug allergies.
Ask for the results of any test or procedure and request an explanation of what the results mean for you.
Talk with your health professional about your options if you need to be admitted to hospital or be referred to another health care provider.

NPS MedicineWise has a great, free smart-phone app to help you track and keep an up-to-date list of your medications.