How to Take Health Care Responsibility

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Fast and Easy Health Tips
'Doctors are the same as lawyers; the only difference is that lawyers merely rob you, whereas doctors rob you and kill you too.'  - Anton Chekhov, Russian playwright
     The World Health Organization reports that the United States has the 37th best health care system in the world.  America\'s health care system is fraught with problems and its patient satisfaction is rated among the worst in the world.  Even though America\'s health care system is envied by the world, it ranks at the bottom of many health care indicators.  In the developed world, the United States is at the bottom of the list for infant mortality and life expectancy.
     Health care responsibility is the process is taking control of your health care.  The health care system has many problems, but great health care can be obtained if you are a smart health care consumer.
     Being educated does not mean that you need to have a medical degree or even a high school diploma; it means that you know how to get and transmit critical information.

     Having a system to organize and communicate your health information will significantly improve health care.  You need a system to organize your medical information.  Having this information improves the relationship with your doctor and having a good relationship with the physician who serves as your primary care provider is an essential step to getting optimal health care.           
     The current capitalistic health care system focuses on profit instead of patient care.  This does not mean that you cannot receive great health care in the current system.  It does mean that you will have to do more than have a good doctor.  You need to take responsibility for your health care.  Health care responsibility includes understanding your health and disease states, organizing your health information and communicating it with the system.
     Five fast and easy things that you can do to improve your health care:

1. Become educated
2. Learn to communicate at doctors appointments
3. Prepare before each doctor\'s appointment
4. Know what preventative testing and treatments you need
5. Practice healthy lifestyle changes – exercise and eat well, avoid smoking, tobacco and excessive alcohol

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/medicine-articles/how-to-take-health-care-responsibility-3491533.html
About the Author
Ray Lengel is a family nurse practitioner who is the author of one book and over 100 continuing educational programs for nurses.  He currently runs a blog at: http://fastandeasyhealth.typepad.com