Dr. William Springer is a cardiovascular surgeon at Covenant. He has some advice on how to be an active participant in your health care.
“What should you be doing? Be prepared when you go see your doctor. Write your questions down, know your medications,” Dr. Springer said.
Dr. Springer said he has an analogy that he often uses.
“How much time do you spend when you go and buy a brand new pickup truck? Do you drive onto the lot, and the salesman walks out and says ‘I got one over here for you, it’s the best’, and then you drive off with that?” Dr. Springer said. “I don’t think many folks do that, but you do that with your healthcare.”
According to Dr. Springer, there are a number of websites you can use to help you with your research.
“The internet can be a scary place, there’s lot of advertising out there, it can be challenging to get to the real data out there, but it’s there,” he said.
“Take your families to the place that has the best outcome, and you can do that by doing your homework before you go. Society of Thoracic Surgery is a great place to go. SurgeonRatings.org, great place to go,” Dr. Springer said.
His advice is to ask questions when you get to the doctor. He said those questions can not only help you as the patient, but they can also help your doctor.
“You have to ask questions. If you get a test, ask for the result, if you get an X-ray, look at the X-ray with your physician, have them explain to it,’ Dr. Springer said.
“If you get an angiogram, have them show you what went on, what the results were. be a participant, that’s all we’re really asking, engage that physician, it will make your doctor a better doctor, and make you a better patient, and in the end, I believe you’ll get a better outcome.”
