5 Reasons Why Bringing A Health Advocate To Your Doctor's Appointment Can Save Your Life

While being your own health advocate is extremely important, bringing an advocate to your doctor's appointment may save your life. Your advocate can be a close friend, parent, relative or spouse. It is best if your advocate is familiar with you and your symptoms. Below, I have outlined five reasons why bringing an advocate to your doctor's appointment can benefit your healthcare.1. When you don't feel well it may be difficult to convey your symptoms and questions to your doctor. Your advocate can help you give detailed examples of your symptoms and clarify your questions to your doctor.2. If you do not feel well you may not comprehend all of the doctor's information. Your advocate can confirm with your doctor the information they have given you. Also, your advocate can take notes about the information given.3. A doctor usually gives your appointment additional time when you have an advocate with you. Your doctor will usually take the time to address your advocate questions.4. If you are a woman, doctors seem to take symptoms much more seriously when accompanied by a male advocate. A close male associate came up with a theory about doctors. While this theory may not be ethical, this theory may hold a lot of truth. The theory goes like this: most doctors are male, married and think their wives can be a bit crazy. So, many times a doctor can automatically discount a female patient and infer the personality traits of their wives.5. Towards the end of your doctor's appointment your advocate should repeat back a summary of your appointment to your doctor. Your advocate should confirm the reason why tests or labs are being ordered. If the doctor has not ordered tests or labs then you and your advocate should ask why. Also, you should always confirm with your doctor the next course of action.This list of 5 reasons why to bring an advocate to your doctor's appointment may save your life. When friends and family ask what they can do to help improve your medical care, please ask at least one of them to be your health advocate.