Written by Stephen Daniel, Health Rosetta Associate Advisor, Insurance Office of America (IOA)

My mission in this article is to introduce you to the idea of self-advocating for quality medical care. I aim to provide you with the ability to engage in productive conversations with your healthcare providers.

Professionally, I have 20 years of experience as an Employee Benefits Advisor, helping my clients’ members navigate medical encounters and negotiate complex interactions with insurance companies.

I have just lost my father due to congestive heart failure; he received his diagnosis 10 years before his death. In that time, my family and I have had several encounters with hospital staff, physicians of numerous specialties, nurses, CNAs, physical therapists, and the list goes on.

Let me share one life-and-death encounter to highlight the critical nature of Self-advocating. My father was in the hospital, and thankfully, a lightened COVID policy allowed me to stay with him overnight. Around 3:30 am, Dad began to complain that his leg felt “heavy.” As I was trying to understand what he meant, I contacted the nurse’s station. Thirty minutes later, they determined that he had no distal pulse in his leg, which was likely due to a blood clot. They said they would advise the hospitalist. Having served in the Marine Corps, I had basic training in life-saving procedures. I knew Dad could not go long without blood circulation in his leg, so I began to rub it in an attempt to increase circulation. I persistently asked for a doctor’s consultation. Ten hours later, Dad’s cardiologist finally came into the room. He immediately requested an OR. He was angry that he had not been notified sooner and warned my mother that Dad may lose his leg, or even survive the surgery.

Thankfully, my father survived with his leg intact. But why did we get so close to losing him? What would the outcome have been without family advocacy?

My point is simple:

If something does not feel right or you are uncertain,
ask and keep asking until you feel an appropriate treatment is being rendered.
The key is being able to manage your illnesses more proactively.

“Recent studies have estimated medical errors may account for as many as 251,000 deaths annually in the United States, making medical errors the third leading cause of death.”*

Without question, the need to self-advocate and ask great questions can save your life. I am proud to be counted among the growing number of innovative advisors, led by organizations such as Mitigate Partners, who recommend resources to empower clients and their employees to advocate for themselves. Medical professionals are managing ever-increasing caseloads with incredible demands placed upon them by growing government policies, administrations, and continued changes in best practices. Healthcare workers need you to speak up and ask sound questions for both yourself and the people you love. Fortunately, some tools can help.

One such tool is from the company, Quizzify**, which decrees, “Wiser people make better healthcare decisions.” Further declaring, “Just because it’s healthcare, doesn’t mean it’s good for you,” they provide sample questions you need to ask your healthcare providers when faced with a new diagnosis and treatment plan.
Below is a sample:
-Why do I need this test or procedure?
-What is the difference between a test and a procedure?
-What are the risks? Could there be side effects?
-What are the chances of getting inaccurate test results?
Could the possibility of inaccurate or inconclusive results lead to more testing or another procedure?
-Are there simpler, safer options?
-Regarding any heart procedure, ask if lifestyle changes, such as healthier eating and exercise, could generate the same results.
-What happens if I don’t do anything?
-Ask if your condition might get worse–or better –if you don’t do the procedure right away.
-How much does it cost? Is it a cheaper test or procedure? Find out what your insurance covers and determine whether all the providers involved are in your network. For prescriptions, ask if there are generic alternatives.

Make certain you are a wise healthcare consumer, and remember, “Just because it’s healthcare, doesn’t mean it’s good for you.” ☤

*As cited in Anderson JG, Abrahamson K. Your Health Care May Kill You: Medical Errors. Stud Health Technol Inform. 2017;234:13-17. PMID: 28186008.
**Visit https://2go.quizzify.com/ for a complete list of questions.