Talking About Health - Even the Embarrassing Issues

One of my favorite physician stories describes the different ways patients communicate with their healthcare providers. This topic especially speaks to my personal belief that women must be empowered to achieve their best self.

Dr. Janet Higgins, an internal medicine physician at The Christ Hospital relayed the following when introducing the subject “How to Talk with your Physician about Those Difficult Topics” at a recent women’s conference.  This fictional example illustrates why it’s important to plan your best approach. It’s Dr. Higgins’ belief that effective communication with your healthcare professional optimizes patient outcomes and satisfaction while maximizing the efficiency of your appointment.

Scenario #1:

“I was out with my girlfriends a couple days ago having a first-since-COVID social distance lunch when I realized I’d had one too many glasses of iced tea. As I excused myself quickly because I needed to hurry at that point, I pushed my chair back, got up a little too quickly and tripped on my purse that I had hung on the chair arm. I caught my fall but barely made it to the restroom in the nick of time.  Well, we finished our lunch and then I went to the gym later that afternoon.  After exercising for a while, I began having a throbbing pain in my ankle.“

Scenario #2:

“Two days ago I tripped when standing from a sitting position, but caught my fall. A few hours later I began to have a throbbing pain in my left ankle, with swelling and bruising. I can rotate my foot now, but it hurts to walk on it. I’ve been taking ibuprofen and icing it routinely.”

Which scenario best matches your communication style?  In this case, the main issue was an ankle. What if it had been something more personal, perhaps a female issue you felt embarrassed or uneasy sharing with your physician?  Or something you believed was just a normal part of aging, and weren’t sure how important it was?

“Many women who see us are hesitant to make their first appointment,” shares Dr. Aparna Shah, a physician at The Christ Hospital who specializes in urogynecology. “Pelvic floor disorders present with many symptoms women are hesitant or embarrassed to discuss, such as urinary and fecal incontinence, painful sexual intercourse, and bothersome vaginal bulge. Some women believe these symptoms naturally occur in older women and should be tolerated.  Neither are true.  My goal is to help all women feel comfortable talking about these issues and to understand that their quality of life is important and can be improved.”

These stories have helped equip me as a woman regarding my health needs and quality of life goals. I’m hopeful they inspire you as well. Below is a list of other tips to help make physician interactions more meaningful and empower you to achieve your best self (adapted from the website below).

·         Make a written list of concerns and prioritize them

·         Update the doctor on your health issues since last visit

·         Take information with you, including prescription and over-the-counter mediation, vitamins, supplements, insurance card, photo ID

·         Make sure you can see and hear as well as possible (take your readers if needed!)

·         Consider bringing a family member or friend, if allowable (be sure to check first)

·         Plan for an interpreter if you know you’ll need one (the office will schedule for you)

Dr. Higgins recommends being ready to be honest with how you are doing, too.  If you are trying to stop smoking or improve your nutritional habits but haven’t been as successful as hoped, let your doctor know. Perhaps there are other tactics to consider. It’s helpful too, to decide what questions are most important and stick to the point. That way your physician has the best opportunity of addressing your concerns. Share your point of view about the visit and know that when your doctor does not have all the answer to some of your questions, he or she may be able help you find the information or refer you to a different specialist.

For a complete list of Tips for Talking with your Doctor, call the ezCare Concierge nurse navigator at The Christ Hospital: 513-261-8007, or visit  www.nia.nih.gov/health.