Making Wise Health Decisions

Overview

Throughout your life you will have to make health decisions for yourself and your family. The decisions you make will influence your overall well-being as well as the quality and cost of your care. People who learn as much as they can about their choices often are more confident about the decisions they make. And in general, people who work with their doctors to make health decisions are happier with the care they receive and the results they achieve.

Why should you partner with your doctor to make decisions? Aren't you paying your doctor to know what to do? There are often several approaches to diagnosing and treating a health problem. And it's not always clear what choices are the best ones for you. You are more likely to feel better about the chosen approach if it is the one best suited to your needs and values. Sometimes the best choice is to say "no" to care you don't need.

The best formula for making health decisions is to combine the most reliable medical facts with your personal values. These include your beliefs, fears, lifestyle, and experiences, and they all play a role in helping you make decisions about your health.

Put more simply:

Medical Information + Your Information = Wise Health Decisions