News You Can Use A monthly newsletter from the Cancer Learning Center April 2010 – Issue 57
Communicating with Your Treatment Team
A cancer diagnosis introduces many patients to a new world of medical jargon. It can be hard to understand information and instructions from the treatment team. Sometimes doctors and nurses assume that patients who don’t ask questions agree with the treatment. It’s important for patients to speak up and ask for explanations they can understand.
Here are some tips for communicating with your health-care team.
Bring questions with you. Between appointments, keep a list of health and medication questions that come up. At your appointment, bring your questions to ask your health-care team. Even though your doctor is busy, he or she will want to make sure all your questions are answered before you leave.
Take notes. Bring a notepad to the appointment to write down information from your doctor. Feel free to ask the doctor to repeat information you do not understand. Also ask for the meanings of unfamiliar terms.
Bring a loved one. Having a family member or friend with you at the appointment can help in many ways. Te loved one can help you remember instructions and terms that the doctor uses. Many times, a loved one can ask questions you hadn’t considered.
Even though your doctor is busy, he or she will want to make sure all your questions are answered before you leave your appointment.
Te Cancer Learning Center’s health educators can suggest questions you may want to ask or provide a list of questions to help guide you. Call 1-888-424-2100 or e-mail
patient.education@
hci.utah.edu.
Te Cancer Learning Center
(CLC) is a free resource library on the first floor of
Huntsman Cancer Institute 801-581-6365 1-888-424-2100
www.huntsmancancer.org/clc
CANCER LEARNING CENTER RESOURCES Books
Cooking with Foods Tat Fight Cancer
Frankly Speaking Cancer: Take Control of Side Effects with Medicine, Mind, and Body
Living Well Beyond Breast Cancer: A Survivor’s Guide for When Treatment Ends and the Rest of Your Life Begins
Long-Term Care: How to Plan and Pay for It
Video Yoga for Weight Loss
Beauty in the Building
This watercolor of the Chase Mill by Hal Burrows is one of a series that line the sixth floor hallway leading from The Point to The Point Bistro. Art in Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI) buildings was donated for patients to enjoy. For more information about donating fine art to HCI, please contact Roni Whittle at 801-587-9315.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24