Battling cancer is not just about finding the right treatment facility and going for the procedures necessary for the disease. As a patient, you also have to contribute a lot in your care program. These will help your doctor or your entire healthcare team to come up with better treatment plans and outcomes. Whether you’re going for traditional procedures, alternative treatments, or a combination of both, here are three things that you need to practice as a cancer patient.
1. Trust
If you develop trust with your doctor, you will not feel ashamed to tell him everything about your medical condition, symptoms you encounter, experiences with the approach being introduced and more important, the questions you have in your mind about the treatment program. Because you are giving him your complete trust, you would be more comfortable to believe and comply with his recommendations, which can result to better patient care.
Trust also comes with respect, courtesy and appreciation, which make physicians feel more connected to patients.
2. Active Participation
It is important that you participate in the decision making when it comes to your cancer treatments, alternative or otherwise. You have to realize that aside from medical and health experts, you are part of the team that aims for your recovery and survival. According to the Policy Brief “Where are the Patients in Decision-Making about their Own Care?” authored by Coulter et al., for the World Health Organization 2008 and World Health Organization, through the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies 2008, patients can play an important role in looking after their health, and they can do so in a number of ways.
For one, they can choose the appropriate treatments for every occurrence of sickness. They can also help in the management of their chronic disease. Evidences suggest that patient participation can make way for the improvement of their experiences and satisfaction.
3. Responsiveness
Patients who response to every doctor’s question and provide all necessary information help their healthcare specialists in making better care plans in the hospital and for self-management. Doing so can help achieve better clinical outcomes because the doctor will be able to determine whether to proceed with the current treatment program or prescribe a different procedure.
The moment you undergo traditional or alternative cancer treatments, you need to be willing to give your trust, participation and response. No piece of information should be hidden from your care team for this may deter or delay your progress. You must take part in decision making because this will help your doctor design a better treatment plan for you.
