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Talking With Your Doctor And Health Care Team

An important part of your health care is effective communication with your doctor and other health professionals. When you are able to communicate your needs and wishes to the health care team, they can better meet your needs and improve the quality of your cancer care.

Who Is Your health Care Team

Cancer treatment often means you will have more than one doctor and several other health professionals on your care team. In addition to your primary care doctor, you may have a surgeon or surgical oncologist, a medical oncologist, and a radiation oncologist. An oncologist is a cancer specialist. You may have different nurses who work with each of these doctors. Besides doctors and nurses, other members might include a nurse practitioner or physical assistant, pharmacist, social worker, physical therapist, radiation therapist, dietitian, occupational therapist, psychologist, or other licensed health care provider. Each member brings different skills and knowledge to the team.

How Much Do You Want To Know

Some people prefer to know the basic facts about cancer while others want to know every detail about their situation. People may wish to learn more as they are already. Either method is okay. Let your health care team know how much information you want to know.

Be honest and open when speaking with your doctor and other members of your health care team. They will look to you for signals that indicate how much you want know about your cancer and its treatment.

You may get information about cancer from many sources; however, it is best to ask a member of your health care team, such as your doctor, how this information relates to your unique situation.

Your friends and family may also want to speak with your doctor or other health care team members. Be sure to tell your doctor which friends and family members he or she can talk to about your cancer.

How Can You Improve Communication?

Communication can be difficult in everyday life but is even more difficult when someone is experiencing the mixed emotions that accompany a cancer diagnosis. Learning about your type of cancer and its treatment can help you to make informed decisions regarding your situation and know what to expect during this time.

Some doctors try to share information with patients but use unfamiliar or technical terms. If you don't understand something, ask your doctor to explain it to you. Don't be afraid to ask a health care provider to slow down when speaking, repeat information, or spell words with which you are not familiar. The following ideas can help improve communication with members of your health care team.

If You Have A problem Talking With Your Health Care Team

There are ways to improve communication and resolve problems with your health care team. First ask to discuss the problem directly with the health care professional. If this effort fails to improve the situation, involve a third party, such as a supervisor or a patient service representative.

Everyone has his or her own style of communication, including health care professionals. That's why one person may feel more comfortable with one doctor than another. Some patients may prefer their doctor to be very direct and proper, while others are looking for someone who is more sensitive and understanding. You may not like how a health care professional communicates with you but do you trust their judgement and expertise? Trust is more important than being friends with your health care team.

 If you do not feel like you can communicate with a member of your health care team, or if you feel your needs are not being met after attempts to communicate your needs, you may with to consider finding another health professional with whom you feel more comfortable.

Be assertive. You are your best advocate. Because many people with cancer receive their treatments as an outpatient in a clinic or doctor's office, more responsibility has been placed on patients to communicate their needs, including side effects of treatment. You might need more information about your treatment options or improved patient control; or you may want to discuss how your religious beliefs and cultural customs will influence your care. If your needs are not being met, tell somebody.

Use the word "I" when speaking. Others do not know what you are thinking, feeling, or experiencing unless you tell them. Using phrases such as "I feel," "I think," and 'I have been experiencing," are helpful when communicating with others. Phrases such as "you should" can make others defensive. Be as clear and descriptive as you can, especially when reporting any side effects.

Listen! Effective communication involves both talking and listening. You can let people know you are listening if you repeat what they have to say in your own words. This also helps clarify that you understand what they said. If you have a hard time remembering what your health care team tells you because you are feeling overwhelmed, take notes or bring a friend along to your appointments. If necessary, you can tape-record your conversation to refer to later.

Match your words with your body language. Gestures, postures, and facial expressions that differ from what someone is saying can confuse the listener.

Let others know what you are thinking and feeling. If people know you are overwhelmed or confused, then they can help you. If you say you are confused, the person talking will know that they need to explain their information in a different way.

Ask questions. People with cancer have many questions, including some they might be embarrassed to ask, such as how their treatment could affect their sexuality.

Chances are other patients have had similar concerns and questions. You might feel rushed or worry that you will take up your doctor's time if you ask questions. Make a list and put the most important questions at the top. If you have a long list of questions, you may wish to ask your doctor when the best time would be to get the answers. He or she may want to look at your list of questions so he or she can refer you to people or places where you can find the answers. Other members of your health care team can also provide you with valuable information.

Asking Questions

People may not know what to ask their health care team. In addition to the sample questions below, be sure to write down some of your own questions. You may want to ask about getting a second opinion, clinical trials, or your schedule for treatment and recovery.

                    What specific type of cancer do I have?
Has my cancer spread to other parts of my body?
What are my treatment options?
What are the risks and benefits of these treatments?
What treatment do you recommend and why?
                  How long do I have to think about my treatment options before I need to make a decision?
                  How will my treatment affect my sexuality?
                  Will it affect my ability to have children?
                  What side effects should I expect?
                  Which side effects should I report to you immediately?
                   If these should occur, how can I reach you after regular office hours?

It takes practice and effort to improve communication skills. Because cancer is often a chronic illness, the benefits and results are worth the effort.

The American Cancer Society is the nationwide, community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy, and service.

For more information, call toll free 1-800-ACS-2345 or on the internet at www.cancer.org

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