Managing your healthcare & treatment, and navigating a broken healthcare system is overwhelming. No matter how savvy and smart you are, it is easy to mishandle important aspects of care. Mismanagement can lead to disaster. To avoid disaster it's important to learn about Health care Advocacy.  Doing so will greatly benefit you and your family.

Health literacy is the ability that someone can obtain, understand and process information enabling them to make good health care decisions,   During this episode I talk to Tiffany Matthews of LBB on “healthcare literacy”. Here you learn to get and keep the best care available. Becoming health literate is the first step in becoming a good advocate.

Tiffany Becomes a Health Care Advocate!

Tiffany and her family felt her Grandmother was not being well cared for by the "business" of health care. Having experiences in social work in a hospital setting Tiffany believed there had to be a better way. Wanting to make a positive change Tiffany created LBB or Live Better Boomer. She was going to advocate for the people left helpless in the system.

Health Care Advocacy is vital to patients in our current healthcare system. Advocacy helps keep medical costs down and decreases return hospital visits.  Patients who have a health care advocate get better care and have better outcomes. During his cancer treatments, even Steve Jobs needed an advocate!

Four Tips from the Experts

* If you can't act as your own advocate, find one. Consider a family member friend, or perhaps a local volunteer.

* Be prepared for all doctor and test appointments.  Write down questions in advance. Don't let the doctor rush you.  If you have a lot of questions ask for more time or a second appointment.

* Don't feel rushed into decisions.  Your doctor may want to get you into treatment right away but allow yourself "a minute" to research the best course of action.

* Take notes and take someone with you, even if you’re acting as your own advocate.  It's a good idea to have a second pair of ears at appointments especially if you have a serious diagnosis. Consider recording your consultations but let the doctor know in advance if you're doing this.

Listen and learn from my conversation with Tiffany.

Visit Live Better Boomer for more information

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