2. The most important trait that
separates an empowered
patient from one who is not
empowered is the role of
active participant, as a
fully participating partner
on the healthcare team.
Enabling Patients www.surgerica.com
3. So who is Active Participant ?
Active participants are those
patients who realize that when they begin
to experience symptoms, or at the point where
they recognize that something in their
body isn’t functioning correctly, it’s time
for them to actively seek answers and solutions
in collaboration with other members of their
healthcare team.
To be an empowered patient, you must
recognize yourself as the hub of the
healthcare wheel. Each other participant is
positioned at the end of a spoke, allowing
them to work directly with you, and in concert with
the other team members found at the other spokes.
Enabling Patients www.surgerica.com
5. The first member is your
Doctor
The Doctor and their staff of assistants
are the first and most important resources
you, the empowered patient, will have.
Working in collaboration with your
doctor, perhaps a physician’s assistant or
nurse practitioner, the nurses and others
in the doctor’s office will provide you
with much of the information you need to
make informed decision-making.
Enabling Patients www.surgerica.com
6. The next member is other
Patients
Other Patients may also be
valuable
to
you.
Empowered
patients realize that sometimes
the most useful information they
can get will come from others
who suffer from or deal with the
same disease or condition they
do. Other patients may help by
sharing
information
about
doctors and other providers, to
providing advice for relieving
side effects.
Enabling Patients www.surgerica.com
7. The third member is Insurance Co.
An Insurance Provider can assist you when
the bills come in, and can advise you on
other
aspects
of
care,
for
example, whether or not you’ll have to
pay out of pocket for additional opinions
about your diagnosis. An empowered patient
keeps track of healthcare expenses and
sometimes needs at least a customer
service representative from his insurance
company on his side. You won’t often find
medical
advice
from
insurance
companies, but you may find other, more
practical advice about costs and coverage.
Enabling Patients www.surgerica.com
8. The most important member is
The Most Important Member
Don’t forget that you, the
patient,
are
the
most
important member of your own
healthcare
decision
making
team. It is your right and
your
responsibility
to
participate fully in decisionmaking regarding your care.
You are the one who knows your
body better than anyone else
does.
Enabling Patients www.surgerica.com
You
9. BY
.com
A Price & Quality Discovery Platform for
Treatments / Surgeries
www.surgerica.com