Be Healthy Wyoming
The journey to adult healthcare can be tricky. Be Health Wyoming is a project dedicated to empowering you and your family to learn more about navigating healthcare. From becoming a partner in your own health pathway to learning to talk to providers, we’ve got you covered.
Empowering You for Life-Long Health
Navigating Healthcare
The Basics
It is important to know that healthcare professionals (that means doctors, nurses, pharmacists… you name it) have gone to school for a long time and gained enough experience to learn to spot health problems quickly. *BUT* (and that’s a big but), they actually need your thoughts and opinions to help them find the right path for you. A lot of things in medicine follows a pattern, which makes some things easier. Except… there are a lot of patterns. No one knows you, your thoughts, or how it feels to be in your body better than you do.
Your Job
True, you probably haven’t learned all the fancy terms for all the parts of every bone and muscle- and there are a lot. Or maybe you don’t know how to say those weird medical words with all the letters of the alphabet, but you still have a critical job in healthcare. It is learning to be your own advocate… speak up for yourself. Parents, caregivers, trusted adults, and healthcare professionals can help you make decisions, but don’t forget to let your voice be heard too.
How You Can Be In Control
Answer Questions
It actually is important to know about allergies, age, birth gender, weight, race/ethnicity, and past medical history. Remember the patterns? A lot of those patterns can be changed by things like age, birth gender, or race. The more information healthcare professionals have, the easier it is to spot and fix problems.
Tell the Truth
You might not think things are connected, but they can be. Healthcare professionals are not trying to get you into trouble, they’re trying to keep you safe and healthy. They don’t read minds, but they’re excellent at keeping information private. Give the honest facts or ask to talk alone if you need to. That goes for drug use, alcohol, activities, pregnancy, and more.
Ask Questions
All the questions. Seriously, no question is stupid or silly. If something doesn’t make sense or you need more information to make a decision, ask. It is your job to ask, but healthcare professionals are responsible to teach you what you need to know in a way that makes sense to you. If it doesn’t make sense, ask another question.
Don’t Be a Quitter
You can’t get help if you aren’t around to help. Show up for your appointments, follow up, take your medicine like you were taught. Don’t skip doses or suddenly stop taking it without talking to your healthcare provider. Sometimes, that can cause bigger problems down the road. Follow the treatment plan or ask for alternatives. Reschedule if you can’t keep your appointment.