Brave Enough To Be Bliss

▪ If you are sad, admit that to them. They may be able to make recommendations to help you feel better. ▪ If you aren’t going to take your medication because the side effects feel worse to you than the original issue, or it’s too expensive, tell them and they may be able to find alternatives. ▪ If you drink alcohol, tell them how much and don’t expect they are going to judge you…but you might mention that you are being completely honest about that number, otherwise they will double it since most people lie. If you take any type of non-prescription or recreational drugs, be honest about that also. They aren’t asking to judge you; they are asking because it’s important information for them to know to ensure your safety if they prescribe medications or recommend treatments. ▪ If a provider is rude or unkind to you, tell them about it and if they continue, leave and find another. No one should be treated like that and there are providers who truly do care, so don’t punish yourself by not going to a provider at all but rather be proud of yourself for caring about you even if someone else didn’t. Healthcare is like a puzzle and when there are missing pieces, time, energy and money can be wasted, and everyone can end up feeling frustrated and alone in their own pain. It takes all of us working together to find solutions that can lead all parties to fulfilling lives and careers, and with that our overall health will likely improve as well. The business of healthcare is very complex, and most Americans do not understand it or even want to. Every year when it was time to communicate about benefits enrollment, I would roll my eyes because the only thing employees really wanted to know was how much the premiums would be. Gaining an understanding of copays, coinsurance, deductibles, covered benefits, exclusions, etc. was not something most employees were interested in. However, when they received bills, they had something to say, and often the comments were inaccurate because they didn’t take the time to learn. And these were employees in the business of providing healthcare services, so if they don’t understand it or even have an interest in understanding it, I assume many other employees don’t either. Like most Americans , we just want what we want when we want it…oh, and we don’t want to pay that much for it, but we want the best quality and service possible…and if we don’t get all that, we’re going to complain about it. And insurance companies, brokers and employers know this, so they are going to try to keep premiums as low as possible and instead change benefits, hoping you won’t notice. That is why you need to be an educated and informed consumer of healthcare services, so you can get a good idea of what the expected out-of-pocket costs are going to be throughout the year, because that is going to be in addition to the premiums you pay each month. Ask questions, read the information provided and don’t expect that someone else is going to look out for your best interests . It’s not fair, it’s just life. And life…is…hard. So don’t make it harder and more expensive for yourself where healthcare is concerned. Providing healthcare services is terribly difficult at its best, and with increasingly hurt and unhappy people in this world, it gets harder and harder every day. All I know is, no matter how scared and in pain I have felt through my various healthcare issues, there wasn’t a time I lost complete sight of being a kind and appreciative human being, nor would I allow my family in their fear to do so. When patients and their families treat healthcare providers with an attitude of entitlement instead of respect and appreciation, problems often ensue. P roviders understand when a patient’s behavior is out of their own control, but they also know when it isn’t. If we want them to continue to take care of us when we struggle to take care of ourselves, then we ought to appreciate all they are doing for us an d when they aren’t providing that care with kindness, tell them about it or reach out to the patient advocate. Don’t settle for sub - optimal care, but don’t punish everyone else because you had a bad experience with one or a few people. Instead take responsibility for your part by being the human you want others to be, and let others know directly when they’ve forgotten to be a kind human too .

“Choose love and peace will follow. Choose peace and love will follow.” Mary Helen Doyle

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