Making Wise Health Decisions

Topic Overview

Throughout your life you will have to make health decisions for yourself and your family. The decisions you make will influence your overall well-being as well as the quality and cost of your care. In general, people who work with their doctors to make health decisions are happier with the care they receive and the results they achieve.

Why should you partner with your doctor to make decisions? Aren't you paying him or her to know what to do? It's not always clear what choices are the right ones for you. There are often several approaches to diagnosing and treating a health problem. And you are more likely to feel better about the chosen approach if it is the one best suited to your needs and values.

The best formula for making health decisions is to combine the most reliable medical facts with your personal values. These include your beliefs, fears, lifestyle, and experiences, and they all play a role in helping you make decisions about your health.

Put more simply:

Medical Information + Your Information = Wise Health Decisions

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Author:	Debby Golonka, MPH	Last Updated: June 20, 2007
Medical Review:	Patrice Burgess, MD - Family Medicine
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