eDocs

You may find yourself in unfamiliar territory when buying treatment for a healthcare problem, yours or a family member’s. No one prepares you for this role. And, while you may not need much preparation to buy a fast-food meal or your first car, healthcare is different. Buying healthcare is different from buying anything else for several reasons, including: information, unpredictability, payment, emotion, and responsibility. You can use this book to help you understand why healthcare is different as well as what you can do to improve your actions as a healthcare consumer.

When thinking about your health and your vision for your health, it may be helpful to identify “happy times” or “happy things” that you associate with your own healthcare experiences. Focusing on positive healthcare experiences will help you view your future healthcare situations through a positive lens, making you a strong healthcare consumer, one who expects positive outcomes.

A medical record is like a book that tells the story of a patient for each episode or encounter. Everyone has a story. In addition to our life story, we each have a healthcare story, a story healthcare providers preserve and document. While this story may not be the one you love to tell, it is important to know it and share it—not only for your own well-being, but for that of your descendents.

Dr. Ruthann Russo, a healthcare expert, introduces the Health Information Management (Medical Records) profession and why it’s important for consumers to become familiar with the HIM department of your local hospital. This eDoc explains how you can use HIM professionals to better understand and navigate your way through the healthcare system and your own medical records.