Navigating Your Healthcare Journey
A doctor and a patient team bring you lessons, insights, and tips to help you get the care you need and deserve.
Navigating the healthcare system in the United States can be one of the most difficult and complicated journeys you can take. It can be confusing and daunting for the savviest individual, even for those with a medical background.
When you’re faced with a chronic health problem, an acute event, or the prospect of a life-threatening condition, it’s natural to feel scared, vulnerable, and overwhelmed. Given the complexity and fragmentation of the medical environment, it can be challenging to find the right resources and support.
HAVE YOU EVER
experienced one or more of these scenarios when navigating the healthcare system?
You wondered whether to seek medical attention right away or wait to see if you get better on your own.
You’re not sure if a second opinion would be beneficial or don’t want to appear rude by asking for one.
There are multiple practitioners involved in your care, and you realize they’re not communicating with one another.
You’ve found that you’ve been given limited information about your medical condition and treatment options by healthcare practitioners and/or they haven’t explained long-term implications of their recommendations.
You’ve been told by a healthcare practitioner that your symptoms are due to stress or are “all in your head.”
You are a woman, a person of color, have a disability, or have financial challenges. You feel like you have not been treated with the same respect and care as other patients.
You’ve been surprised by medical bills, don’t understand the charges, or why an insurance claim was denied.
You lost your job and therefore your health insurance and don’t know where to turn for coverage you can afford.
HAVE YOU EVER
experienced one or more of these scenarios when navigating the healthcare system?
You wondered whether to seek medical attention right away or wait to see if you get better on your own.
You’re not sure if a second opinion would be beneficial or don’t want to appear rude by asking for one.
There are multiple practitioners involved in your care, and you realize they’re not communicating with one another.
You’ve found that you’ve been given limited information about your medical condition and treatment options by healthcare practitioners and/or they haven’t explained long-term implications of their recommendations.
You’ve been told by a healthcare practitioner that your symptoms are due to stress or are “all in your head.”
You are a woman, a person of color, have a disability, or have financial challenges. You feel like you have not been treated with the same respect and care as other patients.
You’ve been surprised by medical bills, don’t understand the charges, or why an insurance claim was denied.
You lost your job and therefore your health insurance and don’t know where to turn for coverage you can afford.
IF SO
We wrote Navigating Your Healthcare Journey
for you!
Each chapter includes:
Patient Stories
Real-life experiences of patients and caregivers as they encounter health challenges
Lessons Learned
What patients and caregivers have learned from their experiences in the healthcare system
What You Need to Know
Pertinent information on each subject along with facts, checklists, and recent statistics
What Can You Do Now?
Suggested actions to you can take to help guide you on your journey
Resources
A list of articles, websites, books, videos, etc., for each chapter at the back of the book
What’s Inside
Taking charge of your health
Embracing a healthier lifestyle
Choosing the type of doctor you need
Partnering with your doctor
Coordinating care
Having a baby
Deciding where to go when a need arises
Maintaining your emotional health
Dealing with mental illness
Facing health disparities
Paying for healthcare
Preparing for the end of life
LEARN FROM
real-life patient stories in each chapter
Facing Health Disparities
Carol experienced the negative impact of medical gaslighting, health disparities, and insufficient cultural understanding by her providers. Unfortunately, she suffered through both a potentially avoidable bout with cancer and a total hysterectomy. Learn how Carol emerged as a strong advocate for herself and passionate about helping other women prevent a similar experience.
Maintaining Your Emotional Health
Dirk suffered a life-threatening heart condition while on a ski trip. He survived the first surgery but underwent four additional surgeries over the next few years. Learn how Dirk was able to maintain a positive outlook and a state of calmness despite multiple setbacks throughout his many medical encounters.
Paying for Healthcare
Joe and his wife lost their jobs due to the pandemic and found themselves without health insurance for themselves and their two daughters. Without any income, purchasing new insurance became unaffordable. Find out what steps Joe took to ensure health coverage for himself and his family.
Preparing for the End of Life
Nancy's mother lived to be 105 years old. Discover how Nancy and her sister coordinated their mother's healthcare during her final years and prepared in advance to carry out her final wishes.
PRAISE FOR THE BOOK
“Read this book and you'll be much better off for it.
I know the authors personally, and I have been repeatedly impressed with their knowledge, experience, thoughtfulness, and their writing. It doesn't matter if you're educated, well-read, highly successful, wealthy, or poor. The medical system is an inscrutable behemoth that even perplexes medical professionals."
– Dr. Mark Liponis
Internist at Stonover Health & Wellness
Former Chief Medical Officer at Canyon Ranch
Co-author of Ultraprevention
Author of Hunter/Farmer Diet Solution and Ultralongevity
A NOTE FROM THE AUTHORS
In a world of fragmented care, increasing complexity, a tsunami of chronic disease and lifestyle-related maladies, mounting healthcare costs, and a pandemic that has upended everyone’s lives, caring and compassion remain paramount.
It’s “just” that “simple.”
– Charlene and Z. Colette