“Excuse Me Doctor! I’ve Got What?”

Taking Ownership of Your Health And Making
Healthcare Reform Work for You

 

Excuse Me Doctor! I've Got What?

When the shock wears off…when the reality settles in…when you or someone you love is diagnosed with a chronic illness, what do you do next?

“Excuse me, Doctor...” is a user-friendly step-by-step guide that empowers everyday people to get what they need from the American healthcare system. In addition to providing practical “how to” guidance on everything from choosing a doctor to dealing with insurance, “Excuse me, Doctor...” puts the power in your hands with a “self-health” action plan to manage your own health or caregive successfully for someone you love.

  • Karen Spruill garmon

    “The author is actually a friend of a cousin of mine. It was so relatable especially since she is a black female doctor and I have 2 cousins and a sister-in-law who are all doctors and I loved discussing this book with them. Most importantly, the information and tips is invaluable. The author writes in such a non-intimidating fashion, which is the entire thrust of the book - to get understandable and practical information to those who need it most.”

  • Light one

    “I was not sure what to expect since there are so many books on healthcare reform coming out now. However, this one is great. It talks not just about healthcare reform but gives practical concrete tips on what to do to address the frustrations everybody has with doctors and hospitals. It also gives a lot of advice about which alternative medicine treatments work the best and ways I hadn't thought of to pay for them since insurance doesn't cover them. Its easy to read and has great stories to illustrate the points. I've already bought 2 more copies for family members who have illness they need to get on top of.”

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Chapter Outline

 

  • Dr. Clarke shares her professional experiences with the sickest patients in America’s emergency rooms and their challenges getting the care they needed from an often unfriendly medical system.

  • The “paradigm shift” needed for personal empowerment continues with this exploration of the title of “patient.” This chapter highlights how this “identity” almost innately creates a mindset of dependency, passivity, and the expectation of eventual help from an outside. Dr. Clarke then explains how to be an empowered partner in your own care.

  • Dr. Clarke provides the information everyone needs but most never get: the latest research on how illness occurs in easy-to-understand terms. The reader gains a deeper understanding of how our everyday lifestyle choices cause disease through the common pathways of chronic inflammation, stress and nutrition. This chapter also provides UNCOMMON information: how anyone can impact the development of disease despite genetic predisposition!

  • This chapter outlines immediate steps anyone can take to position themselves for health success. Dr. Clarke describes five “Self-Health Actions” – the most crucial actions that, taken daily, can effectively maximize health for a lifetime.

  • This section concentrates on how to get the right health care team specific for you. In order to pick the right healthcare team, you have to know the role that everyone plays. So Dr. Clarke breaks down all the various types of health practitioners there are - both traditional and alternative. It also defines other types of alternative healing practices there are and how to find licensed practitioners in these areas - like reiki, acupuncture, massage, hypnosis, and cognitive behavioral therapy and shows what research has shown they are effective in addressing.

  • You will know after reading this chapter how to find a high quality provider and then ensure they fit your needs.

  • Dr. Clarke provides the must-ask questions, in checklist form, for every doctor visit, along with techniques for making sure you leave the office with an understanding of what is going on with your health and when to get a 2nd opinion.

  • What if you have an illness which requires a hospital stay? What should you know about hospital care and specifically how to get the best care when in the hospital? Dr. Clarke shares a system of finding the best hospitals in your area. In addition, she outlines 4 steps to take to maximize the benefit of the hospital experience and how to transition sucessfullty out of the hospital.

  • Because of the Tuskegee experiment and mistrust of researchers, there has been a lot of concern about participating in clinical trials. Using the principles that being well informed is being well armed, this chapter provides a clear understanding of what clinical trials are and the considerations you should have in deciding whether they can be of benefit in your care.

  • Much of the financial crisis of individual families in America is related to debt from hospital bills. What is not well known is there are systematic ways to manage the financial aspect of medical care. This section first talks about everything from choosing a good health insurance company to negotiating down your medical bills.