In 1998, I pitched my literary agent a book idea that I thought had bestseller written all over it. The title, The ProActive Patient, was meant as a call for Americans to take more responsibility for their own health care. By enlisting physicians as partners in health care, my idea encompassed healthy diet, nutritional supplements, exercise – truly preventative lifestyle – and transparency of medical records.
More people die from medical errors, including misdiagnosis, than are killed in car accidents. What can you do to avoid getting the wrong diagnosis? Getting the wrong cancer diagnosis sets into motion a clinical approach that may or may not be proven effective. You may even get dangerous treatments that are unnecessary.
Getting your blood drawn can be stressful. Here’s how to do it right, so you only have to do it once.
I’ve seen a lot of patients squeamish and anxious about having their blood drawn. It’s definitely not an easy experience for everyone, and that’s okay. Yet, with a little preparation, you can help make the process go smoother.