Did your doctor make the right diagnosis? Is your doctor qualified to treat your condition? Should you get a second opinion? Is your doctor treating your condition with the most appropriate technique?

Mistakes can happen, and they can cost you your life. It is up to YOU to understand your diagnosis and research your treatment options. It’s up to you to question your doctor. Here are the most important ones:

1) Is my diagnosis correct?

It’s up to you to help your doctor verify your correct type of illness. Doctors have little time to see you or review your entire file before recommending a treatment plan. They may not remember or know all there is to know about you, such as:

• Your family history

• Medications you are on

• Other care you are receiving

Here are some helpful resources:

Understanding Your Medical Tests and Procedures

Important questions to ask your doctor about your diagnosis

10 Diagnosis questions

Next steps after your diagnosis

Getting a second opinion

Click here to access internet videos that can help you understand more about your condition, treatment or procedure from Medline Plus.

2) Is my treatment correct?

Doctors have a hard time keeping up on new developments in medicine or even reading the many medical journals. Do your own research to help you and your doctor determine if your treatment is appropriate.

Here are some helpful resources:

Is this clinical trial right for me?

Know your family history

Nexcura Treatment Decision Tool

Ottawa Health Research Institute

Foundation for Informed Medical Decision Making>

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

National Guideline Clearing House

Merck Medical Library

Read an article on this topic

Am I receiving the correct tests and procedures?

• What is the name of the test you are recommending and how is it done?

• What kind of information will this test provide?

• Is this test or procedure the only way to find this information?

• How accurate is this test?

• What do I need to do to prepare for this test?

• Will the test be uncomfortable?

• How long will the test take?

• How long will the results take and how will I get them?

• What are the next steps after the test?

More resources for questioning your doctor:

• Understanding Your Doctors Instructions for Home Care Remedies

• Understanding Your Doctors Orders to Avoid Medical Mistakes

• Researching Medical Information Safely on the Internet

• Secrets Your Doctor Would Never Share

Additional Resources:

• What you need to know about having surgery

• Be prepared for your next Dr. office visit

What this means for YOU:

Research shows that as much as 50% of health care is either inappropriate or unnecessary. That means you may be receiving the wrong type of treatment or you may not need the services in the first place. Questioning your doctor is the most powerful tool you have to ensure that you are receiving the correct treatment.