Health Care & Business Professionals
Building your own health care support team should help you get the care you need, help with the coordination of services, and keep the focus on you as a person, recognizing that you are not just defined by your condition. Include all the professionals who are important to you, your health, and your lifestyle.
Keeping a List of Health Care & Business Professionals
- Start a list of all your health care and business professionals including your physician, nurse practitioner, specialist, clinical counsellor, dietitian, physiotherapist, occupational therapist, registered massage therapist, accountant, lawyer, financial planner, power of attorney and others.
- Include their contact information, what type of services they provide, how they are helping you, and questions that arise between appointments.
- Keep the list up to date in print and/or digitally.
- Consider starting a ‘special’ contact list on your phone with all the information suggested above. Remember, the information on your phone or an app is not always secure or private.
- Download the My Health Care & Business Professionals fillable PDF tool below.
Being a Partner in Your Health Care
Partners in care refers to the collaborative relationship between health care providers, patients, and their families to ensure shared decision-making and holistic, person-centered care.
Knowing Your Rights
- Access to insured health care services, without discrimination.
- Ability to accept, refuse, or discontinue treatments at any time.
- Make informed health care decisions, with the support of others, if needed.
- Expect personal health information to be kept private and confidential.
Understanding Your Responsibilities
- Communicate how you wish to be addressed by all points of contact in a health care setting, including name and pronouns.
- Provide accurate health information by sharing complete and honest details about your medical history, symptoms, and lifestyle.
- Follow agreed upon treatment plans by adhering to prescribed medications, therapies, and follow-up appointments.
- Ask questions to ensure your understanding of treatment plans.
- Respect health care providers by treating them with courtesy and respect.
- Keep appointments by arriving on time or notifying the clinic if you need to cancel or reschedule.
- Participate in care decisions by being actively involved in making choices about your health and treatments.
Tip
Create your professional support team. Learn about partners in care and how being an active participant in your care can improve your health care experience.
We need to view ourselves as ‘partners in our care’. As patients, we need to bring our thoughts, choices, and ideas to the health care relationship. We also have a responsibility to actively participate, seek information, and engage in discussions. We cannot rely only on health care professionals for all the answers. Additionally, we need to commit to following suggested health practices like diet, exercise, therapies and medications that can benefit our daily health.”
Identifying My Care Partners
Everyone needs help and assistance at different times in their lives. If you are facing health changes or challenges, you may need to reach out and accept help from others. It is important to explore your feelings about asking others for assistance as you consider who might be able to offer their time, skills, and knowledge to support you.
Choosing Your Care Partners
- Consider the people who can support you personally, as well as those who might offer you professional support.
- Make a list of what you need help with. Talk to family, friends, neighbours, or community members about how they can help with care, tasks, errands, transportation, advice, and professional services.
- Choose people who offer emotional support, validate your feelings, and show respect and understanding.
- Express your need for independence and choose people who bring skills you are currently unable to provide.
- Discuss your personal boundaries, when and how you want help, and your need for privacy and confidentiality.
- Explore ways care partners can offer comfort and assistance from ideas in the resource kit.
- Download the MyCare Partners fillable PDF tool below to record contact information as well as how and when each person is able to help.
Tip
Explore your feelings about asking others for help or assistance. Think about your need for privacy and maintaining your independence.
“If you’re lucky enough to have doctors, nurses, accountants, or lawyers in your family or circle, you are already ahead in accessing quality health care. But what if you don’t? Mywell Health is great because it opens up the secrets of navigating health care—helping you understand what questions to ask and knowing your rights as a patient in BC. By using the care partners concept, I’ve gathered a group of neighbours and friends to assist me. My aunt’s best friend who lives close by is a retired nurse and she has offered to help me organize all my health information. The more I use the tools and info on the site, the more I feel on an equal footing with others.”
Choosing My Health Advocate
Naming a Health Advocate
Consider choosing a health advocate to help you with collecting your personal health information, navigating the health care system, ensuring your concerns are heard, and providing support in your decision-making.
Choosing Your Health Advocate
- Think about naming someone you trust with gathering your personal information, writing and asking questions about your physical and emotional health, decision-making, and being your companion during health care visits.
- Consider asking someone who is already a care partner, like a family member, friend, or neighbour.
- Learn more about the role of a health advocate in the resource kit.
- Discuss your personal boundaries and right to privacy and confidentiality with the person(s) you choose.
- Learn about choosing a temporary or substitute decision-maker. Your health advocate may be a good choice for this role, as they are familiar with your health status and wishes.
Tip
Add your health advocate to your Care Partners and Health Care & Business Professionals fillable PDFs. Inform your family and health care providers about your advocate and their role in your care and support.
“I was 50 years old when I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis- I had no issues leading up to this diagnosis, so it came as a surprise. Within a matter of weeks, I went from working full-time teaching nursing and running a busy home with 3 growing kids, to being hospitalized for 2 weeks while they tried to figure out how to get my condition under control. It was a scary time for sure. Everyone said that autoimmune diseases were unpredictable, and this fuelled my anxiety. I found myself very sensitive to the things that people said to me, like…… “this must be so scary for you……UC is an awful disease”. One doctor said to me, “this isn’t over yet, did they talk to you about surgery when you were in the hospital?” My strategy for coping during this initial phase was to keep my circle very small – my husband was amazing and was my health advocate and gatekeeper as he knew I was struggling with certain peoples’ energy. He answered phone calls from well-meaning friends and family and provided updates to people as needed. He also kept my spirits up by using humour and providing things for me to look forward to every day. My advice to anyone going through a health transition is to lean into what feels good for you at that time. Don’t worry about responding to others who might not provide what you really need at the time.”
Choosing a Temporary or Substitute Decision-Maker
There may be a time when it is difficult for you to communicate your decisions or provide informed consent. Before this happens, it is important to name those who can speak on your behalf.
Naming Your Temporary Substitute Decision-Maker (TSDM)
- Choose a temporary substitute decision-maker who is an adult and capable of making health care treatment decisions for you, if you are unconscious or unable to speak for yourself.
- Know that if you cannot speak for yourself, your physician chooses someone from your TSDM list, usually starting with your spouse or partner, then your adult children, your sibling(s), or others you have named.
- Learn more about the role and responsibilities of a TSDM in the resource kit.
Naming Your Substitute Decision-Maker (SDM)
- Learn the difference between a TSDM and an SDM.
- If you have a debilitating or life-limiting health condition, consider naming a formal substitute decision-maker.
- Choose an SDM who is an adult capable of making health care treatment decisions for you if you are unconscious or unable to speak for yourself.
- Work with either a lawyer or a notary to complete a representation agreement that legally names your SDM.
- Know that your named SDM can consent to treatment, withdrawal of treatment, or housing placement on your behalf.
- Keep a print and digital copy of your representation agreement in your Mywell Health files.
Tip
The people you choose to advocate and make decisions on your behalf should be aware of your current values, beliefs, and end-of-life choices. Learn more about these roles under the term advance care plan in the resource kit.
“My husband was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease and in a short period of time he was having difficulty speaking. It was suggested we get a representation agreement to confirm that I was his SDM and also to list a TSDM – if I was not available. We talked about the questions that were suggested and he was able to make the decision naming our son as his TSDM. Some of the questions we discussed were:
- Am I comfortable talking with this person about my wishes and priorities for my health care?
- Does this person know my values and beliefs?
- Does this person live near me, or would they come to be with me if needed?
- Can this person honour my wishes when I can no longer speak for myself?
- Can this person handle conflicting opinions from my family, friends, and health care providers? Is this person 19 years or older?
- Has this person been in contact with me over the past year?
We also used My Voice – An Advance Care Planning Guide to help us have the discussion and record our wishes.”
Communicating with My Care Partners
Communicating your needs and wishes effectively with your care partners, caregivers and health care professionals can help to give you a sense of control over your health and lifestyle choices. Communicating effectively means sharing your needs and wishes and listening to suggestions and concerns from those who support your lifestyle.
Communicating with My Care Partners
- Explore your feelings about having family members and others involved in supporting your health and lifestyle choices.
- Be clear with caregivers, family, and care partners about your personal boundaries and wishes for privacy and confidentiality.
- Send emails, texts, or use apps to communicate changes in your health or when and how you need help.
- Be clear about what you can and cannot do to set realistic expectations for everyone involved.
- Ask your family and care partners about their limitations and boundaries such as time, space, health, and financial issues.
- Talk with a clinical counsellor for advice and strategies.
- Create a written care plan outlining your daily needs and how others can help, so you don’t have to repeat yourself.
Tip
- Learn how to support your care partners and caregivers through resources from the Family-Caregivers of BC.
