In many cases, you decide what doctor you go to, what hospital you check into, and even what treatment you receive. There are few things you can do to help you make better choices.
There are sites that rank hospitals based on success rates, infection levels, and length of hospital stays. Contact your health insurance to discuss coverage. Research awards, recognition, and publication records of the doctors who perform the treatment you require. You can even ask about equipment and technology - do they have the most current MRI machine? The latest in infection-control materials?
Even if your primary-care physician is guiding you through your procedure, a different doctor may be performing the procedure or treatment. You can research doctors based on their board certification, their training, publication records, and even medical actions.
While it may be very overwhelming at first, try reading the current research about your condition. Even if you don't understand most of what you read, you will begin to pick up on terms and concepts that may help you down the line. You will begin to see the universities or hospitals where current research seems to be coming from, even begin to see the same physicians names popping up. You will begin to learn about common treatments, medicines, and trials. This is all information that can help you make better decisions, or at least, ask better questions.
This step can be seen as an ongoing process you may return to on your healthcare journey. Next week's step will help you keep your growing research collection in order. Stay tuned for Step 4: Record-keeping!
Editor's Note: This post was originally published in January 2015 and has been updated for freshness, accuracy and comprehensiveness.