Cultural Competency

Black History Month is an annual celebration of the achievements by African Americans and reflection on their vital role in U.S. history. It is observed from February 1st – March 1st originating in the United States, where it is also known as African American History Month. 

Black history month has also received recognition in Canada, Ireland, and the United Kingdoms. While it is celebrated in the month of February in the U.S. and Canada, it is celebrated in Ireland and the United Kingdom in the month of October. The first Black History Month celebration took place in 1976 and continues to grow today as a joyous and symbolic occasion. 

Our health plan is dedicated to ensuring our members of culturally different backgrounds are represented, acknowledged, and get the care that they need and deserve from their providers. We do this by being involved in the community, as well as having community members and leaders a part of our workgroups to ensure our programs, policies, and procedures represent our diverse populations serviced. 

Did you know we are looking for member participation on our Member Advisory Committees? 

Our Member Advisory Committee and Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) Member Advisory Committee meets four times each year. During these meetings, members are invited to let us know what is working and what we can do better. We use member feedback to improve our health plan. 

• There are opportunities to attend these meetings without traveling
• We can help you arrange transportation to the meetings
•  Each meeting will be held within your region
•  Meetings will be scheduled during non work hours
• Language assistance can be provided
• For more information visit:
  https://www.carolinacompletehealth.com/members/medicaid/additional-benefits/advisory-council.html

Maternal health refers to the health of women during pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal period.

National Maternal Health day is observed to bring awareness that each year in the United States, about 700 women die during pregnancy and almost all women of color are disproportionately impacted by this crisis.   We must continue to focus our attention and resources on addressing this crisis and saving the lives of mothers across the country.  

Prenatal care is important for both the mother and the baby’s health.  It is important to have a prenatal visit in the first trimester.  In fact, when a mother doesn't get prenatal care, their baby is three times more likely to have a low birth weight.   If there are any risk factors, the number of prenatal visits may increase.  

Listed below is the recommended schedule of prenatal visits:

• Weeks 4 to 28: 1 prenatal visit a month
• Weeks 28 to 36: 1 prenatal visit every 2 weeks
• Weeks 36 to 40: 1 prenatal visit every week

When talking with your doctor remember to always:  

• Communicate and manage major health conditions (diabetes, hypertension, or obesity)
• Communicate any symptoms or complications 
• Communicate any medical care received after delivery
• Schedule and maintain postpartum care 
• Express feelings of depression, anxiety, and mood swings to your medical provider

It is important to talk to your healthcare provider about anything that doesn’t feel right.  It can be physical or emotional.  You know your body.  If you experience something that seems unusual or that worry you don’t ignore it.  Talk to your doctor.   

Links

https://www.who.int/health-topics/maternal-health#tab=tab_1
https://www.webmd.com/baby/how-often-do-i-need-prenatal-visits#

Prevent Blindness America, a non-profit organization dedicated to fighting blindness, has named December as Safe Toys and Gift Awareness Month.

This organization encourages customers to purchase appropriate toys for the age and developmental ability of the child. This is important because 217,000 children go to the emergency room yearly for toy-related injuries.

Some of the most common toy-related injuries are:

• Motor accidents
• Falls
• Choking
• Eye injuries

When buying toys for children it is important to consider:

• Avoid toys with sharp points, spikes or edges. The toy should be able to resist force without breaking, being crushed or being pulled apart easily.
• Avoid toys with small objects that can cause choking particularly if the child is young
• Give the correct sized helmet and safety equipment to go with skateboards, bikes and roller skates
• Read all toy warning labels, safety precautions and directions before use.
• Look for toys that have passed a safety inspection. Toys that have passed the American Society for Testing and Materials Standard (ATSM) safety inspection will have an ATSM seal printed on the box.
• Check for safety recalls and warnings at www.recalls.gov or www.cpsc.gov

Links

https://www.apha.org/Events-and-Meetings/APHA-Calendar/2021/2021-Safe-Toys-and-Gifts-Month
https://www.bouldermedicalcenter.com/december-is-safe-toys-and-gifts-month/
https://www.theemergencycenter.com/safe-toys-and-gifts-month/

November is National Native American Month. This month celebrates the history, culture, and achievements of American Indian Tribes. This celebration highlights their importance in American history and contributions to American culture.

North Carolina is home to eight state and one federally recognized tribe. These tribes include the Coharie, Eastern Band of Cherokee, Haliwa-Saponi, Lumbee, Meherrin, Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation, Sappony, and Waccamaw-Siouan. More than 130,000 American Indians live in North Carolina.

Carolina Complete Health provides services to the tribal lands of the Sappony, Lumbee, Waccamaw Siouan, Cohaire, Haliwa- Saponi, and Occaneechi Band of Saponi.

Carolina Complete Health Tribal Services

Some of the services include:

• Specialized training for healthcare providers treating tribal members
• Health fairs and back-to-school events
• Community partnership with the Boys and Girls Club of America to give free memberships to tribal members
• Value-Added Services – Talking Circles

Carolina Complete Health Tribal Liaison

Carolina Complete Health Tribal Liaison John Lowery helps provide services and reduce tribal-related barriers to enhance health care for our members. For more information or questions, contact John Lowery at John.Lowery@Carolinacompletehealth.com.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Breast Cancer Awareness Month is an international health campaign organized by breast cancer charities. The campaign also serves to raise funds for research on breast cancer causes, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and cure.

Did You Know?

• This year, almost 300,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in the U.S.
• Diagnosis of more than 50,000 new cases of non-invasive breast cancer is also expected.
• About 1 in 8 U.S. women and 1 in 833 U.S. men will develop invasive breast cancer.

Early Signs of Breast Cancer:

• Lump in breast
• Painful breast near armpit
• Discharge from the nipple (other than breast milk)
• Swelling of all or part of a breast (even if no lump is felt)
• Skin dimpling (similar to an orange peel)
• Nipple retraction (turning inward)
• Nipple or breast skin that is red, dry, flaking, or thickened

Call your provider immediately if you see any of these signs.

Mammograms Can Provide Early Detection
Regular mammograms can provide early detection of breast cancer. Women should know the benefits, limitations, and potential harms linked to breast cancer screening. 

• Women ages 40 to 44 should begin annual breast cancer screening with mammograms (x-rays of the breast).
• Women ages 45 to 54 should get mammograms every year.
• Women 55 and older should get mammograms every two years or can continue annual screenings.
• Women expected to live 10 more years or longer should continue annual mammograms.

Know Your Body
Women should know how their breasts normally look and feel.  Any breast changes should be reported to a healthcare provider right away. Women with a family history of, or genetic tendency toward breast cancer, or certain other factors, should be screened with both MRIs and mammograms.

Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15^th through October 15^th)

Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates the history, culture, and contributions of Hispanic Americans. Those whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America are especially noted. Many Hispanic communities mark the achievement of Hispanic Americans with festivals and educational activities. 

The Latino and Hispanic community is one of the fastest growing communities in America. There was a 37% increase in the Hispanic population in North Carolina. Now the total NC Hispanic population is 890,000.

About eight percent of the North Carolina population speaks Spanish. Carolina Complete Health has FREE language interpretation for appointments via telephone, virtually, and in-person at the doctor’s office. Member documents and materials are also translated into the members’ requested languages.

For language assistance services, please call 1-833-552-3876 (TTY 711).

Let your voice be heard! Join the CCH Member Advisory Committee!

Our Member Advisory Committee and Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) Member Advisory Committees meet four times each year. During these meetings, members are invited to let us know what is working and what we can do better. We use member feedback to improve our health plan.

• There are opportunities to attend these meetings without traveling.
• We can help you arrange transportation to the meetings.
• Each meeting will be held within your region.
• Meetings will be scheduled during non-work hours.
• Language assistance can be provided.

Links

• For more information visit: https://www.carolinacompletehealth.com/mac

Be among the millions of adults who have been vaccinated.

It’s important to your health and those you love.

You probably got vaccines as a child, so you think you’re still protected, right? Not exactly. The protection from some vaccines can wear off over time. You may also be at risk for other diseases. The risk could be due to your job, lifestyle, travel, or health condition. So, it’s still important for you to be vaccinated as an adult.

Reasons to Get Vaccinated

1. You may be at risk for certain diseases that are still common in the U.S. Every year thousands of adults in the United States get sick from diseases – diseases like measles or the flu that could be prevented by vaccines. Some people are hospitalized. Some even die.
2.  You can’t afford to get sick. Even healthy people can get sick enough to miss work or school. If you’re sick, you may not be able to take care of your family. Or you may not be able to have time for your friends and hobbies.
3. You can protect your health and the health of those around you. This is especially important because some people cannot get vaccinated. This includes children under 6-months-old.

What Vaccines Do You Need?

All adults should get a flu vaccine every year to protect against seasonal flu.

You may need additional vaccines because of:

• Your age.
• Health conditions.
• Vaccines you received as a child.
• Other factors.

Other vaccines you may need as an adult include:

• Td/Tdap to protect against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (whooping cough).
• Pneumococcal to protect against pneumococcal infections, such as pneumonia.
• Zoster to protect against shingles.
• MMR to protect against measles, mumps, and rubella.

Where to Get Vaccinated

Talk to your doctor about which vaccines you need. You can get them at the following places:

• Your doctor’s office.
• Local health department.
• Pharmacies.
• Workplace.
• Community health clinics.
• Other places.

Vaccines lower your chance of getting sick. Vaccines work with your body’s natural defenses. This lowers your chances of getting certain diseases.

Vaccines lower your chance of spreading certain diseases. Infants, older adults and people with weakened immune systems are especially vulnerable to these diseases.

Vaccines are one of the safest ways to protect your health. Vaccine side effects are usually mild. Side effects go away on their own. Severe side effects are very rare.

Call your doctor today to find out which vaccines you need. Then get your vaccines as soon as possible.

The warm summer rays feel good. However, it is important to protect your skin and eyes from the harmful effects of the sun.

Your eyes have the most exposure to bright sunlight. This exposure increases the risk of getting cataracts, macular degeneration, growths on the eye, and cancer. Unprotected sun exposure can also weaken the immune system, age skin prematurely, and cause skin cancer.

Fortunately, you can reduce the risks of sun exposure:

Never Look Directly at the Sun

Looking directly at the sun at any time, including during an eclipse, can lead to solar retinopathy damage to the eye’s retina from solar radiation.

Cover Up

Wearing a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, or other sun-protective clothing can help block your skin and eyes from the damaging effects of UV ray exposure.

Stay in the Shade

The sun’s glare is most intense at midday. Staying out of the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. will help protect your skin. However, the sun can still damage your skin and eyes on cloudy days or in the winter. It is important to stay protected throughout the year.

Choose the Right Sunscreen

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends wearing sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of at least 15. Sunscreen should protect against both UV-A and UV-B rays. UV-A rays go deep into the layers of the skin and lead to early signs of aging. UV-B rays are the main cause of sunburn because they hit the outer layer of skin and damage skin cells.

Use the Right Amount of Sunscreen

It’s important to put on at least one ounce (a palmful) of sunscreen every two hours. You should apply it more often if you are sweating or swimming, even if the sunscreen is waterproof. 

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month began known as Asian/Pacific American Heritage week in 1979 under President Jimmy Carter who wanted to honor the large efforts made by Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders to the science and arts industry, and government and commerce. President George H.W. Bush expanded the celebration in 1990 and observed the entire month of May ensuring the celebration was a tribute to those Americans originally from the Asian continent and the Pacific Islands.

The month of May was chosen to recognize May 7, 1843, which is the date the first Japanese immigrants arrived in the United States, and to recognize May 10, 1869 which marked the completion of the transcontinental railroad that would not have been possible without the hard work of Chinese-Americans.

About 3.5% of the population in the state of North Carolina identify as being AAPI. The total Asian population in the U.S. is 7% or 22 million with the state of California having the largest Asian population rate at 17% and the state of Wyoming having the lowest Asian population rate at 2%. Less than 1% or 1.4 million of the total U.S. population is Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (NHPI) with the state of Hawaii having the largest NHPI population rate at 25% and the state of Vermont having the lowest NHPI rate at 0.1%.

32.6% of the AAPI population is not fluent in the English language. To help with this language barrier, Carolina Complete Health is dedicated to ensuring all our members of culturally different backgrounds are represented, acknowledged, and get the care that they need and deserve from their providers.

Did you know Carolina Complete Health has FREE Language Assistance Services for members!?!

• Access to over 200 languages including American Sign Language to help with healthcare needs
• Telephonic language interpretation
• Language translation of member materials and documents
• Face to face language assistance at provider appointments

If English is not your first language, CCH can help! Call 1-833-552-3876 (TTY 711) for your healthcare language assistance needs.

National Stress Awareness Month 

• Since 1992 Stress Awareness Month has been held in April to raise awareness of the causes and cures for our modern-day stress. Everyone experiences stress but not in the same way. The most common definition for stress is a physical, mental, or emotional strain or tension. It’s usually a reaction to a situation where a person feels threatened or anxious.
• Common reactions to stressful events can include but are not limited to
• Headaches, back pains or stomach issues
• Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
• Feeling frustrated, sad or helpless
• Having trouble sleeping
  
  
• Ways to address stress in your life
• Write down the stressors in your life and strategize ways to address them.
• Share your concerns and feelings with a medical provider, primary care physician, social worker, or licensed therapist.
• Avoid drugs and alcohol as these can create additional problems and increase stress.
• Exercising 20-30 mins a day. This can include a jog, walk or riding a bike etc.
• Incorporate relaxation in your life through meditation, journaling, or a breathing exercise.
• Eating a balanced meal with fruits, veggies, carbs, and protein.
• Sleeping at least 6-8 hours a night.
• It’s hard to avoid stress but there are ways to manage it in a healthy way. Please check with your primary care physician if you need additional assistance with stress management.
• Links
• For more information, click on the following links.
• https://nationaltoday.com/stress-awareness-month/#:~:text=U.S.,stress%20rears%20its%20ugly%20head
• https://www.stress.org/april-is-stress-awareness-month
• https://www.chcw.org/april-is-stress-awareness-month/

August is National Immunization Awareness Month. 

Vaccinations are important for people of all ages. During National Immunization Awareness Month, we encourage you to:

• Talk to your doctor about the vaccination status of you and your family. Find out if there are any missed vaccines or upcoming vaccinations. Get you and your family the vaccinations needed to protect against serious diseases.
• Work with your child’s doctor to make sure they get caught up on missed well-child visits and  recommended vaccines before going back to school.
• Know that your immunization schedule provides early protection before you may be exposed to potentially serious diseases.
• Ask your doctor to educate you about the safety systems that the United States has in place to track vaccines. Ask your doctor about the specific purpose of the vaccines you get and the reactions that could happen after vaccination.
• August is also an important time for those who are eligible to get vaccinated against COVID-19. To learn more about the COVID-19 vaccination and Carolina Complete Health  COVID-19 vaccine $75 reward, please go to the following websites: 
  • Earn $75 reward when you get your COVID-19 vaccine
  • Your COVID-19 Vaccination – CDC Guide
  • COVID-19 Vaccines for Children and Teens – CDC Guide

Links

For more information, click on the following links.

• Adult Vaccination Flyer

Get out the sunglasses! July is Ultraviolet (UV) Safety Awareness Month.

The warm summer rays feel good. However, it is important to protect your skin and eyes from the harmful effects of the sun.

Your eyes have the most exposure to bright sunlight. This exposure increases the risk of getting cataracts, macular degeneration, growths on the eye, and cancer. Unprotected sun exposure can also weaken the immune system, age skin prematurely, and cause skin cancer.

Fortunately, you can reduce the risks of sun exposure:

Never Look Directly at the Sun: Looking directly at the sun at any time, including during an eclipse, can lead to solar retinopathy damage to the eye’s retina from solar radiation.

Cover Up: Wearing a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, or other sun-protective clothing can help block your skin and eyes from the damaging effects of UV ray exposure.

Stay in the Shade: The sun’s glare is most intense at midday. Staying out of the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. will help protect your skin. However, the sun can still damage your skin and eyes on cloudy days or in the winter. It is important to stay protected throughout the year.

Choose the Right Sunscreen: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends wearing sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of at least 15. Sunscreen should protect against both UV-A and UV-B rays. UV-A rays go deep into the layers of the skin and lead to early signs of aging. UV-B rays are the main cause of sunburn because they hit the outer layer of skin and damage skin cells.

Use the Right Amount of Sunscreen: It’s important to put on at least one ounce (a palmful) of sunscreen every two hours. You should apply it more often if you are sweating or swimming, even if the sunscreen is waterproof.

June is LGBTQ+ Pride Month

LGBTQ+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Allies) Pride Month is celebrated during June to recognize the impact lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals have had on history internationally.

LGBTQ+ Pride Month recognizes the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan, which was the height of  the Gay liberation movement in the United States. The first Pride march was held June 28, 1970, in New York City on the year anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising. Today, pride celebrations may include parades, picnics, parties, workshops, concerts, and memorials.

North Carolina LGBTQ+ Population Facts:

• 4% identify as LGBTQ+. (39% Men / 61% Women)
• 26% are raising children.
• 58% are White/Caucasian.
• 22% are Black/African American.
• 11% are Hispanic.
• 6% are more than one race.
• 3% are all other races.
• 32% are between the ages of 18-24.

For LGBTQ+ Members When Getting Health Care:

• Your doctor should create a welcoming and respectful environment.
• Your doctors and facilities should be supportive and attentive to your care needs.
• Your doctors and facilities should address you by your preferred pronoun.
• Speak with your doctor if you feel uncomfortable during your appointment.

Questions To Ask Your Doctor:

• What medical training or cultural sensitivities do you participate in to provide care to the LGBTQ+ community?
• Do you fully understand LGBTQ+ diversity and care needs?
• What tests should I be getting regularly?
• What LGBTQ+ resources do you provide to your patients?
• Does your practice have any inclusive LGBTQ+ policies and procedures?

Links

For more information, click the following link:

• North Carolina's Equality Profile

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month began known as Asian/Pacific American Heritage week in 1979 under President Jimmy Carter who wanted to honor the large efforts made by Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders to the science and arts industry, and government and commerce. President George H.W. Bush expanded the celebration in 1990 and observed the entire month of May ensuring the celebration was a tribute to those Americans originally from the Asian continent and the Pacific Islands.

The month of May was chosen to recognize May 7, 1843, which is the date the first Japanese immigrants arrived in the United States, and to recognize May 10, 1869 which marked the completion of the transcontinental railroad that would not have been possible without the hard work of Chinese-Americans.

About 3.5% of the population in the state of North Carolina identify as being AAPI. The total Asian population in the U.S. is 7% or 22 million with the state of California having the largest Asian population rate at 17% and the state of Wyoming having the lowest Asian population rate at 2%. Less than 1% or 1.4 million of the total U.S. population is Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (NHPI) with the state of Hawaii having the largest NHPI population rate at 25% and the state of Vermont having the lowest NHPI rate at 0.1%.

32.6% of the AAPI population is not fluent in the English language. To help with this language barrier, Carolina Complete Health is dedicated to ensuring all our members of culturally different backgrounds are represented, acknowledged, and get the care that they need and deserve from their providers.

Did you know Carolina Complete Health has FREE Language Assistance Services for members!?!

• Access to over 200 languages including American Sign Language to help with healthcare needs
• Telephonic language interpretation
• Language translation of member materials and documents
• Face to face language assistance at provider appointments

If English is not your first language, CCH can help! Call 1-833-552-3876 (TTY 711) for your healthcare language assistance needs.

National Handwashing Awareness Week is celebrated December 1 - 7.

The purpose of this observance is to educate people on the importance of good hand hygiene and proper techniques.

As important as handwashing has always been, it’s especially crucial now. Washing your hands regularly can help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, including coronavirus. But it’s important to make sure you’re washing correctly. A quick rinse isn’t enough to kill germs.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls hand washing "a do-it-yourself vaccine". They suggest remembering five easy steps: Wet, lather, scrub, rinse, dry.

1. Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.
2. Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
3. Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.
4. Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
5. Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.

Handwashing is an easy and effective way to protect yourself and others from germs and viruses. Even though it’s simple, many people get complacent. They end up skipping handwashing or washing too quickly. By taking the time to go through the five steps you can protect yourself and others from illnesses like COVID-19.

Links

Click the link below for more health resources.

• CDC: Handwashing - Clean Hands Save Lives

Did you know that 1 in 4 (34 million) people in the United States have diabetes, and 1 in 3 (88 million adults) have prediabetes? Many don’t even know they have it.

Diabetes is the condition in which the body does not properly process food for use as energy.

Most of the food we eat is turned into glucose, or sugar, for our bodies to use for energy. The pancreas, an organ that lies near the stomach, makes a hormone called insulin to help glucose get into the cells of our bodies. When you have diabetes, your body either doesn't make enough insulin or can't use its own insulin as well as it should. This causes sugars to build up in your blood.
Diabetes can cause serious health problems, including heart disease, kidney problems, stroke, blindness, and the need for leg, toe or foot amputations.

Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States.

There is no cure for diabetes, but the following actions can prevent or reduce diabetes symptoms:

• Take diabetes seriously
• Know the type of diabetes you have
• Join a support group
• Know your ABC’s:
  • A stands for A1C test - Blood test that measures your average blood sugar level over the past three months.
  • B stands for Blood Pressure - Make sure it never gets too high.
  • C stands for Cholesterol - There are two kinds of cholesterol in your blood: LDL and HDL. Ask your doctor to find out your healthy cholesterol range.
• Eat well
• Lower stress
• Be active and exercise
• Take your prescribed medicine every day
• Talk to your healthcare team
• Keep your medical appointments
• You may be at risk for prediabetes if you:
  • Are physically active fewer than 3 times per week.
  • Had gestational diabetes or gave birth to a baby weighing more than nine pounds.
  • Are African American, Latinx, American Indian, Alaskan Native, Pacific Islander, or Asian American.

Learn your risk for prediabetes, and take control of your health.

Links

Click the links below to learn more about your risk levels.

• CDC - Could you have prediabetes?
• CDC - Diabetes
• CDC - Prediabetes - Your Chance to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes
• VeryWell Health - Types of Diabetes Mellitus
• National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases - 4 Steps to Manage Your Diabetes for Life
  

Printable

Use our Eating Healthy on a budget - English (PDF) / Spanish (PDF) printable to learn tips for eating healthy on a budget.

Get the Most Out of Doctor Visits by Improving Your Health Literacy

Have you ever walked out of a doctor’s appointment feeling confused, frustrated or unsure about next steps?

You are not alone. More than 80% of patients forget what their doctor talked about before they get home. Reading and filling out medical forms can be difficult as well.

The good news? You can improve your health literacy skills to get the most out of your doctor visits and make important decisions about you and your family’s health.

What is Health Literacy?

Health literacy is the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information needed to make appropriate health decisions.

Feel More Informed and Confident at Your Next Doctor’s Visit

Ask questions.

Before your next doctor appointment, prepare in advance by writing down the questions you have, such as:

• Are there any problems or issues you are worried about?
• What medicines do I take? What are each of my medicines for?
• What can I do to be healthy in the future?

1. Take notes.
   • Remembering everything your doctor says can be hard. Write down any important information. Your doctor might also type notes for you. File those notes in an easy-to-find place at home.
2. Bring someone if you can.
   • A relative or friend can support you, which can be extra helpful if you’re not feeling well. They can help you fill out forms and write down the doctor’s instructions.
3. Use trusted sources.
   • Beware of inaccurate information on the Internet. Look to state and US government health agencies, universities and medical colleges, nonprofit organizations, and reliable health news sources.
4. Be confident!
   • Make it a goal to walk away from your next appointment knowing exactly what you need to do next. If you’re feeling unsure about anything, speak up and ask for help.

Printable

Use our Top 10 Questions to Ask Your Doctor - (English PDF) / (Spanish PDF) printable to help you take notes at your next appointment.