http://www.jenniferlewis.com/facts.html In Jennifer Lewis' words: "I recommend printing this out and taking it with you when you are interviewing a doctor, who might treat you and your disease. You may even go as far as printing it up and having the doctor, office manager, and you - as the patient - sign it; and then one copy goes into your chart and you keep a copy."
][> What you can expect from me:
1.) I will answer all questions as honestly as I can.
2.) I will report all medications, vitamins, and whatever other treatments I am currently using.
3.) I will only take the medications you prescribe for me for the pain that goes along with this disease.
4.) If the medications you prescribe for some reason do not work, I will call you immediately.
5.) I will report all appointments that I have with other doctors. I will have any results of tests - done at other facilities - transfered into my file with this office.
6.) I will listen to your advice. I will try to be open to trying new treatments when there is medical evidence that they may be helpful.
7.) I am open to any new tests (or re-tests) you may want to try; however, I will not expect you to order tests unless there is sufficient reason to believe they should be tried. I do not expect - nor do I want - tests to be tried at random.
8.) I do not expect a quick fix.
9.) I will accept it when you do not know what is wrong.
10.) I will stay informed - as to what is going on in research - about this disease. And I will inform you of anything that sounds like it might help me.
11.) I will inform you of all possible side effects from this disease. I will not discount anything.
12.) I will try to be patient with you; but please understand that this disease is very hard to live with.
][> What I hope I can expect from you:
1.) You must be willing to accept a complex case with many unknowns.
2.) You must be willing to work in a partnership with me. You must be willing to listen if I have information that may be related to my illness. We might disagree; but you should first listen to the information that I have.
3.) You must accept that I am the final arbiter of what medicines I will take or treatments I will try.
4.) You must be willing to consider an occasional referral outside the health care plan.
5.) You must agree to fill out occasional forms if necessary. I will pre-fill out the forms to make them as painless as possible for you. Of course they will be minus the information you must fill out.
6.) You should not expect to fix me, if you cannot. You must not become frustrated if and when I continue to be uncured.
7.) You must keep up to date on any information concerning my disease and the treatments for it.
8.) You must be totally honest with me at all times.
9.) You must always make sure that my medications will take care of the pain I am having.
10.) You must never be short with me - on talk down to me - in a time of crisis or pain.
11.) You must understand that my husband or significant other is to be part of all of the decisions to be made in my case.
12.) Finally, I hope you will persevere and will not give up, even if we don't find any answers.