Houston, TX 1/27/2009 9:29:45 AM
Advice To Help Cancer Patients Manage Their Care
Online resource helps cancer patients manage their medical treatment
For cancer patients and their loved ones looking for assistance managing the process of their medical care, MesotheliomaWeb.org includes a section called “Managing Your Care" with helpful resources. The website gives practical, detailed advice on how to keep up with treatments and visits with multiple doctors in an organized manner.
The process of managing cancer care can be overwhelming. The “Managing Your Care” section explains coping mechanisms such as keeping a personal medical file, managing your medications, tracking medical expenses and other useful tips.
A personal medical file is a good way to organize the multitude of documents involved. Patients commonly see several doctors and receive treatments at different places. While each doctor or facility will have its own record on you, it is important that you maintain all of these records for yourself in a comprehensive file. This could come in handy whenever you have to visit a new doctor who will need an up-to-date history of your treatments.
Managing the medications you are taking to treat cancer can be difficult since there may be many. You should create a schedule of when and how much to take. Also important to know is how the drugs interact with each other and with other things you consume regularly and know what to do if you miss a dose. Keeping track of which doctor prescribed each medication will be useful in the event you misplace them or they become unusable.
Medical expenses are a major burden, and it is crucial to not let them get out of control while you're focusing on your health care. Patients and families must maintain a multitude of documents, including insurance claim forms, co-pays, benefit statements, bills, and receipts. Keeping all of them organized will prevent unnecessary stress. Tracking all medical appointments using a calendar will allow you to have a chronological record to refer back to should you need it. Recording expenses on your computer with a spreadsheet software is a good way to organize them for quick and easy reference. Hiring a professional is also an option if you would prefer someone else handle it.
For more information, you can request a free informational packet from the website. To speak with a Mesothelioma Web coordinator directly, call 1-877-367-6376.
MesotheliomaWeb.org is dedicated to helping those diagnosed with mesothelioma. It has an expert team that researches new treatment programs and news articles and maintains contact with doctors who specialize in treating the disease.
