Ongoing Communication with Your Doctors

 

As your cancer treatment progresses, you're likely to have different questions than you did when you were first diagnosed. You also may be seeing more health care professionals than at the beginning. Your team may now include your oncologist, oncology nurses, a radiologist, technicians, a primary care professional, a social worker, physical or occupational therapists, and more.

During treatment, it's especially important for you to maintain good communication with your doctors and others. This can be a hard time for you. Side effects and other concerns might be affecting your physical and emotional health. Being able to talk openly with your health care team enables you to get the information and help you need. Research also shows that such communication can improve health outcomes.
You can foster communication in several simple ways:

  • Always ask questions. There are no dumb questions. Even if you've been in treatment for a while and you have a basic question about how the particular treatment works or what help it might provide--ask!
    -- Write your questions down before phoning or coming in for your appointment.
    -- Write down the answers you hear for review later. You might want to bring someone along to take notes, so you can focus on what's being said. Use a tape recorder, if possible, so you can replay the conversation later to clarify things for yourself or your family.
  • Don't be shy about asking for further explanation. Doctors and nurses will assume you understand what they've said or what is going on unless you tell them you don't.
    -- You might say, "I need to discuss _____ with you," or "I'm having trouble understanding _____. Can you help me?"

If your doctor appears rushed, schedule a visit specifically to talk.

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