Your Role in the Healthcare Process

When you come to the hospital, there are a lot of things to do, and it can seem overwhelming. But there is one thing we want you to remember—you have a role in the healthcare process. We need you, to help us, take care of you.

There may be some decisions to be made. We want to help you stay engaged in that decision-making process. We like to think that you are the expert on how you feel, and together we’re the experts on what to do about how you feel.

Together, we can take the best care of you. One way to do this, to keep you engaged in the process, is to think about three questions.

Whenever a doctor or nurse discusses your care, you can think about these questions:
One, “What’s my main problem?” Two, “What do I need to do?” And three, “Why is it important for me to do that?” You can do that when you first get here. You can do that at any time. Remember, asking questions is your responsibility. Answering them is ours.