How to Advocate for Your Health Needs

Feeling heard by your provider is an important part of your care. If you’ve ever felt your concerns weren’t fully understood, you’re not alone. One survey found that 52% of U.S. adults said their symptoms were ignored, dismissed, or not believed.

Learning to advocate for yourself will help you communicate more effectively with your providers. Speaking up to ask questions and making your concerns and needs known can ensure you receive the best possible care.

Here are some tips on how to make conversations with your provider more effective.

Preparation Tips

The first step in advocating for yourself is to prepare for a provider visit:

• Identify goals for what you want and need to happen during the visit. Think about the most important outcome, such as a specific test, a specialist referral, or a plan to manage your condition.
• Write down questions to ask, with the most important questions first.
• Create a list of your symptoms, and when you first noticed them.
• Document the medications you take, including over-the-counter drugs and supplements. For each medication, include the reason you take it, the dosage, and how often you take it.
• Gather relevant test results, especially if you’re seeing a new specialist who may not be familiar with your situation.
• Review your family health history for pertinent information, such as a relative who had a similar condition. If you don’t have a family health history, check out our blog article on how to compile one.
• Invite a family member or close friend to come to the appointment with you for support. They can also take notes for you.
• Practice what you want to tell the provider. Try to get it down to a minute or two. Rehearsing with a family member or friend can be helpful. Also have a few lines ready in case the provider doesn’t seem to hear or believe what you’re saying. For example, “Let me explain that again.”

One thing to avoid is trying to diagnose yourself using online tools. You can create unnecessary stress by worrying about an incorrect self-diagnosis. Instead, focus on bringing your provider the information they’ll need to understand your concerns.

What To Do During a Visit

Here are some things you can do to get the most out of your visit:

• Ask how much time the provider has for you. The typical patient visit is 15 minutes long, but it’s helpful to ask the provider at the start how much time they have to talk with you today. That will give you a better idea of how much detail to go into.
• Ask your provider if you can record the conversation. Use a smartphone app to record the conversation with your provider so you can review details later. Just be sure the provider has given you permission to record the discussion.
• Clearly state why you’re there. Begin the visit with a brief statement about why you’re there (like the one you practiced beforehand). Include any symptoms, when they started, how often they occur, what makes them better or worse, and if you are experiencing any pain. Be direct and open about your concerns.
• Ask questions. During the discussion, ask lots of questions. This demonstrates to the provider that you are engaged and want to be an active partner in your health care. Refer to your prepared list of questions, prioritizing the most important. If you don’t get all your questions answered, consider making a follow-up appointment or sending the provider a message through their online portal.
• Tell the provider if you don’t understand. If something is unclear to you, tell the provider right away and ask for a better explanation. For example, “I don’t understand that. Please explain it in simpler terms.”
• Stay on point. Limit the discussion to the issue that you made the appointment for. If there’s a different issue you want to talk to the provider about, make another appointment.
• Leave with a to-do list. Wrap up the visit by summarizing your understanding of what the provider has told you and ask if you’ve got everything right. Ask the provider to give you a checklist of things you need to do.

When you return home, it’s a good idea to log in to the patient portal (if available) and read the provider’s notes from the visit. This will help you better understand the diagnosis, how the provider determined it, and their recommendations for treatment. Make sure to follow the treatment plan, including taking all prescribed medications.

Educating yourself is an important part of being your own health care advocate. Take time to learn about an illness or condition after your provider has diagnosed it. Look to reliable sources, including professional organizations like the American Heart Association and the American Cancer Society, and major academic institutions like the Mayo Clinic and the Cleveland Clinic. Our own Be Well VT blog has a searchable library of articles that have been reviewed by our staff.

Object to Feeling Unheard

If you think a provider isn’t listening to you, let them know immediately. Here are some examples of what to say:

• “I feel my concerns aren’t being heard.”
• "It doesn’t seem like we’re on the same page. It’s important to me that you understand my concerns.”
• “These symptoms are not normal for me and are affecting my life. I know something is wrong.”
• “I still have concerns. What is the next step in finding the answer or other options?”

In a polite but firm manner, communicate that you’re not satisfied and want more to be done. Don’t be rude or pushy. Calmly and clearly explain your symptoms, how they are affecting your daily life, and why you are worried.  

If you’ve requested a course of action, such as having a particular test or treatment, and the provider has declined, here are some things you can do:

• Ask the provider to explain why they believe the requested test or treatment is unnecessary or inappropriate. Request that they suggest alternatives for you to consider.
• Request that the provider document in your medical record that you asked for a test or treatment and their reasons for refusal.
• Ask to be referred to another provider for a second opinion. You can also get a second opinion on your own because obtaining a referral isn’t necessary with Blue Cross VT health plans. Our online Find-a-Doctor tool helps you locate in-network providers.
• Contact our personal health services team. Our registered nurses and licensed clinicians can help you get the right treatment at the right time. Call (800) 922-8778, option 3, or use the Member Resource Center to send a secure message to case management.

Find a Provider You Trust

It’s very important that you have a trusting relationship with your health care provider. If you don’t feel your current provider hears or respects you, it may be time to find a new one. Our enhanced Find-a-Doctor tool has information, including specialties and expertise, education, credentials, awards and recognitions, affiliated facilities, office locations and hours, and languages spoken. You can also learn if a provider is in-network and accepting new patients.

To find out what other patients think about a provider, you can use sites like Healthgrades to read provider ratings and reviews.

If you decide to change primary care providers, please let us know so we can update our records. You can call us at (800) 247-2583 (TTY: 711), Monday to Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. You can also log in to your Member Resource Center account and send us a secure email.

Advocating for yourself requires some extra effort, but your health is worth it!