The Center for Patient Partnerships
Self-Advocacy Tools
Diagnosis
If you, a family member, or friend has recently been diagnosed with a life-threatening or serious chronic illness, the following resources may provide useful information.
Clarifying a diagnosis
- A Primer for Health Care Consumers: Diagnosis Cancer
- First Aid Kit for Cancer Consumers
This Primer and First Aid Kit address frequently asked questions by patients diagnosed with cancer.
Getting a second opinion: Referral to another health care professional
- Getting a second opinion before surgery - Medicare
- National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship, Cancer Survival Toolbox, Finding Information Module: This audio module is part of a series created by NCCS. According to NCCS: "Finding Information means being able to use many of the different resources available to find information that will help you understand your kind of cancer and its treatment."
- National Cancer Institute - Finding a Doctor and Care if you have Cancer
- Landay, David (1998). Be prepared: The complete financial, legal, and practical guide to living with cancer, HIV, and other life-challenging conditions. New York, NY: St. Martin's Press.: This book is a must have guide for anyone facing a life-threatening or serious chronic illness. See page 284 for information on second opinions - What? How? Who? When?
Support after a diagnosis
- Coping with Chronic Illness
- Next Steps After Your Diagnosis: Finding Information and Support
- UW Health Patient Support and Services
- Patients "Rules" By Pete Daly: Common sense rules for patients when confronted by a serious condition and rules for providers when assisting a patient/client with a serious condition.
Learning about your illness
- Teamwork: A Patient's Guide to Talking with your Doctor
- ACS To-do List: An on-line Planner, Calendar and To-Do list to help you create, organize and keep track of your tasks in one place.
- Next Steps After Your Diagnosis: Finding Information and Support
- Patients "Rules" By Pete Daly: Common sense rules for patients when confronted by a serious condition and rules for providers when assisting a patient/client with a serious condition.
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Want to Help?
As the Center for Patient Partnerships grows, you can help educate, advocate and innovate to make health systems more consumer-centered. Though we do not charge for our advocacy services, we welcome contributions to the Center. Please join the mission by contributing!
