Appointment Preparedness

By Anne Dabbs,
NCAN TN Chapter Leader, NET Patient

Patients who live with a chronic disease such as Neuroendocrine Cancer frequently remark that managing our disease is just as much work as a full time job. We agree whole heartedly! It is work; It takes a lot of effort and concentration which is often in short supply.

Having a good rapport and healthy conversations with your physicians is a basic goal for living well with a rare disease. Our doctors know this and value good communication, also. Talking about cancer and hearing about YOUR cancer can be difficult. We need to be fully engaged with our medical teams as we navigate this shared responsibility.

Developing a good rapport starts with a few basic steps on the patient’s part.

1) CREATE A COMFORTABLE ENVIRONMENT FOR CONVERSATION BY ARRIVING ON TIME FOR YOUR APPOINTMENTS WITH THE PROPER PAPERWORK COMPLETED IN ADVANCE.

One recommendation to minimize miscommunication is to have a designated notebook and calendar that accompanies you to every single appointment. If you store your medical information and scheduling on a device, be confident and competent in your ability to recall the data you need in moments, not minutes.

Read more at:https://www.netcancerawareness.org/2022/07/appointment-preparedness/