A serious medical diagnosis can leave you feeling shocked, confused, angry or scared. You might struggle to remember everything your doctor is saying about the condition and the treatment required.
These emotions are understandable and completely normal.
Ask your doctor to give you as much information – in plain language – that you can take away with you: test results, likely progression, the time frame for treatment and the treatment options you should consider.
Some questions to ask could include:
- What will happen if I don’t have the procedure or surgery?
- Can I delay the treatment?
- How long will I be in hospital?
- Is there alternative treatment?
- How do most people respond to the treatment?
- How much will the treatment cost?
Unless the condition is a medical emergency, you probably won’t need to make a decision immediately. So take the information away to read carefully. If medication has been prescribed, make sure you get detailed instructions about how and when to take it. And check with your doctor or pharmacist for any side-effects or warnings for interactions with other drugs.
If your doctor is proposing in-patient hospital treatment, give us a call. We’ll check that you be treated in one of our agreement hospitals and make sure your level hospital cover includes the planned treatment.
If the treatment is included in your hospital policy, you can be admitted to hospital as soon as it’s convenient for you and your doctor. If you need to upgrade to a higher level of cover (that includes the clinical treatment category), it is likely you will have to serve the 12-month pre-existing condition waiting period.
It’s important to understand your diagnosis – and your treatment options. We want you to feel confident and ready for the road to recovery. If you have any questions, we’re here to help.