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You are the center of your care. You control your health.

You have the power to control the quality of your health care.

One of the most important goals of the Maine Quality Forum is to help Maine people enjoy the best health and the best health care in the nation. We can’t do that without your help.

Here are some steps to controlling your health care:

• Remember you are the boss.  It is your health.
• Carefully select your primary care physician
• Have a yearly physical examination
• Pay attention to how you feel
• Before appointments prepare a list of questions and concerns
• Get a typed diagnosis from your physician
• Discuss and understand your diagnosis
• Discuss and understand your treatment plan with your PCP
• Research your diagnosis
• Review with your PCP what you learned
• Get a second opinion
• Discuss the selection of a specialist, if necessary, with your PCP
• Make sure that specialist communicates with your PCP
• Discuss the specialist’s recommendation with your PCP
• Research the treatment plan
• Discuss with your specialist what you learned
• Get a second opinion
• Follow through on treatment for which you are responsible
• Choose healthy behaviors (exercise, sleep, eat well, don’t smoke)

You may want to look at the following website for more information: http://www.ahrq.gov/consumer/diaginfo.htm

You are the center of your care

Care centered upon you means that:

• Your values, desires, and needs are respected,
• Everyone involved in your care communicates effectively,
• You receive the emotional and physical support you need,
• You have the information you need to make good decisions about your care, and
• The people you use for support are respected as part of your health team.

You control your health

Choosing to eat a healthy diet, getting enough exercise, and avoiding tobacco are all ways for you to increase your chances of living a longer, healthier, and happier life. If you have a chronic disease, such as asthma or diabetes, choosing and using the treatments, medications, and providers that are right for you are ways to increase your chances of living a longer, healthier, and happier life.  Making good health choices requires having good health information. On the following pages, we’ve provided several resources to help you make healthy decisions.

You have the power to control your health care

Like controlling your health, controlling your health care is about making good choices based on good information. You need to have information about the quality of service offered by the individual providers & health care institutions in the state.