When patients participate and interact with their healthcare by going to appointments, taking medications as prescribed, asking questions about treatments and plans, and even suggesting treatment options themselves, they do better overall. They feel capable, cared for, trusted, and most importantly heard. Patients get better when they are active parts of the process of managing their health.

Millions of dollars and hours are saved if patients and families knew even a little about their health. Some report up to $25 billion dollars could be saved. Less days of work missed, less hospital stays, less money spent on treatments that don’t work. Understanding a little about the process of a health condition empowers patients to care for themselves and their families. You are more likely to seek treatment before permanent damage happens and less likely to use tools like emergency rooms when not necessary.

When you believe you can and are deserving, you expect nothing less. You also will do what you say you will. The experience for patients is improved when there is shared decision making. which “occurs when a health care provider and a patient work together to make a health care decision that is best for the patient.”

While there is a single person being cared for, there could be hundreds of individuals needed to complete even one task in healthcare. You as a patient should not be scared of this huge network, however. There are people and tools created to help you and your family get the best treatment for you. Ralph Waldo Emerson said that knowledge is the antidote to fear. When you look under the bed and see there is no monster, you’re not scared any more. Look to understand your conditions, treatment plans, and providers. Web searches and reviews are available on everything from doctors offices to new medications and medical devices. Look for online communities of people who’ve been through what may be new to you. Share your stories even. Look the monster in the eye and realize it’s not even real.