6 ways to advocate for yourself when seeking health care

By Jade F. Hillery, MPH, CD(DTI)

Pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period can be vulnerable times for people, so as a doula, a big part of my work is advocacy support. Advocating, or speaking up for yourself or others, can be scary, especially when you’re in the presence of someone who is considered an expert in a field. I advocate for my clients but I also teach them skills that will help them advocate for themselves. One thing to remember is that advocacy doesn’t automatically mean confrontation. Instead, you can think of it as a way to improve communication and the decision-making process. Here are practices that I encourage folks to try when advocating for themselves during appointments or other interactions in health care settings.

1. Find a good match

Before you commit to receiving care from a specific provider, practice, or hospital, try to shop around to see who might be a good match for you. When you’re in your introductory conversation with a provider, consider asking them about their experience offering care, how they work with their patients, and ways their patients can get questions answered between appointments. Also ask other people you trust who they would recommend and why.

2. Do your own research and educate yourself

Knowledge is power! Taking over your own learning about your health or your options can help you tap into the power you hold. Learn about things like your rights in health care settings, intervention options, potential issues, and warning signs or symptoms from reliable sources. This is helpful because it increases your knowledge about what’s going on with your body and empowers you to be an active participant in the decision-making process with your provider.

3. Create a plan

Time with providers can be short, and sometimes patients can feel like they don’t have time to ask all of their questions. Try writing down a plan ahead of time to make sure you get everything covered at your appointment. Your plan can include:

• your goals for the appointment
• a review of any new or concerning signs and symptoms
• clarification of next steps
• a request for reliable resources to help you learn more

4. Bring help

Help can be in the form of a friend, family member, doula, or a health advocate. Having someone else there whom you trust and who knows what’s important to you can be helpful. They can remind you of the topics you want to bring up if you forget, and they can also serve as a second set of ears to help process the information being shared. They can also help by taking notes and could support you in any follow-up plans that come out of your time with the provider.

5. Ask open-ended questions

Closed-ended questions are questions that lead to “yes” and “no” answers (for example, “Was my blood pressure high?” or, “Is the baby doing ok?”). These kinds of questions can limit the amount of information provided to you. Open-ended questions, which create an opportunity for answers that are more detailed, can be more helpful towards the goal of being able to make informed decisions.

With this tip, you can use the helpful acronym “BRAIN” to help you remember what questions to ask your provider. When you’re presented with interventions, procedures, medications, or other suggested next steps, ask these questions:

• Benefits: What are the benefits of doing this option?
• Risks: What are the risks of doing this option?
• Alternatives: What are the alternatives to this option?
• Intuition: What is my gut telling me? (Tip: if the answer is, “I need more information" or, “I need more time to decide,” that’s okay!)
• Nothing: What if I waited to do this option or what if I did nothing?

6. Ask for time to think and discuss

Sometimes folks feel like they have to make decisions right away because the provider is right in front of them. For some people, that can feel stressful or like there’s pressure to decide even if they feel they need more information.

I remind folks that unless there’s an emergency, you usually have time to think about your options more, with or without the provider present. Asking for time to make a decision without the provider present gives you a chance to clear your head and think about the information that was shared with you; figure out if you need additional information to feel comfortable and informed enough to make a decision; talk things through with people you trust; and process any feelings that might be coming up. If you’re at an appointment, asking for time could sound like, “Thank you for sharing that information with me. I’d like some time to discuss that option with my family. What’s the best way to let you know what I decide?” If you’re admitted to the hospital, asking for time could sound like, “Could I get 5-10 minutes to think about this alone?” Or, if you feel you need more time with your provider, you can always schedule another appointment to continue the conversation.

Self-advocacy can come in handy for so many health care experiences. Although it can seem scary, it’s important because it helps keep you safe, it can increase the quality of your care, and it gives you the chance to make informed decisions and be a more active participant in your health. For your next health-focused interaction, try one of the tips above and see if it helps!