Guide Overview

Please turn to “What the Instructions Mean” section on pages 66 and 67 of the Healthier at Home® book. This defines what: GET IMMEDIATE CARE, SEE DOCTOR, SEE COUNSELOR OR CALL COUNSELOR, CALL DOCTOR, and USE SELF-CARE mean.

Get IMMEDIATE Care
Indicates a possible medical emergency. For conditions that could threaten life, get to the nearest hospital emergency department or call 911 or your local EMS.

Warning signs for life-threatening emergencies are listed on page 351 in “Section IV – Emergencies & First Aid” under the heading “Recognizing Emergencies.” Examples are signs of a heart attack or stroke, bleeding that won’t stop, and a hard time breathing. Read this list as soon as you can after this seminar.

Make sure you know your emergency medical number. Post it near your phone and write it on the “Phone Numbers & Information” list on page 1 of this book.

SEE DOCTOR

The term “doctor” can imply a number of health care providers: Your primary care physician, either in private practice or through your Health Maintenance Organization (HMO), etc.; a gynecologist or obstetrician for women; walk-in clinic or urgent care center; physician’s assistant (PA) or certified nurse (CN) who works with your doctor; a home health care provider; your dentist, etc.

The “See Doctor” symbol indicates that the problem may need medical care. It may require medication or professional treatment so that it doesn’t get worse or result in more serious problems. Obviously, if you have a primary care doctor or personal physician, you will need to call him or her first to request to be seen. Explain your signs and symptoms to the doctor’s receptionist and/or nurse when you call. If your doctor or health care provider cannot see you soon, ask where else you can go to be seen.

If you do not have a personal physician, you may need to seek the advice of a health care provider at a walk-in clinic or call a local physician referral service. (If your hospital has a physician referral program, you can use this opportunity to promote it.) Always check with your health carrier for services and facilities that are covered by your policy.

SEE COUNSELOR or
CALL COUNSELOR

The term “counselor” can be used for a number of mental health care providers. They include:

• Your counselor or therapist, if you already have one

• A mental health professional provided by your Employee Assistance Program (EAP) at work. Many EAPs are staffed by mental health professionals who do brief treatment.

• A mental health center

• A psychologist. A psychologist has a doctorate degree in psychology or clinical psychology.

• A social worker with a master’s degree (M.S.W.)

• Another health care provider in the mental health field, such as a psychiatric nurse

If you belong to a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) or other managed health care plan, you may need to call your primary care physician for a referral to a counselor or other health care provider, including a psychiatrist. Also, a counselor may have you join a self-help/support group.

CALL DOCTOR

This symbol indicates a less urgent situation, but one that your doctor should know about. Depending on your medical history and present symptoms, your doctor may decide that you may need to be seen, send you to a facility for appropriate testing, prescribe treatment over the telephone, or give you specific instructions to treat the problem. You won’t know until you call. We’ll talk about what to ask and tell your doctor on the telephone later in the seminar.

USE SELF-CARE

This symbol indicates that you have answered “NO” to all of the questions in the flow chart and can probably treat the condition yourself. Use the suggestions that your Healthier at Home® book provides.

If, after a reasonable amount of time, however, you do not find relief from one or more of these procedures, you should consult your doctor. Also, answering “NO” to all of the questions in the flow chart may indicate that you do not have that particular medical condition, but you could have something else with similar signs and symptoms. When in doubt, consult your doctor.