Chicago Experts Answer Your Covid-19 Questions
As information about staying safe from Covid-19 seems to change weekly, it’s no wonder that people have a lot of questions about how the illness spreads. We talked with local infectious disease experts who answered some common questions about the coronavirus. From wiping down packages to using public bathrooms to letting children play with others, […]
Mayo Clinic Q&A: For most men, vasectomy reversal a viable option at any time
By Landon Trost, M.D., Tribune Content Agency DEAR MAYO CLINIC: Is it possible to have a successful reverse vasectomy nine years after the vasectomy was done? What should I expect as far as recovery? I’m 42 years old. ANSWER: For most men, vasectomy reversal is a viable option at any time. But the amount of […]
Critical Questions: What to Ask Your Doctor During a Consultation
By Eve Becker Even if a doctor is in a rush, patients have the right to make sure that their questions are answered. The National Patient Safety Foundation’s “Ask Me 3” program encourages patients to ask basic questions about their care including: 1. What is my main problem? Make sure you understand the diagnosis and […]
Health Literacy
Simplifying patient communication can lead to better health outcomes By Eve Becker When patients leave the doctor’s office, the control of their care is largely in their own hands. They are responsible for taking their medication and implementing the doctor’s instructions on their own, at home. But if patients don’t adequately understand those instructions, they are […]
Critical Questions: What to Ask When Choosing Medical Care
Choosing a primary care physician is critical to your health and wellness. It can be difficult when the marketplace is full of transformations like it is today. Asking your co-workers, friends and neighbors about their doctors and healthcare choices is a start, but there are many things that the smart consumer needs to think about. […]
A Breast Cancer Q&A
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Terri Yablonsky Stat talked to Dr. Nora Hansen, surgical oncologist, Breast Surgery Division at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine about what every woman should know about preventing and treating breast cancer. TYS: What can women do to prevent breast cancer? Dr. Hansen: The biggest thing is being aware […]
Critical Questions: When is it time to consider palliative or hospice care?
By Karen Schwartz Dr. Gordon Wood, assistant medical director at Midwest Palliative & Hospice CareCenter and director of palliative medicine and supportive care at Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital, suggests that if you answer yes to any of the following, hospice or palliative care may be beneficial to you. Review the following questions and talk with […]
Critical Questions about ACA Fallout: Flips in Price and Power
You do have options. Don’t you?By Tom Mullaney With more people moving into high-deductible health insurance programs, it will pay to become a smarter consumer of health services. The questions that follow should help you save money as healthcare providers begin to adapt to a more consumer-friendly world. Answers are provided by Michele Kadlec, CEO […]
Considering Your Cancer Diagnosis: Critical Questions to Ask Your Doctor
A Homemade TreatmentBy Morgan Lord There are many cancer patients who want to get right back to their personal and professional routines following treatment. Thankfully, there are healthcare providers in place for just this reason, such as ALC Home Health Care. After chemotherapy treatments conclude, ALC’s specially trained IV infusion nurses visit the patient at […]
The Equality Equation
Diagnosed with Infertility: Questions To Ask Your Doctor
Dr. Mary Wood Molo, a physician at Women’s Health Consultants and director of the IVF program at Rush University Medical Center, recommends that patients undergoing infertility treatment ask their doctors the following questions: What is your background? Inquire about relevant training, board certification and experience. How much and what kinds of diagnostic testing are performed […]
Heart to Heart
A conversation about heart health with Loyola’s Dr. Binh An P. Phan Men and women are different. Should the two sexes be looking for different warning signs of heart disease? One of the biggest things to remember is that heart disease is the number one killer for both men and women. There is a lot […]
A Healthy Guide for the Aging Athlete
Dr. Eric Chehab holds board certifications in orthopedic surgery and sports medicine. He works with the Illinois Bone and Joint Institute and is affiliated with the NorthShore University HealthSystem at the Evanston and Glenbrook hospitals. Unfortunately, as we age, we may find ourselves unable to do the things we enjoy as well as we used to. […]
Critical Questions to Ask Your Doctor About Back Pain
1. Should I change my daily activities or exercise routine? 2. Are there positions or activities I should avoid at work or at home? 3. What are the potential risks associated with the proposed treatment? (This is an especially good question when surgery is involved.) 4. What are the potential risks of not treating my back pain? […]
Brain Tumors: Critical Questions to Ask Your Doctor
1. What kind of tumor do I have? 2. Where is it located? 3. What are the best treatment options? 4. If surgery is recommended: Please describe the surgery. What are the risks and benefits? Will you be able to remove the entire tumor? How will the surgery affect my cognitive and motor abilities? Will I […]
Questions to Ask Your Vitreoretinal Specialist
1. Are you board certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology? 2. Did you do a two-year accredited fellowship in vitreoretinal surgery? 3. Did you train in both medical and surgical retina in your fellowship? 4. What are my treatment options for the condition I have? 5. If treatment is available, what are the most common risks of the treatment […]
Critical Questions for Your Physician and Radiologist
Questions compiled with assistance from Drs. Daniel Appelbaum and Robert Edelman 1. How will this test specifically improve my care? 2. How will the findings dictate changes in my care? 3. Is there another test you can do that doesn’t use radiation? 4. What is being done to make sure that the radiation dose is […]
Brain Aneurysms: Questions to Ask Your Doctor
1. What are brain aneurysms? 2. Can you show me a picture or diagram of what an aneurysm looks like? 3. How are aneurysms usually diagnosed and evaluated? 4. What causes brain aneurysms? 5. Are brain aneurysms dangerous? What problems do they cause? 6. Are aneurysms common? 7. Are aneurysms inherited? Do I need to […]
A Quiet Killer
HPV awareness can save lives The Human Papillomavirus, commonly known as HPV, is quietly claiming the lives of thousands of women each year. What makes this stealthy killer so dangerous, besides the fact that there are almost always no signs of infection, is the reluctance of the American public to recognize infection can be prevented. […]
Questions to Ask Your Plastic Surgeon
Questions compiled by Eve Becker as suggested to her by Dr. Gregory Dumanian and Dr. David Song • Are you board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery? • What procedures do you specialize in? • Why is this procedure the best one for me, rather than a similar one? • What is […]
Rheumatoid Arthritis: Questions to Ask Your Doctor
Reducing the inflammation and painful, swollen, tender joints in rheumatoid arthritis not only gives much greater comfort but also reduces progression of the disease. On the other hand, patients need to be fairly certain that they do have active rheumatoid arthritis and not some other condition that resembles it including lupus, fibromyalgia and others. Many […]
Sleep Apnea: Questions to Ask Your Doctor
Questions compiled by Eve Becker as told to her by Dr. Babak Mokhlesi and Dr. James Wyatt • Are you board certified in sleep medicine? • Is your sleep disorders center accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine? • What type of specialists work at your sleep center? • Do I have a sleeping disorder? […]
Restoring the Human Form
Reconstructive plastic surgery heals…and beautifies Look beyond the full lips, smooth skin and straight nose. Plastic surgery is about more than just a pretty face. Reconstructive plastic surgery focuses on improving the functionality of life, above the pure aesthetics of cosmetic surgery. Some top plastic surgeons in the Chicago area go beyond tummy tucks, liposuction […]
Critical Questions: Infertility
New techniques have been developed to increase the chances of having a healthy baby. Dr. Ilan Tur-Kaspa, founder and director of the Institute for Human Reproduction (IHR), points out that when couples undergo in vitro fertilization, a procedure called preimplantation genetic diagnosis PGD can test the embryo for genetic diseases, such as cystic fibrosis, hemophilia, […]
Hip and Knee Replacement: Questions To Ask Your Doctor
Arthritis of the Hip and Knee: The Active Person’s Guide to Taking Charge, a book co-authored by Dr. S. David Stulberg, Director of The Joint Reconstruction and Implantation Service at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, offers hip and knee replacement patients a list of important questions to ask their surgeons. To take charge of your healthcare, consider […]
Diagnosed with Osteoporosis: Questions To Ask Your Doctor
Dr. Pauline Camacho, director of the Loyola University Health System Osteoporosis and Metabolic Bone Disease Center, encourages patients to approach their doctors with the following questions: If you have not been diagnosed with osteoporosis: Do I need a bone density test (also known as a DEXA scan)? Necessity differs based on sex, timing of menopause, […]
Diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer: Questions to Ask Your Doctor
Dr. Diane Yamada, principal investigator at the University of Chicago for the Gynecologic Oncology Group, encourages ovarian cancer patients to approach their physicians with the following queries: If there is a suspicion of ovarian or fallopian tube cancer based on a worrisome looking mass on ultrasound: • How suspicious am I for ovarian cancer, and […]
Diagnosed with Lung Cancer: Questions To Ask Your Doctor
Dr. Malcolm DeCamp, professor and chief of the division of thoracic surgery at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, encourages lung cancer patients to approach their doctors with the following queries: What stage is my cancer, and how was that confirmed? Keep in mind that pathologic staging (which may involve biopsies of lymph nodes or […]
Diagnosed with Breast Cancer: Questions to Ask Your Doctor
Breast cancer treatment is a partnership between the patient and several types of doctors. Patients should first make sure that they see a medical oncologist, who designs an overall treatment program. Patients should learn as much as possible about treatment options; don’t be afraid to ask questions, take notes, employ tape recorders or ask for […]
