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Focushops
Preparation and being proactive leads to better medical outcomes and wellness
What is a Focushop?
Goals of the Focushop
Focushop Topics
What is a Focushop?
A Focushop is a workshop or seminar that teaches participants how to organize a variety of medical information. Almost everyone at one time or another will need to negotiate the health care system and the outcome will be greatly enhanced if you are 1) prepared ahead of time and 2) able to understand what is happening.
According to the American Medical Association, millions of people do not fully understand the information they are given by various medical practitioners. Such information includes preparing for medical tests, taking medications and undergoing treatment. Not fully understanding "doctor's orders" could be hazardous to your health.
Focushops cover a wide variety of topics and are appropriate for a wide variety of audiences. They are upbeat, empowering and provide people with practical tips they can begin to use immediately.
Goals of the Focushop
After completing a Focushop, participants will:
Learn to be proactive rather than reactive.
Learn to become more informed and active participants in their own health care.
Learn how to acquire, understand and utilize pertinent medical information and knowledge.
Learn how to organize, document and catalog the acquired knowledge so that it is clear, concise, always accessible and easily transportable.
Learn how to create a collaborative doctor/patient effort.
Learn how to lessen the potential for medication or treatment errors.
Learn how to eliminate or shorten hospital stays.
Learn to be more successful at navigating through the health care system.
Learn to negotiate the health care system in a more cost-effective manner because they:
| Use medications more efficiently. |
| Understand fully what the doctor tells them "the first time" thus reducing the need for more appointments. |
| Lessen catastrophic treatment errors because of knowledge and understanding of safety information. |
| Deal with medical problems before they become serious and more difficult/costly to treat. |
| Have greater skill in managing a chronic illness, thus significantly reducing stress and freeing them up to focus on getting well. |
Learn to be proactive rather than reactive.
Focushop Topics
I. Diagnosed with a Life-Altering Illness? Organize the Chaos!
II. How To Find the Best Medical Care When You Need It The Most
("Never go to a doctor whose office plants have died" Erma Bombeck)
III. Understand "what you've got" and how to treat it - Empower Yourself With Knowledge
("Be careful about reading health books - you may die of a misprint" Mark Twain)
IV. Get The Most Out of Your Doctor's Visit
("Sorry for the long wait," the doctor said to his last patient. "That's okay," the patient said, "but it might have been nice to treat my illness in its early stages.")
V. Prepare for Surgery
("A minor operation is one performed on someone else.")
VI. Managing Your Medications
("Take one every four hours, or as often as you can get the cap off")
VII. Taking it on the road - Traveling with Health Issues
("If you look like your passport photo - you're too ill to travel" - Will Komen)
VIII. Prevent Medical Errors: Don't Let the System Get You Sicker
IX. Get Your Affairs In Order
X. Creating Your Own Healthcare Organizer
XI. Stay Healthy Throughout the Years
("If I had known I was going to live so long I would have taken better care of myself.")
XII. Promoting Health Literacy - A Workshop for Medical Professionals
XIII. Long Distance Care Giving
XIV. Becoming a Partner in Your Parent's Care
XV. Housing Issues
**You may also customize a Focushop to fit your group. Lynda will meet with you ahead of time to assess your specific needs and create a program uniquely suited to the audience.
Some of Our Clients
American Cancer Society
Arthritis Foundation of Northeastern New York
Capital District Center for Independence, Inc.
Capital District Physicians Health Plan
Congregation Beth Emeth
National Multiple Sclerosis Society of Upstate New York
Pfizer Pharmaceuticals
Upstate New York Chapter of the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America
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