Playing an active role in your own health care means much more than showing up for your appointments on time! There are many things that you can do to work as a team with your doctor and other healthcare providers to attain the most successful outcome possible from your treatment.
A two inch binder should be good to start your advocacy notebook. Keep this notebook with you at all of your appointments, and add new pages as needed. Your advocacy notebook should contain:
Any one of your service providers might benefit from having a copy of something in your advocacy notebook, but DO NOT hand out the originals, as they can be difficult to replace.
Don't forget -- you are the most important member of your health care team.
Cancer Shock: Your Feelings Matter
Source:
Building Your Advocacy Notebook, Advocacy Center, Rochester, NY.