Episode 159: Fight for Your Health: Mastering Patient Advocacy for Weight Loss

[00:00:00] [SPEAKER_01]: Welcome back to the Back on Track Achieving Healthy Weight Loss,

[00:00:04] [SPEAKER_01]: where I help you get on track and stay on track with your

[00:00:07] [SPEAKER_01]: weight loss journey. I'm your host, Dr. Alicia Shelly. So let's

[00:00:12] [SPEAKER_01]: get started.

[00:00:27] [SPEAKER_01]: Hello, and welcome to the Back on Track Achieving Healthy Weight

[00:00:31] [SPEAKER_01]: Loss podcast. I'm your host, Dr. Alicia Shelly. So last week,

[00:00:36] [SPEAKER_01]: I had the opportunity to speak in a congressional briefing

[00:00:40] [SPEAKER_01]: about the TROA Act, which is the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act

[00:00:45] [SPEAKER_01]: that was reintroduced to Congress. I don't remember exactly

[00:00:49] [SPEAKER_01]: the date when it was initially introduced, but it didn't go

[00:00:52] [SPEAKER_01]: anywhere. And so now with more attention on obesity, medications,

[00:00:59] [SPEAKER_01]: obesity being a chronic disease, they have reintroduced this

[00:01:02] [SPEAKER_01]: act. And the goal of this act is to expand Medicare coverage

[00:01:06] [SPEAKER_01]: to include screening for and treatment of obesity, as well as

[00:01:10] [SPEAKER_01]: coverage for FDA-approved medications for chronic weight

[00:01:13] [SPEAKER_01]: management. Currently, Medicare does not cover any medications

[00:01:17] [SPEAKER_01]: for chronic weight benefit. And just to have that

[00:01:21] [SPEAKER_01]: opportunity to get in front of the people who are making

[00:01:24] [SPEAKER_01]: the deals or people who can influence the deal makers was

[00:01:27] [SPEAKER_01]: just a awesome experience and a great way for me to be able

[00:01:32] [SPEAKER_01]: to share my passion for obesity medicine and why it is a

[00:01:37] [SPEAKER_01]: chronic disease. Because of course, that you may have

[00:01:40] [SPEAKER_01]: friends, you may have family that say to you, oh, just get

[00:01:43] [SPEAKER_01]: away from the table and go exercise. But they don't get it.

[00:01:46] [SPEAKER_01]: They don't realize that for people living with obesity,

[00:01:49] [SPEAKER_01]: this is not their first rodeo. They have had multiple times

[00:01:53] [SPEAKER_01]: trying to lose weight. They've restricted their diet,

[00:01:55] [SPEAKER_01]: they've exercised more, and still the weight comes back

[00:01:59] [SPEAKER_01]: and still the weight that you can't lose the weight. So

[00:02:01] [SPEAKER_01]: there's more to it than just getting away from the table

[00:02:04] [SPEAKER_01]: and go exercise. And so to have that opportunity to share

[00:02:08] [SPEAKER_01]: that with people who may have that notion and help to

[00:02:12] [SPEAKER_01]: dispel that myth was the true honor. And it got me

[00:02:15] [SPEAKER_01]: thinking about us as patients, us as individuals in our

[00:02:19] [SPEAKER_01]: daily walks and how we can be patient advocates for

[00:02:22] [SPEAKER_01]: ourselves. And so today I have our expert Dr. Sherika

[00:02:27] [SPEAKER_01]: Newman. She's a distinguished graduate from the

[00:02:30] [SPEAKER_01]: Florida A&M University and a board certified family

[00:02:33] [SPEAKER_01]: medicine physician and board certified in hospice and

[00:02:37] [SPEAKER_01]: palliative medicine. She founded the doctor in the

[00:02:40] [SPEAKER_01]: family, which partners with patients and their families

[00:02:43] [SPEAKER_01]: ensuring that they receive care they desire and avoid

[00:02:46] [SPEAKER_01]: the care they don't. Her mission is to provide

[00:02:48] [SPEAKER_01]: everyone with access to a trusted doctor in the

[00:02:51] [SPEAKER_01]: family ready to assist with medical questions and

[00:02:54] [SPEAKER_01]: guidance, which means them being their own patient

[00:02:57] [SPEAKER_01]: advocate, then being able to stand up for themselves

[00:02:59] [SPEAKER_01]: and getting the care that they need. And so we're so

[00:03:02] [SPEAKER_01]: glad that you're here, Dr. Newman, to kind of share

[00:03:05] [SPEAKER_01]: all your knowledge. Welcome to the podcast. So glad

[00:03:08] [SPEAKER_01]: to see you. Thanks for having me. So before we

[00:03:12] [SPEAKER_01]: continue, would you mind maybe telling us a little

[00:03:15] [SPEAKER_01]: bit more about yourself and just kind of how you

[00:03:17] [SPEAKER_00]: got into this space? So I have been doing hospice

[00:03:21] [SPEAKER_00]: and palliative predominantly palliative care. The

[00:03:23] [SPEAKER_00]: majority of my tenure, but I've been out over 15

[00:03:27] [SPEAKER_00]: years now, I think somewhere close to the 15 year

[00:03:29] [SPEAKER_00]: market, it's scarcely even say that out loud. And

[00:03:32] [SPEAKER_00]: because of my work in palliative care, we do a

[00:03:35] [SPEAKER_00]: lot of care coordination because with patients

[00:03:37] [SPEAKER_00]: living with serious illness. And so there's a

[00:03:40] [SPEAKER_00]: lot of care coordination and what I've found is

[00:03:42] [SPEAKER_00]: a lot of patients and their families are

[00:03:45] [SPEAKER_00]: unsure sometimes of how to converse with doctors

[00:03:49] [SPEAKER_00]: or the medical team, they're unsure of what to

[00:03:51] [SPEAKER_00]: ask or what not to ask or when we walk out of the

[00:03:54] [SPEAKER_00]: room, they're unsure of what we've been said to

[00:03:56] [SPEAKER_00]: them. And so a lot of things get missed and it's

[00:03:58] [SPEAKER_00]: like two ships sailing in the night to get us

[00:04:00] [SPEAKER_00]: back on track. And so with that experience and

[00:04:03] [SPEAKER_00]: then my own personal experiences, I'm sure, just

[00:04:06] [SPEAKER_00]: like you, Dr. Shelley, a lot of your friends and

[00:04:08] [SPEAKER_00]: families send you messages about what doctors

[00:04:11] [SPEAKER_00]: have said or you get the picture in the middle

[00:04:14] [SPEAKER_00]: of the day with what is this. And so there's

[00:04:17] [SPEAKER_00]: a lot of room for advocacy in the medical field to

[00:04:21] [SPEAKER_00]: help people navigate stuff and really align

[00:04:24] [SPEAKER_00]: medical treatment with who they authentically

[00:04:26] [SPEAKER_00]: are. It's what we call patient-centered care,

[00:04:28] [SPEAKER_00]: right? So it's helping people do that is so

[00:04:31] [SPEAKER_00]: important and vital to me because there are

[00:04:34] [SPEAKER_00]: so many treatment options. We've overlaid

[00:04:36] [SPEAKER_00]: medical care, right? But making sure you're

[00:04:38] [SPEAKER_00]: getting the treatment that matches you is

[00:04:41] [SPEAKER_00]: invaluable to me.

[00:04:42] [SPEAKER_01]: Okay, excellent. Well, for those who may not

[00:04:45] [SPEAKER_01]: quite understand, can you define what is

[00:04:49] [SPEAKER_00]: patient advocacy? So patient advocacy is

[00:04:52] [SPEAKER_00]: someone who basically stands in the gap for

[00:04:54] [SPEAKER_00]: you or helps you or teaches you to stand in

[00:04:56] [SPEAKER_00]: the gap for yourself to advocate or talk

[00:05:00] [SPEAKER_00]: on your behalf to make sure that you're

[00:05:02] [SPEAKER_00]: getting what you need. Make sure your needs

[00:05:04] [SPEAKER_00]: are met. Make sure what you want is

[00:05:07] [SPEAKER_00]: getting done and what you don't want is

[00:05:08] [SPEAKER_00]: not getting done, especially in times where

[00:05:10] [SPEAKER_00]: you can't talk for yourself, right?

[00:05:12] [SPEAKER_00]: Whether that's an emotional barrier, a mental

[00:05:14] [SPEAKER_00]: barrier, a physical barrier, you're unconscious.

[00:05:17] [SPEAKER_00]: You need someone that does speak on your

[00:05:19] [SPEAKER_00]: behalf to make sure you're still cared for

[00:05:22] [SPEAKER_00]: in the proper way. And so that's an advocate.

[00:05:25] [SPEAKER_01]: Why is it important to have a patient

[00:05:27] [SPEAKER_01]: advocate and can that person be, can that

[00:05:30] [SPEAKER_01]: patient in themselves be an advocate or

[00:05:32] [SPEAKER_01]: do they need someone else to stand in

[00:05:34] [SPEAKER_00]: for them? Both. So I think we need

[00:05:37] [SPEAKER_00]: definitely good self-advocacy. In my

[00:05:39] [SPEAKER_00]: practice, self-advocacy, I help prep

[00:05:41] [SPEAKER_00]: people for appointments. I help them

[00:05:43] [SPEAKER_00]: review their labs and their radiology

[00:05:46] [SPEAKER_00]: reports so that they know what to say.

[00:05:49] [SPEAKER_00]: So self-advocacy is important, but you

[00:05:51] [SPEAKER_00]: also need someone who can carry on

[00:05:54] [SPEAKER_00]: what you want to say in the times you

[00:05:56] [SPEAKER_00]: can, right? Whether it's your very

[00:05:58] [SPEAKER_00]: ill and can't speak for it or, you

[00:06:01] [SPEAKER_00]: know, sometimes when you're sick,

[00:06:02] [SPEAKER_00]: you're just overwhelmed. And if someone

[00:06:04] [SPEAKER_00]: could just step in and have that

[00:06:06] [SPEAKER_00]: dialogue for you, that is so helpful.

[00:06:08] [SPEAKER_00]: And so I think self-advocacy and a

[00:06:11] [SPEAKER_00]: patient advocate outside of yourself is

[00:06:13] [SPEAKER_01]: very important. Now, how does one find

[00:06:16] [SPEAKER_01]: I know you say you help people being

[00:06:19] [SPEAKER_01]: that advocate, but let's say if they're

[00:06:20] [SPEAKER_01]: not necessarily in your area, who would

[00:06:23] [SPEAKER_01]: be the best advocate or how does someone

[00:06:26] [SPEAKER_01]: find somebody to go with them to the

[00:06:28] [SPEAKER_01]: doctor or to be that advocate for them?

[00:06:30] [SPEAKER_00]: So most people find us by referral

[00:06:33] [SPEAKER_00]: from another doctor or find us by

[00:06:35] [SPEAKER_00]: referral from someone who's used an

[00:06:37] [SPEAKER_00]: advocate or a lot of times the state

[00:06:39] [SPEAKER_00]: planners and medical managers know

[00:06:40] [SPEAKER_00]: about us and say, hey, I think you

[00:06:43] [SPEAKER_00]: need an advocate on your side, right?

[00:06:45] [SPEAKER_00]: Like I have a medical advocate person

[00:06:46] [SPEAKER_00]: that I think you need and refer that

[00:06:48] [SPEAKER_00]: way or some people do the tried and

[00:06:51] [SPEAKER_00]: true Google and find us. So it's a lot

[00:06:53] [SPEAKER_00]: of different types of advocates,

[00:06:55] [SPEAKER_00]: whether you're a nurse advocate, a

[00:06:57] [SPEAKER_00]: medical biller, it's a lot of different

[00:06:58] [SPEAKER_00]: types. But it's very few advocates

[00:07:01] [SPEAKER_00]: who are physicians and truly

[00:07:03] [SPEAKER_00]: physician trained. And I think that

[00:07:04] [SPEAKER_00]: provides a different layer because

[00:07:06] [SPEAKER_00]: there's a different peer to peer

[00:07:07] [SPEAKER_00]: conversation that can go on when

[00:07:09] [SPEAKER_00]: you have a physician advocate.

[00:07:11] [SPEAKER_01]: So can somebody use their family

[00:07:13] [SPEAKER_01]: member as an advocate?

[00:07:14] [SPEAKER_01]: Like they're not necessarily in your

[00:07:16] [SPEAKER_01]: area. So is there who else can they

[00:07:18] [SPEAKER_01]: go to for that advocacy, I guess, is

[00:07:20] [SPEAKER_01]: the question or who should they be

[00:07:22] [SPEAKER_01]: seeking?

[00:07:22] [SPEAKER_00]: I think they can. I think most times

[00:07:25] [SPEAKER_00]: it is our family or if loved one

[00:07:27] [SPEAKER_00]: advocating on our behalf. That's how

[00:07:29] [SPEAKER_00]: it's done most of the time. But

[00:07:31] [SPEAKER_00]: people tend to get outside

[00:07:33] [SPEAKER_00]: advocates when they are stuck,

[00:07:35] [SPEAKER_00]: right? When you don't understand

[00:07:36] [SPEAKER_00]: what's going on, even as a family

[00:07:38] [SPEAKER_00]: member. So I always look at my

[00:07:40] [SPEAKER_00]: treatment unit as the patient in

[00:07:42] [SPEAKER_00]: their family because a lot of times

[00:07:44] [SPEAKER_00]: the patient is just overwhelmed.

[00:07:46] [SPEAKER_00]: You can't keep up. And I always

[00:07:47] [SPEAKER_00]: say, I always advocate for an extra

[00:07:49] [SPEAKER_00]: set of eyes and ears in the room,

[00:07:51] [SPEAKER_00]: right? That never hurts someone

[00:07:53] [SPEAKER_00]: writing notes or writing stuff down

[00:07:55] [SPEAKER_00]: for you, you know, if you can't

[00:07:57] [SPEAKER_00]: for yourself. So I think that's the

[00:07:59] [SPEAKER_00]: first layer of advocacy or friends

[00:08:00] [SPEAKER_00]: or family after self advocacy.

[00:08:03] [SPEAKER_00]: And they definitely bring in an

[00:08:04] [SPEAKER_00]: advocate, a higher independent

[00:08:06] [SPEAKER_00]: advocate, if things get complex

[00:08:08] [SPEAKER_00]: or complicated or you're just so

[00:08:09] [SPEAKER_00]: overwhelmed. A lot of times it's

[00:08:12] [SPEAKER_00]: the son who's out of town, right?

[00:08:14] [SPEAKER_00]: Mom is here, but I'm out of town

[00:08:16] [SPEAKER_00]: and I can't make it to the

[00:08:17] [SPEAKER_00]: appointments. But I as the son, I

[00:08:19] [SPEAKER_00]: really need to know what's going

[00:08:20] [SPEAKER_00]: on so I can help my mom make good

[00:08:21] [SPEAKER_00]: decisions.

[00:08:22] [SPEAKER_01]: So let's think about how we can

[00:08:24] [SPEAKER_01]: use patient advocacy and wait

[00:08:27] [SPEAKER_01]: in that management.

[00:08:29] [SPEAKER_01]: Well, I guess with that one is

[00:08:30] [SPEAKER_01]: not necessarily as severe as

[00:08:32] [SPEAKER_01]: like maybe I guess the question

[00:08:34] [SPEAKER_01]: is does it have to be when

[00:08:35] [SPEAKER_01]: you're stuck? Is there other

[00:08:37] [SPEAKER_01]: times where you can use an advocate

[00:08:38] [SPEAKER_01]: where it's maybe not as severe?

[00:08:41] [SPEAKER_00]: Yes, I think people use day to

[00:08:42] [SPEAKER_00]: day advocates. I have been there

[00:08:44] [SPEAKER_00]: for people on their day to day

[00:08:45] [SPEAKER_00]: things as far as medical

[00:08:47] [SPEAKER_00]: stuff, usually at the beginning

[00:08:49] [SPEAKER_00]: of something is when we develop

[00:08:51] [SPEAKER_00]: the relationship.

[00:08:52] [SPEAKER_00]: But I think because what

[00:08:55] [SPEAKER_00]: you just said, we are really

[00:08:57] [SPEAKER_00]: learning a lot about obesity

[00:08:59] [SPEAKER_00]: in this day and age.

[00:09:01] [SPEAKER_00]: Actually my very first paper

[00:09:02] [SPEAKER_00]: in residency was about obesity

[00:09:04] [SPEAKER_00]: and it's because even in

[00:09:06] [SPEAKER_00]: residency, I recognize that we

[00:09:08] [SPEAKER_00]: were not treating it right and

[00:09:09] [SPEAKER_00]: we weren't looking at it right.

[00:09:10] [SPEAKER_00]: And I knew back then it was

[00:09:12] [SPEAKER_00]: more than calories and calories

[00:09:14] [SPEAKER_00]: out, right?

[00:09:15] [SPEAKER_00]: And so I think to me

[00:09:17] [SPEAKER_00]: any medical disease could

[00:09:20] [SPEAKER_00]: bring on an advocate whether

[00:09:22] [SPEAKER_00]: it's high blood pressure because

[00:09:23] [SPEAKER_00]: I don't know about you. That's

[00:09:24] [SPEAKER_00]: one of the things I tell people

[00:09:25] [SPEAKER_00]: as self advocacy, you should

[00:09:26] [SPEAKER_00]: know your diagnosis and the

[00:09:28] [SPEAKER_00]: treatments, the medications you're

[00:09:29] [SPEAKER_00]: taking that aligns with that

[00:09:30] [SPEAKER_00]: diagnosis and patients

[00:09:32] [SPEAKER_00]: don't.

[00:09:33] [SPEAKER_00]: And sometimes they're just

[00:09:34] [SPEAKER_00]: overwhelmed and they have all

[00:09:35] [SPEAKER_00]: these pills and they don't even

[00:09:36] [SPEAKER_00]: know who's on first and what's

[00:09:37] [SPEAKER_00]: on second, right?

[00:09:38] [SPEAKER_00]: So just getting in there helping

[00:09:40] [SPEAKER_00]: them straighten that out at

[00:09:41] [SPEAKER_00]: least one round robin of that

[00:09:42] [SPEAKER_00]: usually does very well.

[00:09:44] [SPEAKER_00]: And I think the same thing for

[00:09:46] [SPEAKER_00]: obesity, like you said, there's

[00:09:47] [SPEAKER_00]: so many people living with

[00:09:48] [SPEAKER_00]: obesity who have been through

[00:09:50] [SPEAKER_00]: this so many times and had

[00:09:51] [SPEAKER_00]: so many heartbreaks and so many

[00:09:53] [SPEAKER_00]: failures that there comes

[00:09:55] [SPEAKER_00]: a bit of hopelessness

[00:09:56] [SPEAKER_00]: even maybe depression, mal

[00:09:58] [SPEAKER_00]: depression that comes as

[00:10:00] [SPEAKER_00]: a co-morbid

[00:10:02] [SPEAKER_00]: to obesity itself, right?

[00:10:04] [SPEAKER_00]: There's that psychological

[00:10:05] [SPEAKER_00]: component that we didn't know a

[00:10:07] [SPEAKER_00]: lot about until recent

[00:10:08] [SPEAKER_00]: years. I mean, country was

[00:10:10] [SPEAKER_00]: the first one to kind of speak

[00:10:11] [SPEAKER_00]: about that psychological, the

[00:10:13] [SPEAKER_00]: neurological component

[00:10:14] [SPEAKER_00]: to obesity and how we can quiet

[00:10:16] [SPEAKER_00]: the food noise.

[00:10:17] [SPEAKER_00]: That's all new, but

[00:10:19] [SPEAKER_00]: it's new to us.

[00:10:21] [SPEAKER_00]: It's not new to the person

[00:10:23] [SPEAKER_00]: who's been living with obesity

[00:10:25] [SPEAKER_00]: however many years

[00:10:27] [SPEAKER_00]: who have been in this war

[00:10:29] [SPEAKER_00]: by themselves because they didn't

[00:10:31] [SPEAKER_00]: feel heard by the doctors,

[00:10:32] [SPEAKER_00]: right?

[00:10:33] [SPEAKER_00]: So I do think there is a form

[00:10:34] [SPEAKER_00]: of advocacy there.

[00:10:36] [SPEAKER_00]: And a lot of times my patients

[00:10:37] [SPEAKER_00]: that I treat for obesity or help

[00:10:39] [SPEAKER_00]: get their obesity medicines,

[00:10:41] [SPEAKER_00]: a lot of times I'm helping them

[00:10:42] [SPEAKER_00]: develop the language

[00:10:44] [SPEAKER_00]: to have that communication

[00:10:45] [SPEAKER_00]: with their medical team

[00:10:46] [SPEAKER_00]: that helps them take the sting

[00:10:48] [SPEAKER_00]: out of it because, you know,

[00:10:49] [SPEAKER_00]: sometimes when we're bruised

[00:10:50] [SPEAKER_00]: or injured, we can go and hunt

[00:10:53] [SPEAKER_00]: hot and heavy.

[00:10:54] [SPEAKER_00]: And that's not always the good

[00:10:55] [SPEAKER_00]: way to advocate.

[00:10:56] [SPEAKER_00]: I told my patients be assertive

[00:10:58] [SPEAKER_00]: but not aggressive

[00:11:00] [SPEAKER_00]: because aggressiveness will get

[00:11:01] [SPEAKER_00]: you anywhere in health care.

[00:11:02] [SPEAKER_00]: But assertiveness will

[00:11:03] [SPEAKER_00]: and just teaching them how to do

[00:11:05] [SPEAKER_00]: that dance with your medical team,

[00:11:07] [SPEAKER_00]: even in the midst of feeling

[00:11:09] [SPEAKER_00]: defeated is so important.

[00:11:11] [SPEAKER_00]: And I think the more we get

[00:11:12] [SPEAKER_00]: behind it legislative and

[00:11:14] [SPEAKER_00]: regulatory wise, it'll be

[00:11:15] [SPEAKER_00]: helpful.

[00:11:16] [SPEAKER_00]: But I think that psychological

[00:11:18] [SPEAKER_00]: component is a part

[00:11:20] [SPEAKER_00]: that's going to need this

[00:11:21] [SPEAKER_00]: independent addressing, even in

[00:11:23] [SPEAKER_00]: this landscape of poor mental

[00:11:24] [SPEAKER_00]: health in the States.

[00:11:26] [SPEAKER_01]: OK. All right.

[00:11:27] [SPEAKER_01]: You mentioned there's a couple

[00:11:28] [SPEAKER_01]: ways how people should not

[00:11:30] [SPEAKER_01]: advocate.

[00:11:30] [SPEAKER_01]: You said they should not be

[00:11:32] [SPEAKER_01]: aggressive.

[00:11:33] [SPEAKER_01]: Is there any other way that

[00:11:34] [SPEAKER_01]: should not advocate or not go

[00:11:36] [SPEAKER_01]: in that way?

[00:11:37] [SPEAKER_01]: Like you mentioned, sometimes

[00:11:38] [SPEAKER_01]: people get really angry with

[00:11:39] [SPEAKER_01]: their doctors and you just

[00:11:41] [SPEAKER_01]: don't never get anywhere.

[00:11:42] [SPEAKER_01]: But is there any other things

[00:11:43] [SPEAKER_01]: people should avoid?

[00:11:45] [SPEAKER_00]: I think they should also

[00:11:46] [SPEAKER_00]: avoid pitting two

[00:11:48] [SPEAKER_00]: disciplines against each other.

[00:11:49] [SPEAKER_00]: Right. So sometimes

[00:11:51] [SPEAKER_00]: it's not easy to understand

[00:11:53] [SPEAKER_00]: maybe what one discipline is

[00:11:55] [SPEAKER_00]: saying over the next, like

[00:11:56] [SPEAKER_00]: with the heart doctor saying,

[00:11:57] [SPEAKER_00]: and it sounds different from

[00:11:58] [SPEAKER_00]: what the kidney doctor is

[00:11:59] [SPEAKER_00]: saying. And you go in saying,

[00:12:01] [SPEAKER_00]: but the kidney doctor told me

[00:12:02] [SPEAKER_00]: this and you're saying this.

[00:12:04] [SPEAKER_00]: But no, it's two different

[00:12:05] [SPEAKER_00]: specialties that they are

[00:12:06] [SPEAKER_00]: saying stuff differently, but

[00:12:08] [SPEAKER_00]: it's all going to align.

[00:12:09] [SPEAKER_00]: So I don't think it's good to

[00:12:11] [SPEAKER_00]: try to pit doctors against each

[00:12:13] [SPEAKER_00]: other or try to antagonize

[00:12:15] [SPEAKER_00]: in that fashion either.

[00:12:17] [SPEAKER_00]: I think the best thing to do

[00:12:19] [SPEAKER_00]: is to stay curious, right?

[00:12:21] [SPEAKER_00]: As a patient and as their loved

[00:12:22] [SPEAKER_00]: ones, you got to stay curious

[00:12:24] [SPEAKER_00]: about what's going on, but

[00:12:26] [SPEAKER_00]: also be open minded

[00:12:27] [SPEAKER_00]: and detailed.

[00:12:28] [SPEAKER_00]: Like you, that's why having notes

[00:12:30] [SPEAKER_00]: is important.

[00:12:31] [SPEAKER_00]: Even if it's just high blood

[00:12:32] [SPEAKER_00]: pressure. A lot of times,

[00:12:33] [SPEAKER_00]: I don't know if you have it,

[00:12:34] [SPEAKER_00]: Dr. Shelley.

[00:12:35] [SPEAKER_00]: Patients coming, I tried some

[00:12:37] [SPEAKER_00]: medicine and it didn't work.

[00:12:38] [SPEAKER_00]: Well, which one?

[00:12:39] [SPEAKER_00]: They don't know.

[00:12:40] [SPEAKER_00]: Like, but having that

[00:12:41] [SPEAKER_00]: information is very critical

[00:12:44] [SPEAKER_00]: to you getting the care you

[00:12:45] [SPEAKER_00]: want and not getting what you

[00:12:46] [SPEAKER_00]: don't want, right?

[00:12:47] [SPEAKER_00]: It isn't essential to it.

[00:12:49] [SPEAKER_00]: And so just going in

[00:12:51] [SPEAKER_00]: curious and open minded

[00:12:53] [SPEAKER_00]: and not trying to pit or

[00:12:54] [SPEAKER_00]: not being expressive, not

[00:12:55] [SPEAKER_00]: letting your injury be

[00:12:57] [SPEAKER_00]: in the room, not letting your

[00:12:59] [SPEAKER_00]: injury lead your conversation

[00:13:00] [SPEAKER_00]: is like the big umbrella.

[00:13:03] [SPEAKER_00]: You know, how it outpictures is

[00:13:04] [SPEAKER_00]: different.

[00:13:05] [SPEAKER_01]: And how should a patient come

[00:13:07] [SPEAKER_01]: when they're seeing their

[00:13:08] [SPEAKER_01]: doctor?

[00:13:09] [SPEAKER_01]: Like you mentioned, they should

[00:13:10] [SPEAKER_01]: be taking notes.

[00:13:11] [SPEAKER_01]: Should they bring their

[00:13:12] [SPEAKER_01]: medications?

[00:13:13] [SPEAKER_01]: Is there something else they

[00:13:13] [SPEAKER_01]: should be doing?

[00:13:14] [SPEAKER_00]: I think you should always have

[00:13:16] [SPEAKER_00]: your medications with you.

[00:13:17] [SPEAKER_00]: The medicines are actually

[00:13:18] [SPEAKER_00]: taken. Even the over

[00:13:20] [SPEAKER_00]: counter medications, right?

[00:13:21] [SPEAKER_00]: We need all of that.

[00:13:23] [SPEAKER_00]: So you should always have

[00:13:24] [SPEAKER_00]: your medication, not the

[00:13:25] [SPEAKER_00]: list. The actual medication

[00:13:27] [SPEAKER_00]: bottles, bring them with you to

[00:13:28] [SPEAKER_00]: your doctor's appointments.

[00:13:30] [SPEAKER_00]: I think you should also have a

[00:13:31] [SPEAKER_00]: list of any consultants or

[00:13:32] [SPEAKER_00]: specialists you see.

[00:13:34] [SPEAKER_00]: And if you can, the reason

[00:13:35] [SPEAKER_00]: you're seeing them.

[00:13:36] [SPEAKER_00]: So that's also important.

[00:13:39] [SPEAKER_00]: Any recent studies

[00:13:40] [SPEAKER_00]: like, oh, I just got my blood

[00:13:42] [SPEAKER_00]: drawn at the kidney doctor.

[00:13:44] [SPEAKER_00]: OK, if you don't have the lab

[00:13:45] [SPEAKER_00]: results, at least tell us that

[00:13:47] [SPEAKER_00]: you had some recent blood work

[00:13:48] [SPEAKER_00]: or whatever drawn.

[00:13:49] [SPEAKER_00]: Keep your doctors updated to

[00:13:51] [SPEAKER_00]: what's going on.

[00:13:52] [SPEAKER_00]: I love sports girl.

[00:13:54] [SPEAKER_00]: So I look at medicine

[00:13:56] [SPEAKER_00]: like the sport and your

[00:13:58] [SPEAKER_00]: primary care physician is your

[00:13:59] [SPEAKER_00]: quarterback.

[00:14:00] [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, they're putting the ball

[00:14:01] [SPEAKER_00]: in everyone's hands, right?

[00:14:03] [SPEAKER_00]: But those other players,

[00:14:04] [SPEAKER_00]: whether it's the riot

[00:14:05] [SPEAKER_00]: receiver or the running bag,

[00:14:07] [SPEAKER_00]: when they have the ball,

[00:14:08] [SPEAKER_00]: the quarterback still needs to

[00:14:10] [SPEAKER_00]: know. So if you're going to

[00:14:11] [SPEAKER_00]: another specialist, your PCP

[00:14:13] [SPEAKER_00]: still needs to know that.

[00:14:14] [SPEAKER_00]: And that's an important thing.

[00:14:16] [SPEAKER_00]: So you want to always bring

[00:14:17] [SPEAKER_00]: as much information to

[00:14:19] [SPEAKER_00]: the doctor's appointment as

[00:14:20] [SPEAKER_00]: you can, even the

[00:14:21] [SPEAKER_00]: specialist, right?

[00:14:22] [SPEAKER_00]: Because your body is one

[00:14:24] [SPEAKER_00]: system.

[00:14:24] [SPEAKER_00]: And all of it works together.

[00:14:27] [SPEAKER_00]: Your heart needs your lungs,

[00:14:28] [SPEAKER_00]: just as much as your lungs

[00:14:29] [SPEAKER_00]: lead your kidney and all

[00:14:31] [SPEAKER_00]: of your brain needs it to.

[00:14:32] [SPEAKER_00]: So it all works together,

[00:14:34] [SPEAKER_00]: even though we're specializing

[00:14:35] [SPEAKER_00]: in different things.

[00:14:37] [SPEAKER_00]: I always tell my patients,

[00:14:38] [SPEAKER_00]: get a car from all of your

[00:14:39] [SPEAKER_00]: doctors and just take it

[00:14:40] [SPEAKER_00]: on the front of something.

[00:14:42] [SPEAKER_00]: And so that way you just

[00:14:42] [SPEAKER_00]: have all your doctors

[00:14:43] [SPEAKER_00]: take on the front of a

[00:14:45] [SPEAKER_00]: notebook.

[00:14:46] [SPEAKER_00]: And even if you're

[00:14:47] [SPEAKER_00]: at took you to the doctor

[00:14:49] [SPEAKER_00]: this time, but your brother

[00:14:51] [SPEAKER_00]: has to take you the next

[00:14:52] [SPEAKER_00]: time, you're just passing

[00:14:53] [SPEAKER_00]: the notebook or passing

[00:14:54] [SPEAKER_00]: the notes in our phone.

[00:14:55] [SPEAKER_00]: Either way, but keep some type

[00:14:57] [SPEAKER_00]: of record that is kind

[00:14:59] [SPEAKER_00]: of updated.

[00:15:00] [SPEAKER_01]: All right.

[00:15:01] [SPEAKER_01]: Well, any last advice

[00:15:02] [SPEAKER_01]: you have to the audience

[00:15:04] [SPEAKER_01]: today about being a patient

[00:15:05] [SPEAKER_01]: advocate for themselves

[00:15:07] [SPEAKER_01]: and with their care?

[00:15:10] [SPEAKER_00]: I would say, and you know

[00:15:11] [SPEAKER_00]: what I say to my patients

[00:15:12] [SPEAKER_00]: often it is weary sometimes

[00:15:14] [SPEAKER_00]: but health care system

[00:15:16] [SPEAKER_00]: navigating it can be weary.

[00:15:18] [SPEAKER_00]: But you deserve the care

[00:15:20] [SPEAKER_00]: you want.

[00:15:20] [SPEAKER_00]: And so don't get off

[00:15:22] [SPEAKER_00]: the horse.

[00:15:23] [SPEAKER_00]: Don't give up.

[00:15:24] [SPEAKER_00]: Don't throw your hands up.

[00:15:25] [SPEAKER_00]: No, stay in the thick of it

[00:15:27] [SPEAKER_00]: and make sure that you're

[00:15:28] [SPEAKER_00]: having conversations

[00:15:30] [SPEAKER_00]: and communicating with your

[00:15:31] [SPEAKER_00]: health care team to get

[00:15:33] [SPEAKER_00]: the care that you deserve

[00:15:34] [SPEAKER_00]: and that you want for yourself.

[00:15:36] [SPEAKER_00]: I don't care what insurance

[00:15:37] [SPEAKER_00]: you have.

[00:15:38] [SPEAKER_00]: I don't care what diagnosis

[00:15:39] [SPEAKER_00]: you have.

[00:15:40] [SPEAKER_00]: I don't care how many

[00:15:41] [SPEAKER_00]: medications you take.

[00:15:42] [SPEAKER_00]: Just make sure that you're

[00:15:44] [SPEAKER_00]: getting the thing that

[00:15:45] [SPEAKER_00]: you feel you deserve.

[00:15:46] [SPEAKER_00]: And we all deserve good care.

[00:15:48] [SPEAKER_01]: Thank you so much.

[00:15:49] [SPEAKER_01]: Well, thank you so much

[00:15:50] [SPEAKER_01]: for coming on and sharing

[00:15:51] [SPEAKER_01]: your information and how we can

[00:15:53] [SPEAKER_01]: be advocates, not just for

[00:15:55] [SPEAKER_01]: ourselves in the doctor's office.

[00:15:57] [SPEAKER_01]: But the one thing I will

[00:15:58] [SPEAKER_01]: implore people is that they

[00:16:00] [SPEAKER_01]: should be advocates

[00:16:01] [SPEAKER_01]: at their work job.

[00:16:02] [SPEAKER_01]: If their job or employer does

[00:16:04] [SPEAKER_01]: not cover obesity medications,

[00:16:06] [SPEAKER_01]: go and see what you can do,

[00:16:08] [SPEAKER_01]: whether you need to get a

[00:16:09] [SPEAKER_01]: petition of people at the

[00:16:10] [SPEAKER_01]: work so that they see that

[00:16:12] [SPEAKER_01]: it's something that's

[00:16:12] [SPEAKER_01]: necessary for them to have

[00:16:14] [SPEAKER_01]: so they can be able to

[00:16:16] [SPEAKER_01]: have an added benefit

[00:16:17] [SPEAKER_01]: for its employee.

[00:16:18] [SPEAKER_01]: And then don't forget

[00:16:19] [SPEAKER_01]: that you can persuade

[00:16:20] [SPEAKER_01]: your Congress people,

[00:16:22] [SPEAKER_01]: your state legislation as well

[00:16:23] [SPEAKER_01]: to make sure that they are

[00:16:24] [SPEAKER_01]: covering the treatments for

[00:16:26] [SPEAKER_01]: obesity.

[00:16:27] [SPEAKER_01]: So in conclusion, would you

[00:16:29] [SPEAKER_01]: mind sharing where somebody

[00:16:30] [SPEAKER_01]: can work with you and or find

[00:16:31] [SPEAKER_01]: you?

[00:16:32] [SPEAKER_00]: So you can find me

[00:16:33] [SPEAKER_00]: among all social media

[00:16:35] [SPEAKER_00]: platforms as my name,

[00:16:36] [SPEAKER_00]: Dr. Sharika Newman.

[00:16:37] [SPEAKER_00]: I'm also available by

[00:16:39] [SPEAKER_00]: console.

[00:16:40] [SPEAKER_00]: You can call my office

[00:16:42] [SPEAKER_00]: 404-900-8654.

[00:16:45] [SPEAKER_00]: And then my website

[00:16:47] [SPEAKER_00]: is my DITF,

[00:16:49] [SPEAKER_00]: doctorinthefamily.com.

[00:16:52] [SPEAKER_01]: Thank you so much.

[00:16:53] [SPEAKER_01]: And for everyone else, thank

[00:16:54] [SPEAKER_01]: you for joining us on the

[00:16:56] [SPEAKER_01]: Back on Track Achieving

[00:16:57] [SPEAKER_01]: Healthy Weight Loss

[00:16:58] [SPEAKER_01]: Podcasts.

[00:16:59] [SPEAKER_01]: If you like this episode,

[00:17:00] [SPEAKER_01]: please share with others.

[00:17:01] [SPEAKER_01]: Like it and subscribe.

[00:17:02] [SPEAKER_01]: And don't forget to leave

[00:17:03] [SPEAKER_01]: a five star review.

[00:17:05] [SPEAKER_01]: Have a great day.