How to Communicate With Your Medical Team

During a recent town meeting for lung cancer patients, families and caregivers, Katie Brown, Certified Patient Navigator and Vice President of Support and Survivorship Programs at LUNGevity, explains how LUNGevity can help patients gain the knowledge and support they need to participate in meaningful and productive discussions with their medical team. An informed patient is a confident and empowered patient. Knowledge leads to confidence and shared decision-making.

LUNGevity and other patient advocacy organizations offer patients information about their disease, clinical trials and treatment options. Patients will have the opportunity to connect with other patients that have the same disease condition and share stories about their diagnosis, treatment and how they cope with their illness. They can then take comments and questions back to their medical team for discussion.

In the video below, Dr. Malcolm DeCamp, Chief of Thoracic Surgery, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University explains that it is crucial that patients communicate physical and emotional changes to their medical team. The patient plays a major role in their plan of care and they need to provide constant updates and information to their team so that they can get the best care they deserve.