Facing a Health Crisis? Here’s how to stay informed!

A health issue can take any of us by surprise, and when it does, knowing who to turn to for sound information can help, even in the days before we have our follow-up appointment. The more we understand about the health issue we’re dealing with, the better position we are in to both listen to a professional and to ask questions. In a public health system already overloaded, being familiar with a health issue can remind us to keep on top of follow-up appointments, and seek further help if we feel the matter is becoming more urgent. The following sources can be helpful as we navigate health issues, but they should never put us off seeing our own medical professional in the first instance:

Societies

Unless you are facing a rare condition, there’s almost certainly a society to help provide you with information and support. In most cases, they can be found online. Known broadly as NGOs (non-governmental organisations), medical societies are often run by volunteers while being overseen by professionals in the relevant field. They likely include information, in understandable language for the lay-person, on the health issue itself, self-help steps (such as diet change and exercise) which can be taken to help with the issue, blogs by others who are dealing with the same diagnosis, information on how to break the news of a diagnosis to loved ones, and where to go to for local face-to-face support. To find a specific society, search online for the name of your health issue, or head to Healthy Families to find some of the most often sought-out health NGOs and charities. If you still can’t locate the society you’re looking for, contact Citizens Advice Bureau or Age Concern New Zealand.

Online specialist

GPs should be our first port of call for medical advice, but in order to make the decisions we need to, we may also want to consult a specialist. If we don’t have health insurance, but we’re eligible for a specialist referral through the public health system, it can often take more time to get an appointment than we’re willing to wait. In which case, we may wish to fund a one-off specialist consultation ourselves (returning to the public health system once we have the information we need). In the first instance, we should also ask our GP to recommend one, but if they are not able to, then we can begin the search, ourselves.

Currently in New Zealand, specialists in many health fields are few and far between, and becoming ever scarcer (Invercargill, for example, has recently been in the news because it no longer has a dermatologist). Because of this, if and when we do manage to locate a specialist who can see us, we may face travelling long distances to get to the appointment (not to mention extra inconvenience and cost). That’s why it’s important, when talking to a specialist’s personal office assistant, to ask if it’s possible for an online or phone consultation. Or to look for specialists who routinely offer online consultations. If you are willing to accept an online consultation, you are in a position to consider searching outside the country (in Australia, for example) for a specialist.

Before making any specialist appointment, do your research carefully, read online reviews from trustworthy sources, and ALWAYS check with your GP to see if they are comfortable with your choice (on-line or otherwise) of a professional service.

Whatever health issues you are dealing with, staying informed can help you feel more confident to face the days ahead.