Q
What is laparoscopic surgery,
and when is it used?
Dr. Reynolds:
Basically, laparoscopic
surgery means using a small incision to
perform surgery. Most patients experi-
ence several benefits when laparoscopic
surgery is used, including less pain,
fewer complications and a faster recov-
ery time. Most patients can get back
to work much quicker when laparo-
scopic surgery is performed. Today,
laparoscopic surgery can be used on
almost anything. A couple of the most
common procedures are gallbladder
removal and hernia repair.
Q
Why is it important to have
a family doctor?
Dr. Handke:
An established family
doctor can be your partner in your
health care. They get to know each
patient as a whole person. They
address a patient’s immediate con-
cerns but, more important, they
practice preventive medicine. Your
family doctor can be your advocate
in your health care. He or she can
work with other physicians and
consultants to ensure that health
care is delivered properly and
efficiently.
Ask the experts
Health care info on the air
Both Andrew Reynolds, MD, FACS, and Lane Handke, MD, have addressed
common patient questions during Faith Regional Physician Services’
Health
Beat Minute
, airing at 9:18 a.m. on 94 Rock and 4:30 p.m. on US92. Tune
in Monday through Friday to hear from other specialists with Faith Regional
Physician Services, or go online to
and select “Health Beat
Minute” under “Education & Resources” to listen to other topics covered.
Andrew Reynolds,
MD, FACS
Faith Regional
Physician Services
General Surgery
For an appointment,
call
402-844-8325
.
Lane Handke,
MD
Faith Regional
Physician Services
Pierce Family
Medicine
For an appointment,
call
402-329-4195
.
When going to the
doctor, change
your thinking
It’s OK to declare “TMI” when your office
mate starts to share the intimate details
of his Saturday night date. But when it
comes to divulging personal particulars
to your doctor, it’s a much different story:
More is always going to be better.
In fact, research shows that patients
who communicate openly and honestly
with their doctors—about even the most
sensitive subjects—enjoy better health.
In other words, you get the best care if
you share.
Been there, heard that.
Yet even
when your health is at stake, words like
incontinence
,
impotence
or
sexually
transmitted infection
may not come trip-
ping off your tongue. And it’s under-
standable that you might hesitate to
open up about topics such as alcohol or
illegal drug use.
However, you need to know that doc-
tors discuss issues like these all the time.
You’re not going to shock or upset your
doctor if you talk truthfully about your
personal behaviors and concerns. In fact,
you’ll be helping your doctor help you.
Tips for talking.
Here are a few
ideas for bringing up touchy topics and
getting the conversation going:
•
Rely on the written word. Write down
the details of your health problem and
your symptoms on a piece of paper.
Present this to your doctor at the
beginning of your visit.
•
Find an advocate. If you’ve confided
in a family member or friend, ask that
person to come with you to the doctor
and help you talk about the problem.
Your visit will go more smoothly if you
also have a copy of your health history
and a list of all the medications—both
prescription and over-the-counter—and
vitamins that you currently take.
A better back-and-forth.
It often
takes time to build a good relationship
with your doctor, and it’s a team effort. But
once your partnership is in place, you’ll find
that sensitive topics can become a normal
part of the conversations you share.
Sources: Agency for Healthcare Research
and Quality; American Academy of Family
Physicians; National Institute on Aging
10 FAITH REGIONAL
HEALTH SERVICES
Need a doctor? Go to
to find a
physician who’s right for you.
