Your Body

Take Control of Taking Care of You

It takes a team

You have just one body, take care of it. Feed it nutritious food, keep it as active as possible, and rest it when necessary. And when your body is affected by a chronic painful disease, get regular medical care. Find a doctor you trust and develop a partnership, where you and your doctor can work together as a team that includes nurses, physician assistants, pharmacists and other health care providers to address your medical problems and keep you healthy. But remember, it is your body and the decisions involving its care ultimately are yours. You are the leader of your health care team. 

Expanded chronic care model

Today more and more patients are taking the lead in their medical care, embracing person-centered care where care is based on the goals of the individual being supported, as opposed to the goals of the system or as defined by a doctor or other professional. Patient-centered care supports active involvement of patients and their families in the design of new care models and in decision-making about individual options for treatment. Recently a new term has been coined called the Expanded Chronic Care Model. (Citation for the graphic is below, under Learn More).

Learn more

​For more information about developing a partnership with your doctor, assembling a health care team and preparing for your appointments, check out the following articles and visit the Hope Springs Health and Wellness Center or check out:
Proudly sponsored by the JSA Chronic Disease Foundation