What happens at the doctor’s office doesn’t stay at the doctor’s office.
American households of yore stashed the basics: a thermometer to check for fevers, a scale to monitor weight and an ice pack to soothe a twisted ankle. Most other medical tests and tools lived only at the doctor’s office. Today, devices including blood pressure cuffs, genetic testing kits and even ultrasound machines are just a click away. “Just like every industry, technology, access and knowledge have changed how people approach, monitor and manage their health care,” says Jeffrey Katz, president of the American Academy of Physician Assistants. Here’s what to know before going on a home device shopping spree:
First, the good.
As a family physician in rural Nebraska, Dr. Robert Wergin sees a lot of potential in devices that can keep him connected to patients, particularly those with chronic diseases. Someone with chronic lung disease, for example, might use an oximeter to measure the amount of oxygen in his or her blood and then call in the results. The physician can decide whether an appointment is necessary from there. The devices also signal that a patient is proactive. “Here’s a person who’s interested in their health,” which is a good thing, says Wergin, also the president of the American Academy of Family Physicians. “I spend a lot of my time trying to get people engaged.”
Now, the bad.
Buying home medical devices and tests also comes with risks. People can purchase unreliable equipment, use it incorrectly, misinterpret the results or use the devices in lieu of a professional, missing an underlying or more serious condition. On the flip side, the devices might promote overtesting, says Carol Bickford, senior policy advisor in the American Nurses Association Department of Nursing Practice and Work Environment. “You go down the bad road of finding things that aren’t problems.”
Do: Ask yourself why.
A patient with diabetes once told Wergin he wanted diabetic shoes so he could get into shape. Why? Even mowing the lawn made him winded and gave him chest pains. Wergin ended up giving the patient a stent because his symptoms signaled a heart problem — not just poor physical fitness. “If he had never come in, he would have started the walking program and had a heart attack,” Wergin says. Being honest about why you want the equipment can help treat the root problem. And if it’s because you don’t like your doctor? “Fire them,” Bickford says.
Do: Your research.
Buying a medical device or test from an infomercial or eBay can be risky. To find one that’s likely to be safe, effective and reliable, check the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s database of approved products, Katz suggests. It can also be helpful to search for more information on reputable websites such as MayoClinic.org, FamilyDoctor.org or one affiliated with a university, Wergin says. (U.S. News also ranks health products based on pharmacists’ recommendations.) And don’t forget your doctor: Asking him or her for recommendations can be the start of an important, ongoing conversation.
Do: Learn how to use the equipment.
Wergin has found that even tests with labels claiming “easy to perform” can have too many technical steps for consumers to use correctly, if they complete them at all. “Ask yourself: Can you use it? Is it a reliable piece of equipment that can get an accurate result every time? What are you going to do about it?” For all of those questions and more, he says, “you’re probably going to have to ask your doctor.”
Don’t: Get too technical.
While tools like heart monitors, activity trackers and glucometers are valuable for many patients, the more technical gadgets such as HIV testing kits and home sonogram machines might be best left to the pros, Katz says. “It takes years of medical education and training to interpret results,” he says. In Wergin’s opinion, “when you get into more technical stuff, you’re better off coordinating with a health system, or at least checking with your doctor.”
Don’t: Go it alone.
Say you take a home urine test for a urinary tract infection which comes back positive. You may determine you need antibiotics, but Katz, for one, would still want to see you in his clinic before prescribing them, since you could actually have kidney stones, which would require different treatment. “As a PA, I trained for years to diagnose, treat and prescribe,” he says. The average consumer doesn’t have that expertise. That’s why Katz says “it is so important to consult with one’s health care provider on diagnoses and treatment.”
Don’t: Forgo preventive health.
As an older adult, Bickford can commiserate with other aging Americans who are unsteady on their feet. But going to the drugstore to buy a cane and later, a walker, might be missing the point, she says. A better solution would be focusing on exercises that strengthen bones and muscles and improve balance. “We need to be thinking about it not from the standpoint of being sick or having a disease, but thinking about best practices for being healthy to stay well.”
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Do’s and Don’ts of Home Medical Devices originally appeared on usnews.com
