Questions to Ask Your Nephrologist
Nephrologists are kidney doctors who diagnose, treat, and manage chronic kidney disease. Be prepared to ask the right questions of your doctor.
Nephrologists are kidney doctors who diagnose, treat, and manage chronic kidney disease. Before you decide on a treatment plan, you will want to understand the various chronic kidney disease treatment options. You should also discuss your disease prognosis, possible complications, and potential lifestyle changes with your nephrologist.
Getting the most out of the time you have with your healthcare team sometimes means asking the right questions.
Getting the Right Information at the Right Time
The information on this website is intended to supplement what you have discussed with your healthcare team. Combining this information with what you have already been told may help you make important treatment decisions.
- to decide whether or not you want to have treatment
- to choose between different types of treatment
- to decide whether you want to continue with the same treatment
What you choose to do should depend on what is important to you.
3 Good Questions to Ask
When it comes to you having to make decisions about your healthcare, in collaboration with your healthcare team, it is a good idea to ask these 3 questions:
1. What are my options?
2. What are the pros and cons of each option for me?
3. How do I get support to help me make a decision that is right for me?
These 3 questions are based on Shepherd HL, et al. Three questions that patients can ask to improve the quality of information physicians give about treatment options: A cross-over trial. Patient Education and Counselling, 2011;84: 379-85
Kidney Health Australia is the peak body for kidney health in Australia. They connect people diagnosed with kidney disease to the vital information, education and support services they need to preserve their kidney health and live a better quality of life. Kidney Health Australia focuses on prevention, early detection, support and research, striving to drive innovations and improvements in the management of kidney disease, so that one day every Australian can enjoy good kidney health.