Communicating with your team

Communicating with doctors
Cancer Council (AUS, 2023)
A collection of online videos and fact sheets to help patients, families and carers communicate with their treating team. Topics: Advocate for yourself; Make the most of your appointments; Sharing your emotions; Partnering with your doctors.
(videos and fact sheets)

Communicating with your healthcare provider
Choosing Wisely Australia (AUS, 2016)
Simple tips to help you prepare for, and follow up on, appointments with your treating team.
 (web)

Aboriginal health
Cancer Survivor Guide (AUS, 2018)
In episode 5 of this podcast, an Aboriginal Support Worker and two practice nurses discuss how they can provide extra support for people from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities undergoing cancer treatment.
 (podcast)

Question builder
Healthdirect and Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (AUS, 2017)
This easy-to-use, free web tool helps you prepare a list of questions that you would like to ask your doctor, by guiding you through a series of steps and prompts. The resulting list can be printed or emailed to you.
 (web)

Communication and cancer: Talking to your treatment team and loved ones
Ovarian Cancer Australia (AUS, 2017)
Clinical Psychologist Dr Katharine Hodgkinson shares techniques for open communication and discusses how best to communicate with your treating team. Includes strategies for recording treatments and appointments, and talking with your family members about cancer. Denise Firth shares her personal experiences of communicating with her team, and her family and friends. Scroll down the page to find this webinar.
(webinar)

CANrecall
Rare Cancers Australia (AUS)
This app may support patients during and following consultations by helping them create lists of questions to ask their treating team, and to record the answers to listen to again later or share with their carers. It is important that you always seek permission from the health professional before recording a conversation.
 (app available from App Store and Google Play)

My Cancer Care Record
North Eastern Melbourne Integrated Cancer Service (NEMICS), (AUS)
This very handy tool provides forms to help you keep records of your medical and health-related information together.
 (web)

5 questions to ask your doctor or other healthcare provider
Choosing Wisely Australia (AUS)
This page lists five questions you might wish to ask your treating team when they suggest a particular test, treatment or procedure.
 (web)

Top tips for safe health care
Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (AUS, 2020)
This resource is available as downloadable poster (also translated into 15 languages) and booklet that expands on the nine tips. Particularly useful for people who have had a recent diagnosis and might be unsure about their rights and what to ask.
  (downloadable poster and 6-page booklet)