Owning Your Health: How to Communicate Better with Your Doctor
Most of us aren’t taught how to talk to our doctors, and it shows. This conversation with Dr. Caroline Niederman and Dana E. Sherwin, CEO of The Thinking Patient, explores practical ways to prepare for appointments, share your life goals, and take on the role of “CEO” of your own health.
You walk into a doctor’s office clutching a folder of lab results, a list of medications, and a mental checklist of symptoms. But somehow, fifteen minutes later, you leave feeling more confused than clear.
Most of us haven’t been taught how to communicate effectively with doctors. Because of this, important health details and life goals easily get overlooked in medical appointments.
Dana Sherwin, Founder & CEO of The Thinking Patient, knows this well. Her perspective is rare, with a background as both a seasoned healthcare executive and a patient navigating a blood cancer diagnosis and stem cell transplant.
She’s learned the hard way how to advocate for yourself in a system that feels confusing, fragmented, and transactional.
“What if the most important thing you could tell your doctor isn’t a symptom—but your life goals?” Dana asks.
Your health isn’t just about managing disease. It’s about maintaining a holistic, meaningful lifestyle. And your doctor can help, but only if they know what matters to you.
Dana E. Sherwin: From Healthcare Exec to Patient Advocate
Dana’s journey began long before her own diagnosis.
Inspired by her father’s work in healthcare, she earned her master’s in Healthcare Administration at the University of Michigan and built a career spanning hospitals, consulting, and managed care.
But when she faced her own blood cancer diagnosis and stem cell transplant, professional expertise wasn’t enough. She had to learn how to advocate as a patient.
“About six years ago, my health crashed. I needed a stem cell transplant. It was a very rough process, and I realized that some of the critical healthcare decisions I’d put off in my 30s and 40s had made navigating this journey more challenging.”
Her dual experience pulled back the curtain on the system itself. Doctors are highly trained, but patients often lack the tools to communicate, set goals, and coordinate care effectively.
Dana’s work today focuses on filling that gap, helping patients become active, informed participants in their own health.
How to Become the CEO of Your Own Health
To Dana, the missing piece of the patient puzzle is to take charge of your health information: think of yourself as the CEO of your own body. You’re responsible for making sure every doctor has the records, test results, and information they need.
“I’m the CEO of my own health, and I have to own my information… making sure all my doctors have all the pertinent information about me,” Dana says.
For patients seeing multiple providers across different systems, this is even more critical. Dana manages care at two major academic medical centers that don’t share records smoothly. Her solution? She proactively collects, organizes, and shares her medical history across platforms via email, fax, or portable media.
Owning your health means understanding your condition, asking informed questions, and being proactive about your goals for each appointment.
Share Your Goals, Not Just Your Symptoms
Patients often zero in on symptoms, forgetting to communicate what truly matters to them, like lifestyle goals, daily priorities, or long-term aspirations.
Dana drives this home — sharing the context of your life can radically shape your doctor’s approach. She highlights the variety of lifestyle goals patients might have, from being able to travel again to going for a longer walk every day.
Dr. Caroline Niederman, founder of CNN Courage, weighs in with her own experience: “It’s so easy to walk in thinking, ‘I’ll just list my symptoms.’ But if you frame health around your life — your routines, your energy, your dreams — you give your doctor the whole picture.”
Your goals help physicians craft treatment plans that align with your day-to-day reality.
2. Prepare Strategically for Appointments
Preparation doesn’t mean walking in with a binder of every lab you’ve ever had. It means presenting your story in a way that helps your physician help you.
Dana suggests:
Send a 1-page summary in advance. Highlight your key history and three priority questions.
Respect the rhythm of the visit. Let your doctor begin with their process, then bring your questions forward.
Focus on clarity, not volume. A concise narrative ensures your concerns are heard in the limited time available.
“You want to make the doctor’s time as productive and focused on you as possible,” Dana explains.
Carrie echoed this sentiment:
“And knowing your story well enough to summarize it—past procedures, medications, chronic conditions—helps doctors make informed decisions fast. It’s like giving them the map before the journey begins.”
Master your narrative so your doctor can act decisively and effectively.
3. Communicate Beyond the Visit
Appointments are just one chapter of the story. Dana encourages patients to clarify how their doctors prefer to communicate between visits. Portal messages, email, text, or phone calls? This is a critical step in partnering in your care.
Establishing a reliable line of communication prevents small issues from snowballing. It’s about staying connected without adding chaos to your doctor’s workflow.”
Some specialists, like Dana’s hematologist-oncologist, even provide direct phone or text access for complex cases. Respecting their workflow while knowing the right way to reach them is a critical part of patient empowerment.
4. Build Relationships with PCPs and Specialists
Preventive care begins early. A primary care physician (PCP) is essential for coordination, especially when specialists are involved.
Dana: “Everybody needs to have a primary care physician… It’s really important to have an annual physical examination because you want to have that baseline.”
Think of your PCP as the hub. Specialists handle one piece of the puzzle, but your PCP keeps the full picture in view: managing medications, tracking chronic conditions, and making sure nothing falls through the cracks.
Specialists often operate transactionally, addressing immediate concerns. The PCP ensures the broader strategy of your health is coherent, bridging gaps, monitoring side effects, and connecting you to the right expert.
Tools and Resources for Patients
To help patients organize appointments, questions, and follow-ups, Dana developed the Thinking Patient Planner. But any organized notebook, digital calendar, or health app works well.
Dana: “Writing things down by hand actually puts more into the brain… it becomes part of your understanding of how you’re feeling.”
Carrie: “Even small notes—symptoms, energy levels, questions—create a record that transforms vague feelings into actionable insights. It turns you from a passive participant into a strategic partner in your care.”
Tracking your visits, medications, and tests ensures nothing falls through the cracks.
Insights from Dana & Carrie
“I’m the CEO of my own health, and I have to own my information.” —Dana“Having a primary care physician isn’t just a formality. They act as your hub when everything else feels fragmented.” —Carrie
“Sometimes the smallest question—like, ‘Will this affect my energy for my morning walk?’—can completely change the treatment plan.” —Carrie
Final Thoughts: How to Advocate for Your Health
“Patients who take control of their healthcare are better equipped to navigate complex systems, make informed decisions, and maintain their wellbeing,” Dana explains.
Here are a few essentials to keep in mind:
Own your information. Collect, review, and share your records proactively.
Talk about your goals. Symptoms alone don’t tell the full story. Share the life you’re working toward.
Clarify communication. Ask how your physician prefers to connect between visits—portal, phone, email, or text.
Build a hub. A trusted primary care physician keeps the big picture in view and coordinates your specialists.
Track consistently. Whether a planner, journal, or app, keep notes on symptoms, visits, and follow-ups.
In the end, advocacy is less about doing everything at once and more about building steady habits.
“Even one small step, like sharing a personal goal or keeping a one-page health summary, can change the entire dynamic of your care,” Carrie reflects.
👉 Want to be the next chronic illness expert to share your insights? Contact me – let’s have a conversation.
