Health Care Tools

Tools created by Caring Ambassadors Program:

My Choices: A Planner for Healing©

 

A tool for healing when faced with chronic health conditions

The second version of My Choices. A Planner for Healing (My Choices) is now available for download! Will you help make it great? The Caring Ambassadors is still in the process of developing content and improving the planner’s user friendliness. We’d love to hear your feedback and suggestions: What works? What doesn’t? How can we improve My Choices to help you and others learn, live well, and heal?

Click here to learn more

My Plan

A personal integrative health plan to help you organize choices you have made related to all aspects of your health care

Once you’ve taken the first steps to gain control over your health care after your diagnosis, it is important to spend some time establishing goals for the road ahead. When you’ve determined these goals, the question becomes: how do you work towards them? At that point, mapping out a personal health care plan can be incredibly helpful.

 

Click here to learn more about My Plan

Action Plan

Break up larger goals into smaller actions  that can realistically be achieved to help you move forward on your healing  journey

“What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.” – Henry David Thoreau

Learn more about creating an Action Plan

My Integrative Health care Team reference sheet

Record the names and contact information for your practitioners from all areas of healthcare

Download the PDF here

My Medications and Supplements Reference Sheet

Track and record all medications you are taking, including prescriptions, over the counter drugs, supplements and vitamins 

Download the PDF here

Food Rules

Hang this on your refrigerator to remind you and your family to eat “Real Food”, 7 simple rules for healthy eating, adapted from Michael Pollan 

Tools created by others:

*Although some of these tools were initially developed for specific patient populations, most of the information and skills they provide can be used by any patient with a chronic health condition.

Communication Tools

Talking about Complementary and Alternative Medicine with Health Care Providers: A Workbook and Tips
Office of Cancer and Complementary and Alternative Medicine,
National Cancer Institute

A Greater Understanding. Second Opinions: Know Your Rights and Options
Patient Advocate Foundation

Teamwork: The Cancer Patient’s Guide to Talking with Your Doctor
National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship

How to Talk to Your Doctor (online video)
Caregiver Action Network

Tips for Talking with your Pharmacist
Patient Advocate Foundation

Essential Questions to Ask Your Doctor
National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship

Questions to Ask your Doctor, Question Builder
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

Decision Making Tools

Patient Decision Aids 
The Ottawa Hospital

Prepare for Your Care

Shared Decision Making National Resource Center
The Mayo Clinic

The Option Grid Decision Aids

Choosing Wisely website
The American Board of Internal Medicine Foundation

Health History and Intake Questionnaire

A generic health history intake questionnaire to keep on file and provide to all healthcare practitioners 

Download the PDF here

Self-Advocacy and Health Care Management Tools
Lifestyle Tools
Whole Health Library
VHA Office of Patient Centered Care & Cultural Transformation,
Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation,
University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health

Healthy Food, Healthy Mind, Healthy Lifestyle, Healthy You
Dr. Wayne Jonas

The Nutrition Rainbow
Physicians’ Committee for Responsible Medicine

My Food Tracker
American Diabetes Association

Weekly Exercise and Physical Activity Plan
National Institutes of Health

My Fitness Pal, calorie counter, diet & exercise journal

How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Label
US Food and Drug Administration

https://dphhs.mt.gov/montanahealthcareprograms/memberservices
US Department of Agriculture

BMI Calculator
Center for Disease Control and Prevention

HerbList mobile App for Apple
HerbList mobile App for Android
National Institutes of Health

Meditation and mindfulness practice

Your guide to health and happiness. Live a healthier, happier, more well-rested life with Headspace.

Sleep DiaryNational Sleep Foundation