Understanding Guidance Options

Chances are that Couplers for the Web will provide more information in the Review Guidance section than you expect. The reason for this is simple: medical problems are complicated and are different for every person. Unlike other medical software, Couplers for the Web provides medical advice based on matching your personal information against the latest medical information—not simply a generic discussion of a medical problem.

Couplers for the Web does not conceal the complexity of medical decisions, nor does it make decisions for you. Instead, it arms you with personalized information that you and your healthcare provider can use to effectively prevent, diagnose, and treat health problems.

Reviewing Guidance Options

1. Read through the list of guidance topics.
2. Click any topic to open it.
3. Scan the list of Guidance Options under the topic.
4. Click any Guidance Option to see detailed information about it.
   • Present items are the things you selected that suggest that this particular Guidance Option may apply to you.
   • Some Couplers list Absent items—items that normally suggest this Guidance Option, but that do not apply to you.
   • The Important points about... section provides further information.
   • The medical references from which each Guidance Option was derived appear at the bottom of each screen.
5. Think about how your problem, symptoms, and personal details match the various Guidance Options.
6. If a Guidance Option seems relevant, select flag next to the title. The details of flagged Guidance Options will be included on your Guidance Report, which you can create on the Finish page.
7. After you have reviewed your Guidance Options, proceed to the Finish page, where you can print or save your information.

Using Your Guidance Options

• Bring a copy of your Guidance Report with you the next time you see your healthcare provider. Be ready to discuss how your problems or symptoms match up with the Guidance Options
• Never hesitate to bring issues raised by Couplers to your provider's attention. Remember: it is your medical problem, and no one knows how you feel better than you. You are half of the doctor-patient relationship.
• Compare the medications and treatments suggested by your provider to the guidance provided by Couplers. You may learn a great deal about how to prepare yourself for getting better.
• If the guidance provided by Couplers contradicts your current healthcare strategy, don't be afraid to bring it to the attention of your providers.
• Couplers for the Web takes a snapshot of your health at a given moment in time. Revisit the system as time passes to make sure your information is up-to-date and that you are using the most appropriate Coupler for your problem.
• Couplers can access more medical information and process it more effectively than the unaided human mind. Still, some in the medical community have a natural resistance to such tools. Take an in-depth look at these topics at http://www.pkc.com/linkto.aspx?path=papers.

If you have any questions about Couplers for the Web, e-mail us at websupport@pkc.com.

REMEMBER, YOU ARE IN CHARGE OF YOUR HEALTH!