Talking with health professionals

Why these conversations matter

If you have a health condition or a family history of one, it’s important to talk about your care. Health professionals can help you understand your health and care options. But they need to know what matters most to you.

Talking early helps them support your choices. It also helps avoid confusion or treatment you wouldn’t have wanted.

You don’t need to be sick to start the conversation. Planning ahead is useful at any stage of your life.

Getting ready to talk

You might bring it up during an appointment or raise it when the time feels right. You don't need to wait for your health professional to ask.

To help you prepare, you could:

• think about what matters most to you
• write down your questions or concerns
• bring someone you trust to support you
• have any notes or documents ready to share.

You don't need to say everything at once. A conversation now can make future talks easier.

What to talk about

Share what matters most to you. This could include your values, preferences and any concerns about future care.

You might want to talk about:

• what gives your life meaning or purpose
• how much independence you want to keep
• where you'd prefer to be cared for
• who should make decisions for you if you can't
• any cultural or spiritual needs you want respected
• worries about pain or loss of dignity.

Questions to ask

Ask your health professionals for the information you need to make informed choices.  Be clear that you are asking for information to help you plan for your future care.

You could ask about your health condition/s:

• What can I expect from this condition in the future?
• How will this affect my daily life or independence?
• Is it likely to get worse?
• What are the possible complications?

You could ask about treatment:

• What will this treatment involve?
• What are the risks or side effects?
• What happens if I choose not to have treatment?
• Are there other treatment options?

Keep the conversation going

Your health and preferences may change over time. Keep talking with your treating health professionals. Let them know if anything changes or if you have new questions.

Ask them to include your wishes in your medical record. This helps others understand and respect your choices.

Recording your choices

You might want to record your choices for future care. There are different documents you can use for this, depending on which state or territory you live in.

Your health professional can help check your wording. They can make sure your medical and treatment choices are clear and will make sense to other health professionals.

In some places, a health professional needs to sign or witness the document.

Learn more about recording your choices