For most people, Emergency Room visits don’t happen on a regular basis. Of course, when you do end up in the ER or you have to take a family member, participating in your health care is important according to new studies done by the Mayo Clinic.

This important health news should be remembered next time you are someone you love has to make a trip to the ER.

When you’re sick enough to visit the ER, it’s not easy to remember to participate in your health care and all the important decisions that are made while you are there.

However, in the Mayo Clinic study, research took a closer look at patient involvement of patients in the ER. Studies involved satisfaction of patients, patient knowledge, participation in management and treatment decisions, clinical outcomes, treatment preferences and more.

The Mayo Clinic research team took a look at studies that include the following:

– Rehydration options for children dealing with diarrhea, vomiting or both

– Non-traumatic, low risk chest pain and acute coronary syndrome short term risk

– Small lacerations on children and the management options available

– Bacteria in the blood risk, treatment options and diagnostic tests

Focusing on these various studies, researchers discovered that when patients were engaged in the decision making process in the ER, it actually reduced the use of healthcare without any harm occurring to the patient. They also found that patient satisfaction and knowledge increased as well.

What does this mean to you next time you have to visit the ER? It means that you need to be an active participant in your health care if you have to seek emergency care.

Doing so can actually help speed up your recovery time. If you’re unable to actively participate in medical decisions, make sure you have a trusted family member or friend to do this for you.

No one enjoys visiting the ER. However, by participating in your own health care or having someone to do this for you, you can avoid complications and ensure you get on your way to recovery as quickly as possible.

Next time you end up in the ER, keep this study in mind, making sure you participate in your health decisions to ensure your quickly recovery.