PULSE WHAT'S GOOD FOR THE DOCTOR ...

Byline: Mariko Thompson

Christine Dumas considers herself a savvy consumer of the health-care system. The Los Angeles-based dentist and health reporter for NBC's ``Today'' show has both the contacts and experience to figure out the best course of medical care.

But even Dumas has been a victim of medical error. After receiving a prescription for a beta blocker medication, she questioned the doctor about the dose. It seemed too high. The doctor assured her the amount was correct. Two days later, she had to be rushed to the emergency room.

``I come from a family of doctors and I'm a dentist,'' Dumas said. ``And I almost died because of a medical error. If this could happen to me, imagine what goes on.''

That experience was one of the reasons that Dumas teamed up with fellow NBC medical reporter Dr. Kevin Soden to write ``Special Treatment: How to Get the Same High-Quality Health Care Your Doctor Gets'' (Berkley Publishing; $23.95). Dumas and Soden discuss such issues as how doctors pick physicians and specialists for their personal care, how to evaluate hospitals, how to get to the front of the line at the emergency room when necessary, and where to get reliable information on the Internet.

``We don't have a practice to build,'' Dumas said. ``We don't have a hospital or insurance company that's going to get upset with us. We can just tell the story.''

If you need a referral to a specialist, don't just ask for names. Ask where your doctor would send a member of his or her family if faced with the same problem, Dumas said. Be willing to drive further than your local hospital. If the best specialist practices at a medical center that's an hour away by car, that's where you should go, she said.

The book also gives tips on becoming your doctor's favorite patient. People who walk in with a stack of faulty information from the Internet and insist on a certain diagnosis or a course of treatment don't do themselves any favors, Dumas said.

The key to getting good care is knowing which questions to ask and then trusting your intuition.

``Some parts you can't control, but some you can,'' Dumas said. ``You get the system to work for you.''

GO DENIM: Put on a pair of jeans and join actress Christina Applegate in raising breast cancer research funds for Lee National Denim Day on Friday. All it takes is a $5 contribution. The one-day fund-raiser benefiting the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation raised $6.7 million last year and $36 million over the past seven years. For more information, call [phone] or visit www.denimday.com.

CHARMED: Brighton's ``Think Pink'' charm bracelet is not only fashionable but supports a good cause. Available through Oct. 31, the bracelet with heart-shaped charms supports breast cancer research and education. The bracelet costs $37 with $5 going to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. To order, visit www.komen.org or call [phone].

BODY IMAGE: Actress Tracey Gold, best-known for her role as Carol Seaver on the series ``Growing Pains,' will speak on eating disorders at the Los Angeles Hope Seminar next month. Gold, a Valencia resident, recently told the story of her much-publicized battle with anorexia in the book ``Room to Grow: An Appetite for Life.'' The seminar, set for Saturday, Nov. 8 at the Crown Plaza Hotel in Beverly Hills, costs $97. Call [phone] for more information.

PROSTATE HEALTH: Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank and Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission Hills will offer free prostate screenings from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday. According to the American Cancer Society, men should begin with annual screenings at age 50. Those in high-risk groups, including African-Americans and men with a family history of the disease, should begin testing at age 45. Reservations are required. Call [phone] to make an appointment.

CAPTION(S):

4 photos

Photo:

(1) DUMAS and SODEN

(2) no caption (book: ``Special Treatment'')

(3) no caption (Christina Applegate)

(4) no caption (``Think Pink'' charms bracelet)