Doctors’ visits can make people feel uncomfortable, scared, and depressed, and as a result they avoid even thinking about going to the doctor. However, by taking active roles in their own health care, people can have better experiences during their doctors’ appointments, which will help to decrease feelings of anxiety.

People can become more involved in their own health care by improving their relationships with their doctors, getting their questions answered, preparing for appointments, and following up with their doctors after their appointments.

 

Becoming an active participant in their own health care can help people get the best care possible from their doctors. Research has shown that people who have better relationships with their doctors are more satisfied with their health care, and they also experience better results.

Talking to their doctors is an important step that people need to take in order to strengthen their relationships with their doctors. Like any other relationship, the patient-doctor relationship improves with communication.

Giving Doctors Helpful Information: Instead of waiting for doctors to ask, patients should be prepared to give their doctors important information. People should make sure to tell their doctors about their current and past health care issues and concerns so that their doctors have all of the details they need to make the best diagnoses and treatment recommendations. Even if health information is embarrassing, patients need to make sure that they let their doctors know what they are experiencing.

Patients should make sure to tell any doctor they visit the following information:

• Their family health histories, including details about medical conditions that relatives had that may be hereditary, such as heart disease or diabetes

• Their own health histories, which should include information about previous illnesses and treatments, current illnesses and treatments, recent shots and vaccines, allergies, surgeries, etc

• Any other doctors who are giving them tests or providing them with treatment (so that duplicate tests will not be performed, for example)

• Any symptoms they are experiencing

• Any information regarding their personal lives that may be relevant to their health, such as whether or not they are going through any major life changes that may increase their stress levels

• Any changes in weight, appetite, sleeping patterns, energy level, etc

• Any medications they are currently taking, including information about how often they take these medications and how much they take; in fact, a doctor may recommend that they bring all medication they are currently taking, including any over-the-counter meds and supplements, to every visit

• Any side effects they are experiencing from their medications

• Any vitamins or supplements they are taking (because some vitamins and supplements can interact with medications to produce negative results)

• Any X-ray, test results, or medical records (patients can bring these in to their appointments to show doctors)

 

 

Asking Questions: While patients need to be prepared to give their doctors important information, it is also necessary for them to be prepared to ask their doctors questions as well. Patients should not be afraid to speak up during their appointments and need to make sure that they ask their doctors about any term, explanation, medication, direction, etc that they do not understand. If patients do not ask questions, doctors will assume that they have understood. Patients may also need to ask questions about their exact diagnoses, whether or not they have treatment options, and when they need to come back for another appointment, for example.

 

• A patient can make a list of questions to ask the doctor before the appointment so he or she does not forget them. Putting the most important questions first can help ensure that the doctor addresses them.

   

• A patient can bring someone else along on appointments to help remember questions and understand and remember answers.

   

• A patient can take notes during an appointment so he or she does not forget what the doctor said. A patient can also ask if he or she can bring along a tape recorder to help him or her remember the doctor’s answers and directions.

   

• If a patient is still confused about something, he or she can ask the doctor for more time to talk. If the doctor does not have time that same day, he or she may let the patient talk to a nurse or may schedule time on a different day to talk. The important thing is that the patient has the opportunities that he or she needs to fully understand the doctor’s advice, treatment plan, directions, etc.

   

• A patient can ask the doctor to write out or type up instructions so that he or she has them in the doctor’s own words at home.

   

• A patient can ask if the doctor has any additional materials (e.g., brochures, audio tapes, videotapes, etc) or recommendations for websites or books that can help clarify whatever issue is not clear.

 

Preparing for Doctors’ Appointments

A patient should come prepared for an appointment with important information, including a list of other doctors treating the patient, any symptoms he or she is experiencing, any life changes (e.g., stressful events) or behaviors ( e.g., sleeping patterns), all medications, vitamins, or supplements he or she is taking, any side effects he or she is experiencing from medications, and any test results or medical records. A patient should also come to his or her doctors’ appointments prepared with a list of questions he or she would like answered.

If a patient is visiting a doctor for the first time, he or she should also prepare for the appointment by doing the following:

 

• Coming up with a list of questions about procedures common to the doctor’s office. For example, a patient may want to ask about the doctor’s experience, the specialist referral process, office hours, whom he or she can contact after hours if the doctor is unavailable, whether or not that doctor uses alternative therapies in treatment plans, and what hospital the office prefers for additional treatment.

   

• Determining how the payment for the services should be handled. Before going to a new doctor, a patient should make sure that he or she has an understanding of how his or her insurance plan will work. The patient should ask the doctor’s office any questions that he or she has about how services will be billed. Also, a patient should make sure to bring his or her insurance information (e.g., insurance card) to the doctor’s appointment.

   

• Writing out a family and personal health history. During the first visit with a doctor, the doctor will want to collect this information in detail. A patient may need to arrive to the first appointment about 15 minutes early in order to fill out family and personal health history forms.

   

• Federal regulations protect patients’ right such that information about their medical conditions and treatments can only be shared with people they choose. Considering who these people will be beforehand can save time at the actual appointment.

 

If a patient is visiting a doctor regarding a specific illness, the patient should also prepare for the appointment by doing the following:

 

• Documenting the symptoms that he or she has been experiencing. This includes information about when they started, how severe they are, and whether or not they have changed at all. When thinking about this information, it is important for the patient to be honest with him or herself and his or her doctors about the severity of the symptoms. It is also important that the patient not leave out any details about symptoms even if those details are embarrassing and/or seem unimportant. What seems unimportant to a patient could help a doctor determine what is wrong.

   

• Coming with questions about the diagnosis and treatment process, such as whether or not the doctor will support the patient getting a second opinion, whether or not the doctor uses alternative therapies for treatment, and how the illness will affect the patient’s lifestyle if it is serious.

 

If a patient is seeing a specialist (a doctor who practices one specific area of medicine, such as cardiology, for example), the patient should also:

 

• Check with his or her regular doctor’s office to make sure the specialist is sent medical records and any test results. A patient should also call the specialist’s office to make sure that they have received the records.

   

• Make sure that he or she understands why he or she is seeing that specialist.

   

• Understand what the insurance company requires to see that specialist. For example, some insurance companies require patients to get referrals before they can see specialists. Patients should also make sure to bring their insurance information with them.

 

Follow-Up after a Doctor’s Appointment

Patients should continue to be actively involved in their health care after seeing their doctors. They can follow-up on their visits in several ways.

 

• Calling their doctors if they have questions about anything after their appointments, if their symptoms worsen, if they have any problems with medications, or if they have had tests done and have not received the results.

   

• Scheduling tests or appointments with specialists if their doctors told them to do so.

   

• Calling their doctors to let them know how treatment is progressing, schedule follow-up appointments if necessary, and discuss next steps.