In the United States’ health care system, you can spend weeks or months anticipating a doctor‘s appointment, plus a few minutes or hours in the waiting room when the day comes. In contrast, your appointment itself can be brief — ending before your medical issues are resolved, or all your questions are answered.
To make the most of a doctor’s appointment when you have it, take time to prepare.
Preparation can include thinking about what you want from your appointment, as well as anything that you don’t want or would be uncomfortable with doing. For instance, some people are uncomfortable getting weighed at the doctor’s office. By thinking about your needs and hesitations beforehand, you can plan how to assert yourself in the moment. Planning ahead can also include thinking about what items and information to bring with you on your appointment day, such as identification cards, insurance cards and a recap of your health history.
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Plan for Your Doctor’s Visit
Preparing for your doctor’s visit can help you optimize your time in the office.
“Preparing for a physician visit makes the appointment far more productive, reduces stress and helps ensure that no important concerns are missed,” says Dr. David Cutler, a board-certified family medicine physician at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California.
But while a little forethought may greatly improve patients’ experiences, not everyone takes advantage of the time they have to prepare.
“Most patients come having done some preparation, perhaps with a written concern from a family member, but rarely as thoroughly prepared as they could be to make best use of the visit,” says Cutler.
“Most patients are not aware of how they should prepare for their doctor’s appointments,” adds Dr. Roxann Engle, a board-certified family medicine physician and medical director at UCI Health Primary Care Associates.
So, whether you’re a new or returning patient, booking an appointment for a specific or generalized health issue, it can’t hurt to receive some education on how to best prepare for a health care appointment.
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Bring Medical Information
There are several things and documents that can be helpful to bring to a doctor’s appointment.
Each patient is unique, so chances are, your medical history is different from that of the patient who saw your doctor before you, or who will see them after you. By bringing medical information about yourself to the appointment, you can help your doctor personalize your health treatments.
Some information to collect before your appointment includes:
— Past medical history
— Surgical history
— Family health history
— Social or relationship history
— Current medications, including vitamins and over-the-counter medications you are currently taking
— Current diagnosis
— Social determinants of health
— Dates and times of recent lab work, procedures or tests
— Pertinent lab or imaging results
— Any symptoms you’re currently experiencing
If you’re a visual learner, it can help to write this information down in a list.
The more information you can provide your doctor, the more “valuable use” they can make of your appointment time, Engle says.
But it’s OK if you can’t remember everything too.
“Not to worry,” Engle adds. “At the end of the day, we sometimes don’t get complete histories.”
If you are a returning patient, your doctor should already have your health information on file. If you are a new patient, most doctors can pull this information up from your former provider. Still, coming in armed with your health information can help fill in any gaps that might not be on file or jump-start a conversation about a pertinent health concern.
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Create a List of Questions
While it might not feel like it in the moment — especially if you are the subject of a physical examination’s pokes and prodding — your questions about your health are just as important as the questions your doctor asks you.
Before going to a doctor’s appointment, think about what you want to know about your health status — and if you have any concerns about your well-being. You may also consider what you want to know about living a healthy lifestyle, and you should mention if you are open to changing your daily habits to support your health. If you have a primary complaint, which refers to the main reason you booked your appointment — such as an infection or broken arm — you’ll probably want to ask as much as you can about this too.
“A patient should feel comfortable asking the doctor just about anything they feel is important to their health and well-being,” Engle says. “Specifically, they should ask questions regarding what the main complaint is at the visit and leave feeling like they have a good grasp of the plan moving forward.”
Cutler adds not to be afraid to ask questions that feel embarrassing or out-of-the-box. The question you’re curious about could be more common than you think.
“Concealing or modifying information can lead to misdiagnosis, incorrect treatment and bad health outcomes,” says Cutler. Doctors have “heard it all and should not be judging,” he says.
Some questions you may want to ask at your appointment include:
— What is the likely cause of the symptoms related to my primary concern?
— What tests or treatments do I need to address these symptoms?
— What tests or treatments may be necessary later?
— What are the risks and benefits of different treatment options?
— How should I monitor this condition at home?
— When should I seek urgent care?
— How does or doesn’t my current lifestyle support my health?
— What medical or lifestyle changes do you recommend I implement after I go home?
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Pack Your Wallet
In addition to arming yourself with information, you’ll want to show up to your doctor’s appointment with a few physical tools in hand — like your driver’s license or identification card, and insurance card. You’ll also want to bring a credit or debit card — or cash, if your doctor’s office accepts this — to fund any co-pays for your visit, if you are on an insurance plan. If you are uninsured, be prepared to cover the out-of-pocket expense of your visit.
Depending on your pre-appointment schedule, you can plan your outfit for the day, too. Doctors recommend wearing loose comfortable clothing that you can easily slip in and out of for an exam. But if you’re coming from a meeting or event that requires you to dress differently, don’t stress — these are simply recommendations — not dress code requirements.
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Know When to Say “No”
From “step on the scale” to “say ‘ah’,” some doctors and nurses tell you what to do more than they ask you what you are comfortable doing. Sometimes, this can make you feel like you don’t have a say in your health care. But you do.
Even when your doctor talks in commands instead of questions, it is important to remember that you have a right to ask questions, assert disagreements or refuse certain treatments or measurements of your body. For example, this can include rejecting a reading of your height or weight.
“It is completely acceptable to tell the medical assistant that you want to skip the weight and height,” Engle says. “If the patient has a reason to not want to do something, I will always try to accommodate them. We are partners in their health care and not the last word.”
You can also refuse things like pelvic exams in the OB-GYN‘s office. This can be important to note if you are or are the parent of a teenage girl in particular, as routine pelvic exams are often administered to teens even though they are not recommended until age 21.
Remember, you are not required to engage in behaviors that you are uncomfortable with, even at the doctor’s office. This is your appointment, after all, and ultimately, you get to decide how you want to take care of your body.
However, you’ll also want to be aware that some tests or measurements may be mandatory in order to receive a specific test, procedure or diagnosis. Patients are required to get weighed before an iron infusion, for example, as the doctor will use your number on the scale to calculate your dosage.
Get Clarification on Next Steps
Before leaving an appointment, Cutler recommends asking your doctor to review their treatment plan and for clarification on next steps, such as follow-up appointments, lab work instructions or lifestyle change suggestions. You can also take notes during your appointment or ask your doctor for a printout of their advice, he says.
“Take notes or ask for printed instructions — so you leave with clear guidance,” he adds. “Every patient leaves my office with printed after-care instructions. These can also be accessed from home remotely through their electronic medical record.”
Some specifics to clarify before exiting the office include:
— When to book your next follow-up appointment
— If you need lab work, and if so, what labs you need and when to book them
— If you need to pick up any medications, and if so, where and when to pick them up
— Recommended lifestyle changes
Additionally, some patients may want to take an audio recording of their appointment so that they don’t have to take notes. This may be allowed, depending on the state you live in and if your doctor permits you to record. Some states have laws with two-party consent for recordings, meaning that you will need your doctor’s permission before you can legally start a recording in their office. These states include: California, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Washington.
Bringing a trusted companion, such as a friend or family member, to a doctor’s appointment may also help you better remember — or interpret — your doctor’s advice. Cutler recommends doing this if you are someone who struggles with memory or hearing, or if you speak a different language than your provider.
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How to Best Prepare for a Doctor’s Appointment originally appeared on usnews.com
