Get the most out of your doctor visit: 7 things you need to know

"What brings you here today, Mr. Jones?" the doctor asks as he enters the room.

"Well, Doctor, I started feeling kind of crummy a while back and I've noticed that the feeling comes and goes.”

"How long ago did it start? Can you describe your symptoms?"

"I'm not quite sure when it started. It may have been a month ... or so, ago... maybe longer. I can't remember exactly how I felt then and I'm not sure if the symptoms I’m having now are the same. I just know I don't feel very good."

The exchange continues…

…The doctor sees by his watch that he has already used half of Mr. Jones appointment time and thinks, "I will have to work hard to pull information from this patient. I am behind and it is going to be very difficult to get to a diagnosis…”*

Unfortunately for Mr. Jones, he didn’t communicate well with his doctor, and as a result, his care may be less than what it should be. Don’t be like Mr. Jones. Start today to make the most of your next appointment – for you, and your doc. Here are seven things you need to know.

Before You Go

1.) Think of your doctor as your partner

Modern health care requires you, as a patient, to become an equal partner in understanding and treating your condition. You and your doctor must tackle health problems side by side, as a team.

2.) Write your questions

In between appointments you should jot down any and all questions you’d like to ask your doctor.

Keep a running list where you’ll see it often and be able to find it when you need it. If you get the answer to a question before your next appointment, that’s great! Just cross it off the list!

3.) Be organized
Get a folder or notebook to hold your health information and keep it all together. This notebook should have:

· Notes and instructions from your last appointment, a good record of medication and treatment changes, vital signs, weight, etc.

· Questions you have since your last appointment (see #2 above)

· Results of tests or health screens (such as those from Health Fairs) you’ve had done at places other than your doctor’s office. The Freedom of Information Act gives you the right to possess this information.

· A list of the medications you’re currently on and what they’re supposed to do. You should be carrying a copy of this – along with emergency notification – in your wallet at all times.

· Ads, brochures, or materials – in brief – that relate to your disease.

· DON’T show up with a notebook the size of a dictionary! Do not show more than one or two materials (as mentioned above) to your doc at each appointment. S/he does not have time to go through this, and too much information will only frustrate both of you.

Once You’re There

4.) Get down to business

Say hello and get down to the business at hand – that would be what’s been going on with your health since your last appointment. Margo Corbett, author of The Savvy Patient’s Toolkit,** tells us that patients who state their concerns within the first two minutes of the appointment get the best results. She also says, “A patient is interrupted within 18 - 23 seconds after he or she begins to speak at the start of an appointment. Once the provider interrupts, s/he starts asking questions, and guides the rest of the appointment…At the point of the first interruption, you, the patient, are then on the provider's agenda and in his/her stream of thought. When this happens, it becomes easy to get sidetracked and not remember everything you wanted or needed to tell, ask, or achieve during your appointment.