By now, most of us are all too aware that the doctor visit is becoming shorter and that the doctor seems to interact more with the computer than with you. It is frustrating to leave a visit that may have been made months in advance with your questions unanswered.
How can you get the most out of a medical appointment? The key is preparation.
Before you set out, you should have made sure that you have the correct date and time, that the doctor is on your insurance plan and that if you need a referral, you have it.
Leave enough time to get there even if traffic backs up. Yes, you will probably have to wait, so bring a magazine.
If this is a new doctor, bring a list of all medicines you are taking, any medication allergies you have, major family history, recent test results and surgeries and hospitalizations you have had.
Key to a satisfactory visit is to know what you want from it. If you are scheduled for a follow-up of chronic health problems but you have a new symptom that worries you, get that out up front and not when the doctor has their hand on the door.
Bring notes and take notes. Have a written list of things you want to discuss in the order of priority you want to cover them.
It has been repeatedly found that most of what a doctor tells you is forgotten by the time you get to your car, so take notes of what you are being told. Doctors tend to slip into medical jargon, so do not hesitate to ask that they repeat something you do not fully understand.
It is very helpful to have a close friend or family member with you to act as a second set of eyes and ears, but be sure they understand what you want them to do and do not let them take over the visit. (Speaking of ears, if you need hearing aids, be sure to have them in for the visit!)
Be honest with your doctor. They have seen and heard it all, so any habits you have of which you are not proud, be up-front. Keeping secrets is not going to get you optimal care.
At the end of a visit, tell the doctor what you understood them to say and what is planned. It is rare that a problem is solved at one visit, so be clear in your mind if further testing is needed as well as what you should do if things do not go as expected. Be sure you know what to do before you leave.
If you are not comfortable with what you are told, do not hesitate to ask for a second opinion. This should not be threatening to a good doctor. In the case of a serious diagnosis, second opinions often change the diagnosis and/or the treatment.
Edward Hoffer MD is Associate Professor of Medicine, part-time, at Harvard.
What Does The Doctor Say?
By Dr. Edward Hoffer