Since having a child I often times have to write down a list of my concerns to discuss with our doctor during office visits or else I will have a “mommy brain moment” and forget them. Dr. Margaret Lewin, Medical Director of Cinergy Health (http://www.cinergyhealth.com/), has devised a fantastic list of pointers to help you get the most out of each doctor visit. Listed below are some helpful suggestions for making each visit count.
*On your first visit, give the doctor a detailed medical history – preferably typed, and including your allergies, past surgeries and serious illnesses, family medical history and a list of all your medications, including dietary supplements and other over-the-counter products – even if you don’t use them regularly (in fact, you should always carry that list of medications in your wallet, along with your doctor’s business card, in case of emergency); on subsequent visits, always give the doctor an updated list of those medications
*Take with you a careful list of all your issues, placing first the most important ones – try not to get distracted from that list. It can be helpful if you give the doctor a copy of that list at the beginning of the visit. If you need prescription refills, be sure to give the doctor a list of those needs at the beginning of the visit.
*Make sure prevention is on your list.
*Whatever the assistant says when putting you in the exam room, be sure to undress sufficiently to make it easy for the doctor to examine the area(s)of concern
*When the doctor explains the diagnosis and recommendations, make sure you understand by repeating back in your own words
*When given prescriptions, check that the new medications don’t interact unfavorably with your usual regimen, ask for expected side effects and what to do should they occur
*Before leaving the office, check with the staff to find out to handle problems that come up between visits:
*What to do in an emergency, including finding out which hospital emergency department to go to if necessary
*Is the doctor available for emergencies outside of regular office hours – and if not, what arrangements have been set up?
*What to do with easier but important problems:
*Is there a nurse practitioner or physician’s assistant to call?
*Does the doctor have regular times set aside for telephone calls?
*Can you email in your questions – and if so, what’s the expected turn-around time?
*What’s the procedure for getting prescription refills?
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