WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU MEET WITH YOUR FAMILY DOCTOR

For some of us, going to see a doctor might feel like an overwhelming or stressful experience. Whether you go to your doctor once a year or ten times a year, we want to help you make the most of your visits. This month’s blog provides tools and tips for a positive experience. Our goal is to help clarify your role as a patient and healthcare consumer.

Your relationship with your doctor is important. Being a patient means also being a partner in your own healthcare. The doctor-patient relationship is a partnership in which you and the doctor can talk about your health. Think of dancing for a moment…it is hard to dance the Waltz or the Tango without a partner.  In essence, your doctor is your dance partner for your health.  As the patient and partner, you help to make decisions about your health and medical treatment.

In your doctor-patient partnership, we encourage you to do the following:

·   Ask questions –Whether you’re going to see your doctor for an annual checkup or for a new or existing medical concern, you can always ask questions about your condition and diagnosis. This might mean asking what certain words or concepts mean if you don’t understand what the doctor is saying, how new medications may interact with current medications, what side effects are possible, and what options are available. If you are going in for an annual checkup, the following questions may be helpful to ask. Start your conversation by saying, “I have some questions to ask,” so that your doctor knows up front and can judge his time accordingly. Also, ask your 3 most important questions first, in case time is limited. 

• How is my health overall?
• Are you concerned about any aspect of my health? Which one, and why?
• Are there any tests I should have based on my age or for other reasons?
• Do you suggest any lifestyle changes (such as exercising, quitting smoking, or changing my diet)?

·   Come Prepared – Doctors have limited time with patients (on average about 15-20 minutes), so bring a checklist of questions to make the most of that time. If the appointment ends before you review everything, ask your doctor how to ask the rest of your questions. This might be by e-mail, on the phone, or with a nurse educator.  If you are interrupted while you’re explaining your symptoms or asking a question, you can politely ask your doctor to listen until you are finished. The same goes in versus – if your doctor is explaining a treatment or diagnosis, wait to ask your questions until he/she is finished. 

·   If needed, seek a second opinion – It is not uncommon for patients to seek a second or even third opinion. If you feel a second opinion will help you make a more informed decision about your medical treatment or feel more comfortable about a diagnosis, make an appointment with another doctor and see what they have to say. Also, if you do not feel heard by your doctor or, even after asking questions, do not feel the information was clear, it is okay to seek a second opinion or even find another doctor altogether. Like a well-matched dance partner, it is alright to shop around for a doctor who is well-matched for you and your medical needs.

Going to the doctor can be challenging sometimes, but it is part of taking care of yourself to live a longer, healthier and more satisfied life. With the tools and tips in this blog, we hope that your next appointment will be more satisfying and supportive, like a good partnership should be! 

Here are links that might help you decide what questions you want to ask at your next visit:

Sample list of questions to ask your doctor

Question builder

If you do not already have a family doctor, talk to your plant nurse about finding one.