Whether you go to the doctor on a regular basis or once a year for a routine physical, it’s important to get the most out of your visit. Physicians will do their part to make your appointment as helpful as possible but there are things you can do to improve your own patient experience.
1. Prepare for the appointment in advance.
• Symptoms: Write down your symptoms and bring notes to the appointment. Be specific, i.e. When did the symptoms begin?
How often are you experiencing them? Has anything you’ve tried helped? While you may have gone online to research your symptoms and think you know what the problem might be, it’s best to offer your doctor a detailed description of your symptoms and not to diagnose yourself.
• Medications: Don’t forget to bring a current list of medications with you to every appointment. Include all herbs and nutritional supplements on this list as well.
• Health history: Know your personal and family health history. There are some great online tools for preparing a personalized health history. Print it out & bring it with you. See the “Learn More” box at the end of this article for a great online tool.
2. Bring questions in writing and take notes during your appointment.
The best strategy for retaining what was discussed during the visit is to take notes. Physicians expect that patients will both bring written questions and take notes during the appointment.
Another helpful strategy is to bring a spouse or partner along on the appointment. With two people hearing the same information, there’s a much better chance of remembering it.
3. Know how much time you’ve been scheduled for.
Most routine office visits only provide 5-15 minutes with the physician.
A new patient appointment or consultation requires more time so for this appointment you can typically expect 15-30 minutes. If your visit is for routine blood work, such as a PSA test or cholesterol panel, ask about getting the blood work done a week prior to your appointment so your physician will have the results to review with you.
4. Ask whether your doctor has a physician extender.
A physician extender can be a physician’s assistant, nurse practitioner, or medical assistant that works closely with your doctor to help coordinate
your care. They are often a good source for additional questions, clarification,or resource information. Find out if they are willing and/or able to communicate by email for follow-up questions. This could save a lot of time if clarification is needed or a follow-up question arises.
