Fortnightly features' series: Making the most of your doctor's visit

Introduction

 

Except for very complicated and unusual cases, most doctors do not spend more than 10 to 15 minutes with a patient. While they are able to see and treat more patients this way, it may mean compromised time on the specifics and details that you may like. You can minimize any inconveniences and get the most out of your doctor’s visit by being prepared.

 

Before Your Doctor’s Visit

 

Facts Gathering

i. Medications

Prepare a detailed list of any drugs that you may be taking, including prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, herbal remedies and TCM treatments. Remember to note the names and dosages.

 

Tip: If you find it too troublesome, just pack them all into a Ziploc bag and bring them along for your appointment.

 

ii. Recent test results

Search for all X-rays, MRI, CT reports or any other test results that you may have taken recently. Reports (written or digitalized) from your specialists would help in ensuring that the doctor you are visiting would be complementary to what your other doctors are recommending you.

 

 Tip: Include the specialists contact information: phone number, email address, etc, to save time on searching for them if you doctor has an urgent clarification to make.

 

iii. Medical History

This is the part that may seem irrelevant but is absolutely essential. Your doctor needs to know if you’ve had any previous hospitalizations, surgeries, past or chronic illnesses in order to treat you. Do spend some time noting these down even if they are not the reason you are seeing the doctor this time.

 

Your family medical history matters too. A lot of medical conditions run in the family and knowing the genetics can help your doctor predict or contemplate your condition.

 

Tips:

If you have diabetes, bring along your daily log of your blood sugar measurement.

If you have high blood pressure, get a series  of readings at home throughout the day prior to the visit so that your doctor will be able to tell if you have hypertension and a spiked reading is not caused by ‘white coat hypertension’- a situation where blood pressure levels are increased in an anxious patient.

 

Just before the appointment

 

i. Preparing yourself

Call the clinic a day or two in advance to check if you’ll need to fast the day or night before for any possible blood tests that may require an empty stomach. This can really save you another trip to the lab later.

 

Bring along any medical insurance information if you have any to enable efficient reimbursement.

 

ii. Get an ‘appointment buddy’

If you are consulting about a serious or complicated condition, and will need to make decisions about your health, get a family or friend along for the visit to help take notes, ask some questions that you may have missed out, or simply to offer support. However, do consider his/her level of participation, do you want him/her to be around for the physical examination, how sensitive are the information going to be discussed and how you want him/her to support you.

 

ii. Consider your priorities

You must be prepared that the doctor may not spend as much time with you as you would like to, therefore, consider all your priorities beforehand and realistically sieve out the topmost questions or concerns that you may have about your health that you would like your doctor to address. You could make a subsequent appointment or a double booking to ensure that all your concerns are met and explained.

 

 

During the appointment

 

i. Your role and responsibility as patient

 

1. Arrive at the clinic a little earlier as there will usually be forms and history to fill out.

 

2. Questioning: Start asking the most important concerns that you have. Do not be shy to bring up important matters that may be frightening or embarrassing. Your doctor will not be able to provide a satisfactory answer for you if you leave it to the last minute ‘Oh doctor, by the way…’

 

Tip: Always know what to ask when you doctor recommend a particular procedure or treatment. You should find out:

- Why do I need it?

- How is it done?

- What are the risks?

- Are there any alternatives?

- Who will be doing it?

- Where will it be carried out?

- How fast will I get back to normal?

 

3. Recall symptoms: Always be as specific as you can. While your doctor will guide you along, it will be tremendous help to be accurate and descriptive. When did you first feel the pain? Which part of your body is affected? How long does it usually last? Is the pain sharp or dull or a burning quality? The doctor is already forming possible diagnoses in his mind throughout the consultation.

 

ii. Your doctor’s role and responsibility

 

You are entitled to leaving the consultation with the 3 questions answered: What is wrong with me? Why is it happening to me? What are my options and what can I do about it?

 

Sometimes, the doctor may not have a definite answer yet and will require some tests to be ordered and reviewed before he confirms the diagnosis in a follow-up consultation. However, he will have to give you an idea of what he thinks is wrong and advise on possible treatments.

 

A doctor will try to ensure that you can understand what he is saying so that you can make the necessary decision regarding your own health. However, if you are confused or do not understand the medical terms that he had used, do clarify and get him to explain it in simpler terms, pictures or other patient tools. It is your right to understand what is going on in your body.

 

If a certain procedure, treatment regime or prescription drug is recommended, ask about the evidence behind it, the risk, alternatives and cost in order to help you make suitable decisions based on your circumstances.

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