Make the Most of Your Doctor Appointment

One way to make sure you are making the most of your precious time with your medical professional is to thoughtfully plan out your interaction before your appointment. 

Before Your Visit

Be prepared with a list of questions. When you schedule your appointment with the office, let your doctor know your symptoms and concerns up front in case more than one appointment is needed. By doing so, the most important issues may addressed first. If there are others involved in you care, feel free to bring them with you.

• Questions to ask your doctor
• Keep a health journal - a great way to capture symptoms, length of duration and critical details about your condition

During Your Visit

Feel free to ask questions or repeat any information you didn't fully understand. Open communication is the key to a successful visit with your doctor.

Questions to ask about your medicines

• What is the medicine for?
• How am I supposed to take it, and for how long?
• What side effects are likely? What do I do if they occur?
• Is this medicine safe to take with other medicines (both prescription and over-the-counter) or dietary supplements I am taking?
• What food, drink or activities should I avoid while taking this medicine?

Following your visit

Before you leave the office or parking lot, write down key issues and make any notes you did not capture previously about your treatment plan.

• Our Multimedia Health Library provides videos on health topics
• www.familydoctor.org is a great resource for other tips and tricks