Doctor's offices are intimidating to most people, and many times people will do everything in their power to avoid them. If you enter with confidence and remember that YOU control your healthcare needs, it will give you a great advantage in your pursuit of health.
Preparation for a symptom driven doctor visit:
Doctors are very hardworking, busy creatures, and often a bit rushed due to their case load, here are some tips to get the most out of your 5-15 minute visit.
1.Make a list of everything you want to discuss, ie. ear aches, pain in the joints, frequent urination, dizzy spells, insomnia, unexpected weight gain/loss, fatigue, blurred vision, strange cough, allergies-whatever ails you. This can cut down on the number of times you need to see your doctor every year. We often forget certain ailments because of the apprehension and anxiety that goes along with seeing our doctors.
2.Keep a list of your medications, dosage, and how many times daily the medication is taken, in your wallet. This is not only a good practice for doctor's visits, but in case of emergencies as well. (It also saves time when filling out the forms prior to entering the exam room)
3.As the problems on your list are addressed, cross them off of your list.
4.Allergic? List your allergies on the back of your medication list, this will help ensure that you do not receive a prescription that will create an interaction or allergic reaction.
5. Be firm. You know your body better than anyone. If you have had bad experiences with codeine, for example, ask your doctor if the prescription he/she is writing for you contains this element.
6. Don't let them dodge an issue that is important to you. If you have a concern about something that is not their specialty, ask for a referral, or a "pre-auth", this can help get you into a specialist faster, and can, in many cases, reduce your out of pocket expense.
7.If the doctor is disparaging, condescending, or refuses to listen to your concerns, ask for the clinic manager. If the clinic manager does not assist you, inform them that you will address your concerns with the AMA.
8.Do your research. Web MD is a great resource. It is not intended to diagnose, but if all of your symptoms match a certain ailment, you can save you and your doctor time by asking him/her to rule out that ailment. Make a list of possibilities.
9. If time runs out, return to the receptionist and make another appointment. Follow-up appointments are usually easier to get while still at the office, as opposed to calling in later.
10. Many clinics hold a certain number of "crucial" appointment slots open. For example, if you feel that you have strep throat, and don't want to go to urgent care, try calling your doctor's office early in the morning, just as they open. This will give you an advantage in getting one of these most coveted same day appointments. If your doctor isn't available, ask if there are any other doctors in the clinic with open appointments. Most clinics are on an EMR (Electronic Medical Record) system, and therefore, a different doctor can pull up your medical history with the click of the mouse. If nothing is available, then suck it up and go to Urgent Care.*IMPORTANT: if your symptoms are frightening, chest pains, etc, don't pass go, call 911 or go to the ER.
11. Need help on how to address your doctor, or to determine whether a visit is necessary? You can call a nurse line. Most states have 24 hour nurse hotlines (which I will list in a future blog).
12. Don't be afraid, they work for YOU.
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