How to talk to your doctor final

HOW TO TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR

Your Relationship With Your Doctor
Your relationship with your doctor, including how well you talk with each other, affects your care
A good relationship — where you and your doctor share information and work together to make the best decisions about your health — will result in the best care.
HOW ?

Be Prepared
The best way to make the most of your limited time is to come to your appointment prepared:
Write down all the questions
Make and bring a list of symptoms. You might want to research your condition at the library or on the Internet
Bring a list of all the medicines you take.
Arrive early
Bring your medical records/
insurance details

TESTS
Must I have tests?
What tests do I need and why?
What do the tests involve?
How do I prepare for the tests?
When will I know the test results?
Will my insurance cover the cost of the tests?
Will I have to take the tests again?

TREATMENT
What are my treatment choices?
What are the benefits and risks of each treatment?
What are the side effects?
How good is each treatment?
Which treatment is most common for my condition?
What do I do if treatment fails?

MEDICATION
What kind of medication(s) must I take? For how long?
What does the drug do? Will there be any side effects?
What should I do if I have side effects?
Can I take a generic version of the drug?
Will the medicine interact with any I am already taking?
Should I avoid any kind of food or activity while taking this medicine?

FOLLOW-UP
Do I need to see a specialist?
Should I get a second opinion?
Do I need a follow-up visit?

DON'T WITHHOLD INFORMATION
The more information you share, the better the doctor will be able to figure out what's wrong and how to treat you.
Don't make the doctor guess.

BRING SOMEONE WITH YOU
A companion also could help you relax, remind you of questions you forgot to ask, and help you remember what the doctor said

FOLLOW UP
You might forget to ask a question, even if you wrote it down - or if you think of a new question, call the office right away
If the doctor wants you to come back for a follow up visit, be sure to set and keep the appointment.

SPEAK UP
If you don't understand what the doctor is telling you, ask him or her to explain it again.
Don't be embarrassed or ashamed to bring up sensitive topics.

To Tell My Doctor
My History
I am here today, because………
I first noticed it when I was at …….. doing ….. on ……….
It is (describe) ……………..
It happened before in …..........

About your problem
What’s wrong with me
How do you know
What caused this problem

To Tell My Doctor
My History
I also have …….
Relatives who have similar problems are …
The medications I am taking are …….
I am allergic to ………

To Tell My Doctor
My Feelings
I feel this is because of ………
I am worried that ………
I would like you to …….

Your Doctor Cannot Read Your Mind !
The More Organized You Are,
The Easier It Is for Him To Help You !

How to talk to your doctor final

by Health Education Library for People on Jun 18, 2011

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