5 tips for claiming a more active role with your doctor

September 14, 2016

5 tips for doctor visit

[column md=”6″]Be prepared for your doctor’s appointment. Sounds simple. In practice, it isn’t always easy.

You feel nervous, rushed. Your doctor orders a test you weren’t expecting. How can you maximize your time with your physician and improve your quality of care?

The federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality offers practical tips to help patients become more involved in their own health care. Top tips include:

  1. Bring or create a list of the medicines you are taking. This includes not only prescription medications but also non-prescription meds, vitamins and supplements.
  2. Write down your questions. Tell your doctor you’d like to go through your list.
  3. If you need a test, find out why it is necessary, how it will be done, what you need to do to prepare, how it will feel, when and how you will get the results.
  4. After the appointment, if you don’t understand or can’t remember the doctor’s instructions, call the office back.
  5. Call the doctor right away if your symptoms become worse or if you have problems with a newly prescribed medication.

Share tips from your own experience with other consumers at https://voicesforaffordablehealth.com/share-your-voice/.[/column]