7 Ways to Improve Your Doctor's Visit

1) Adopt the Right Attitude

• Your health comes first
• It's more important than fine manners or feeling stupid

2) Take Someone With You!

• For support
• To remember your agenda when your mind goes blank
• To take notes
• As another set of ears: only 10% of medical information is retained

3) List Your "Current Issues"

• List only 2 or 3 problems per visit
• Fill in plenty of details, but be concise
• Aim for 2-3 sentences per problem and 1/2 page total
• Give the list to the doctor's assistant

4) Summarize the Visit

• Repeat back each of the main points before the visit ends
• Allows the doctor to see where further explanation is needed
• Reminds the doctor about points he or she has missed

5) Ask Questions

• Try to ask at least one per visit to encourage flow of information
• But try not to pepper the doctor with questions

6) Take Notes

• Jot down topics to research later
• Write down all unknown words and ask for the correct spelling
• Ask for written material - handouts, pamphlets, etc.

7) Know Your Medical History

• Get records from your doctors, clinics, and hospitals for the last 5 years
• Include a separate list of your medications
• Keep your records updated