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Understanding Healthcare
Preparing for Doctor’s Appointments
Preparing for Doctor’s Appointments“Hi, how can I help you?” – Nurse“Hi, I’m checking in.” – Patient“Sure would you sign in and then you can have a seat.” – NurseOne of the keys to good self-care is making and keeping all of your recommended healthcare appointments.Depending on your condition, you may have more than one healthcare provider and you may have manyappointments. To get the most out of every appointment, be prepared before you go.Begin by keeping a journal handy to write down any questions or concerns you may have between visits. Then,before your appointment, make a list of the most important questions you want answers to, or the ones that applyto this specific healthcare visit.At the beginning of your appointment share this list with your healthcare provider so you have time to discuss eachconcern while you’re there.If you have been experiencing symptoms, side effects from any medications or just feel different than normal, don’tbe afraid to tell your healthcare provider. They are there to help. But be prepared to answer their questions.They may ask questions like:When did you start feeling this way?Have you ever felt this way before?How long does the feeling last?What makes it better or worse?Have you changed anything in the way you eat or exercise that could be causing this?Are you taking any new medications?What do you think could be causing you to feel this way?They are trying to get to the reason you are feeling a certain way in order to solve the problem. Help them withhonesty and communication.Also remember to bring a current list of the medications you take and their doses. If this is too difficult, bring thebottles with you. And don’t forget to include vitamins and herbal supplements. Your doctor needs to know abouteverything you take for your overall health and safety.During your healthcare visit your doctor may give you a lot of information. She may talk to you about how toPage 1 of 2This program is for informational purposes only. Publisher disclaims all guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness,or suitability of this video for medical decision making. For all health related issues please contact your healthcare provider.HCGN1023298 EN PreparingForDoctorsAppointments.pdf© The Wellness NetworkPreparing for Doctor’s Appointmentsmanage your condition, symptoms and side effects, tests, treatments, medications, referrals and follow-upappointments.This can get overwhelming but be open to making changes to improve your health. Make sure you understandeverything your doctor is telling you or where to go for more resources. Ask them to repeat the information foryou. Your notebook or journal will be a handy tool at appointments, so you can write down all of this hard toremember information, so you have it later.Chances are you will have more than one healthcare provider working together as a team to ensure all of yourhealth problems are being managed. Make sure they communicate with each other and send all of their reportsto your primary care provider, so she has a complete picture of your overall health and can get you thetreatment you need.As an active self-care manager, doctor’s appointments are important to your day to day healthcare needs as wellas to your long-term health goals. To get the most out of each visit, be prepared.Write a list of questions before you go. Be honest and open about how you feel. Bring a current list of all yourmedications with you. Write down information and instructions. And make sure your healthcare team sends allinformation to your primary care provider.With a little preparation beforehand, you can make sure you give and receive all of the information you need ateach healthcare visit in order to take an active role in managing your own health every day.Page 2 of 2This program is for informational purposes only. Publisher disclaims all guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness,or suitability of this video for medical decision making. For all health related issues please contact your healthcare provider.HCGN1023298 EN PreparingForDoctorsAppointments.pdf© The Wellness Network
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