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How to Prepare for a Doctor's Appointment

Visiting a Physician Requires Preparation

Nov 14, 2009 Michelle L Devon

Visiting a doctor can make you nervous, so it's easy to forget the things you need to know and do. This article can help you prepare for a visit to the doctor.

Before visiting a doctor for a health issue, injury or accident, it's important to prepare for the doctor's visit. There are certain pieces of information the physician will need to acquire from you in order to properly diagnose, treat or refer you to the appropriate medical care. There are also questions you'll want to ask.

Before Calling for an Appointment

When you call to make an appointment with a doctor, it's important to know whether your condition is serious and needs immediate attention, if it can wait a few days, or if it's only a checkup and scheduling it out a few weeks might be acceptable. If the condition is life threatening, your doctor will likely advise you to seek emergency treatment, either at an emergency room or at a minor emergency clinic and then follow up with your primary care physician.

Don't sugar-coat your condition if it is really serious, but also don't overstate the danger to try to get a faster appointment. Think about how you would feel if you had an emergency situation and someone else told the doctor that their less serious condition is more serious in order to bump you out of your spot when you need medical attention faster. Be truthful both to yourself and your doctor about how serious you believe your condition to be and be willing to wait for the quality health care you need if your condition will allow you to wait.

Prepare for the Doctor's Appointment

If this is your first time seeing a new doctor, you'll want to arrive at least 15 minutes prior to your appointment, so you can fill out the new patient paperwork. If you are unable to fill out this paperwork due to illness or injury, ask someone to go with you who can assist. If you are nervous or worried, it's okay to let someone else go with you, even into the examining room if that's what you want.

The paperwork will ask for information about your past medical history. Some of the information might feel personal, such as when your last menstrual period was, how frequently you defecate, and information about pregnancies for women. This information isn't meant to pry into your personal life, but rather is required information meant to determine certain things that have happened to your body and its current state of health.

Make a List of Questions

If you're experiencing medical problems, you've probably done some research on the internet and that has likely led to questions. Write down those questions. It's frustrating to pay to go to a doctor and think you asked everything you wanted, only to come home and remember something you wished you had asked. Write down questions as you think of them and take the list to the doctor with you.

Make a List of Symptoms or Problems

If you're experiencing symptoms of a problem, write those symptoms down. Don't assume a problem isn't important or isn't related. Some of the simplest things are symptoms of a much larger problem. Whatever symptoms you experience, write them down to prepare for your doctor's appointment.

Write Down All Medication

You'll want to write down a list of all medications you've taken recently or are currently taking. This medication list should include the dosage, frequency and name of the medication.

Write Down All Supplements and Vitamins

Don't think supplements aren't important. Many interact with medication your doctor might prescribe. Even if you don't think it's significant, you should write it down just in case. Vitamins, even something you think is as simple as vitamin C, should be written down and shared with the doctor.

Go to the Appointment

Once you have all the information, it's time to go to the doctor's appointment and use it. Ask questions, both the ones you had before the appointment and anything new the doctor might discuss with you at the appointment that concerns you.

Lastly, be certain to go to any follow up appointments you might have so the doctor can determine if the suggestions and/or medication prescribed are working or see how well you are healing.

The copyright of the article How to Prepare for a Doctor's Appointment in General Medicine is owned by Michelle L Devon. Permission to republish How to Prepare for a Doctor's Appointment in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Physician's Symbol