Getting the Most Out of Your Doctor Visits Hood River OR

Introduction

The pace of life is getting faster. Everyone is in a rush and nobody wants to wait for anything; patients do not like to wait and physicians do not like to keep patients waiting. Instead of spending time in the waiting room tapping your foot impatiently, you may be able to better use the time by preparing for the doctor visit. Advanced planning can help you get more out of your visit. There are preparations you can make before each doctor visit that can be organized in a personal healthcare book. Doctors are trained to recognize disease states by the pattern of symptoms the diseases create. If you have prepared for your doctor visit by listing your symptoms, you will be better able to answer your doctor's questions, which can benefit your care.

Doctor Visit Preparation: When You Are Sick

When a doctor visit is the result of an illness, people immediately ask, “What do I have?” In preparing for this type of visit, the patient's goal should be to help the physician answer that question. Like a detective, the doctor will want to know all sorts of things about your particular illness, such as how, what, when, and where the symptoms are occurring in the body. Preparing outside the office in a less rushed atmosphere allows for better recall. Sit, think, organize, and write down your thoughts to answer the following types of questions.

• How long has it been going on?
• How has it changed over time?
• What was the first thing you noticed?

Copyright 2009 NBC Health

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