Have you recently seen a doctor, either for the annual exam or for a specific condition? For many people, it is a challenge to remember everything that you need to tell the doctor, such as your medications, your health concerns, etc. However, this information is often asked during the visit and will help the doctor to have a complete picture of your health status. A little preparation will make the process much easier and smoother.
Here is the homework that you need to do to prepare for a doctor visit:
- List your illnesses and/or health concerns. Keep an informal log of your medical conditions, treatment, notes from previous doctor visits, test results, etc. has been highly recommended by primary care doctors, according to a survey among primary care physicians. Be sure to prepare a few questions to the doctor.
- Provide information diseases that run in your family. Family medical history allows doctors to see whether you have a higher-than-usual chance of having common disorders, such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and certain cancers.
- Make a list of your providers and pharmacies. The doctor needs to know what other care you are receiving. It would also be nice to have the contacts of pharmacies and other facilities you received care from.
- Make a list of the medications you are taking. These should include prescription medication, over-the-counter medications, herbal preparations, vitamins, and supplements. You also need to include information on dosage of these medications.
- Monitor your lifestyle, including things like smoking, drinking, physical activity, diet, etc. That information may trigger some important discussion and will help the doctor to give you most helpful advice.
On average, we only have 15 minutes to see the doctor. Getting the necessary information ready before your doctor visit will make your visit more productive. You can create a “Medical Information Sheet” to have the all your medical information on one document.
