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Making Your Doctor’s Visit Valuable

Making Your Doctor’s Visit Valuable

MedecineGoing to a medical visit is not on most people’s Top 3 “want to do” things. It can be an overwhelming experience, you may be worried about getting bad news and as a result you may become anxious prior to attending. In this situation people may not organise their thoughts and forget crucial pieces of information. This can lead to the consultation may not be as fruitful as you would wish.  

If you are attending a specialist he/she will most likely have the benefit of a referral letter from a primary care doctor. Your primary care doctor does not this advantage so how you provide information is important.
Before you attend
• As soon as you receive an appointment date / time put it in your diary or wherever you will be able to remind yourself. If you cannot attend it is very courteous to let the clinic know- it is very likely there are others waiting for an appointment.
• Make sure that you are clear on the reason you are attending the GP or specialist. If you have been on a long waiting list your symptoms may have changed or new symptoms may have developed. It may be hard to believe but sometimes people can’t remember why they were referred!!!!
• Write out your symptoms- when they started, how often they happen, do they vary in intensity, are there other associated symptoms that you need to mention. Perhaps rehearse in your mind what you need to say.
Your appointment slot may have a specific time allocation so trying to be concise is valuable. Unfortunately not all problems can be resolved in one consultation.
• If you feel that it would be nice to have moral support you might like to bring someone. On the other hand, bear in mind intimate issues may come up that you would prefer to keep between you and your doctor- this particularly happens in areas of women’s / sexual health.
If English is not your first language it is important to work out who will assist with translation; they must translate accurately. Bear in mind the questions asked may be intimate and you may not want a friend or partner to be involved.
• If you have been to another doctor who performed tests that could be relevant make sure to bring copies / results. This can save time in repeating tests.
• Occasionally a family history of serious medical conditions may be relevant.
The Day has Come!
• If you feel there may be a reason for not attending i.e. your period has started, ring and check with a nurse. Many aspects of the consultation can still happen. If you have a condition which could be infectious such as chicken pox or gastroenteritis the clinic might like to change your scheduled slot so let them know.
• A healthcare system cannot be rigid and clinics can run late. This is usually beyond the control of staff- a doctor may have been called to an emergency. A person in an appointment ahead of you may have had a complex problem, required counselling or have become upset.
• If you don’t understand the information being given to you do ask for clarification. It may need to be explained differently, written information may be available to take home and read or a follow up chat with a nurse can help.
• Always be reassured that doctors, nurses and support staff in a medical setting must maintain confidentiality so “what is said in the surgery stays in the surgery”. Sometimes patients choose to keep some facts such as having had fertility treatment or a termination of pregnancy from their doctor. We would recommend telling and discussing how it can be sensitively documented.
• If you are having an intimate examination ask if you would like to have a chaperone.
• As you leave it can be useful to reiterate to your doctor what you think they said.

Back up to your Doctor Consultation
• If you require written information ask about appropriate websites rather than going to random Google searches.
• If surgery or another intervention is recommended it can be reasonable to ask for a “cooling off” period to consider it.

Is a Doctor the only person I will meet?
Nowadays healthcare is regularly provided by a team of staff. Most GP practices have Practice Nurses who are skilled and certified in areas such as smear taking, maternity care or diabetic care. Consultants and Specialists also are supported by Nurse Specialists. Some doctors employs Health Care Assistants and Phlebotomists ( a person who takes blood).

Physiotherapists and dieticians may also be asked to be involved in your care. It does not mean your doctor is abandoning you but rather, that he/she believes another healthcare provider can have a positive input into caring for you.

See Also

So please do not put off going to your doctor because of fear. We are there to help. Good Luck.

*all advice here is general information for advisory purpose only so please consult with your own doctor for full professional advice on your concerns.

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