Most people don't put much thought into preparing for their visits to the doctor, although a few seniors will wear their Sunday's best - women in their formal dresses and men in suits and ties.
Women often apologize for not shaving their legs (though that doesn't bother doctors at all) and men may not have had time to shower after work (though that may bother us a little).
Doctors are used to seeing you at your worst - when you're midway through the worst flu ever, recovering from major surgery, or throughout a long labour and the delivery of a baby.
Beyond basic grooming, making an appointment or just dropping in, there are a few things you can do to be better prepared for a visit to your doctor.
Let's begin with your list of concerns or your problem list. Because of the constant pressure of time, many doctors hope it's a short list.
To prepare your doctor and the clinic staff for your visit, when booking your appointment, tell the medical office assistant everything that you would like to address during the visit. This will ensure that there is adequate time to deal with your concerns. If there isn't, one or two of your problems may have to be addressed at a separate visit.
Provide your list in point form. Save the complete history of how each problem evolved for your doctor. The medical office assistant is multitasking other duties beyond answering the phone and booking appointments.
One reason for your visit may be to review the results of a recent test or to discuss a visit to a consultant. By informing the staff in advance, they can ensure that the reports are available for your visit.
If something else comes up after booking the appointment, inform the staff when you arrive at the clinic. Again, this is to ensure that there is adequate time to address your concerns and that the doctor has everything needed to attend to your needs.
When you meet with your doctor, take a moment to review your list and agree on the objectives of the day's visit.
The two of you may need to negotiate the agenda for this visit and if more time is needed, a plan for addressing some of the problems at a future appointment can be set.
Finally, while preparing for your medical visit, don't forget to bring a pen and paper. You will need it to write down what you have discussed, the plan of action and any medical terminology new to you.
Dr. Davidicus Wong is a family physician. See his blog at davidicuswong.wordpress.
