Upcoming Doctor’s Appointment? A Doctor Herself Shares What to Do Before, During, and After

FatCamera/E+ via Getty Images

Many people feel some stress or anxiety when they have an upcoming doctor's appointment. Maybe you are worried about a particular symptom or health condition. Or it's your first time at a new clinic. Either way, getting ready for a visit to a healthcare professional can feel challenging. To get the most out of your appointment, it helps to prepare ahead of time. This can improve your visit and your health, and can help alleviate some of that stress.

Before your doctor's appointment

No matter what type of appointment or healthcare professional you're planning to see, below are some helpful ways you can prepare for a visit.

What is most important to you?

First, write down everything you'd like to talk to your healthcare professional about. Then write it down again with the most important things listed first.

Some of these priorities might include:

• A new symptom or concern: These may be physical, emotional, or social. There are no right or wrong priorities on this list. Think about what's most important to you.

• Medication questions or side effects: How do you feel since starting a new medication? Do you have concerns about how to take your medications? Or wonder how well they're working?

• Follow-up on tests or hospital visits: If you've had tests done, or you've been in the hospital or emergency room, you'll want to talk to your healthcare professional about the results and discuss next steps.

• Follow-up on chronic conditions: Conditions like asthma, diabetes, and high blood pressure need regular check-ins with your healthcare professional.

• Health maintenance: You may want to make sure you are on schedule for any routine screening tests. It helps to let the doctor, healthcare professional, and staff know if preventive health is your goal for this visit.

At most clinics, there's a certain amount of time a healthcare professional has for different types of visits. The amount of time you have for a new patient visit or an annual physical will be different from a follow-up appointment or a visit when you're sick. Let the staff know the reason for your appointment when you schedule it.

Know your health history

At every visit, your team will ask if there have been any changes in your health history. So before your visit, write down:

• New symptoms or changes in chronic conditions

• Visits to the hospital or emergency room

• Changes in medication

• Changes in your daily habits, patterns, or social situation

• Health conditions in family members

If you have a chronic condition, bring any logs or diaries. This might include blood pressure readings, blood glucose numbers, food or exercise diaries, or asthma peak flows.

If you are a new patient to the clinic, there will be a longer process to get your full health history. It will be helpful to transfer any previous medical records to your new clinic.

Gather your medications

You may be able to just bring a list of your medications to your visit. But it's useful to bring your medications in their original bottles. Especially if it's your first visit. Or if you take more than one or two medications. That helps your team understand what medicines you take and how you are taking them.

Be sure to bring any vitamins, herbs, or supplements you take as well. And let them know about any allergies or serious side effects to medications.

Cards and forms

Although they may not be needed at every visit, it's good to have certain documents available and on file. These include:

• Health insurance card

• Photo ID

• Healthcare directives, such as a power-of-attorney form or a living will

• Your emergency contacts

• Any other healthcare professionals you see

Support people and devices

You may want to plan to bring a support person along. This person can:

• Help you remember what was said

• Ask questions or advocate on your behalf

• Offer emotional support

It's also important to let the office know in advance if you would like an interpreter. You have the right to receive healthcare in your preferred language. It's not a good idea to use family members or friends as interpreters - especially children.

Also don't forget to bring:

• Glasses or hearing aids

• Any devices or walking aids that help you to get around

• Something to take notes

Finally, if you're having a telemedicine visit, pick a quiet, private space ahead of time. And check your phone or computer to make sure the technology is working.

During the clinic visit

Talk with your healthcare professional about your priorities at the beginning of the visit. They may also have topics they want to address for your health. Getting on the same page about the focus of your time together can make it more productive. You might be able to get most everything done at the same visit. But if your health needs are complex, you may need to return for another visit.

Tips for making sure your questions get answered

It's important to make sure your questions are answered. Don't be afraid to ask for:

• Clarification of medical language. Don't hesitate to ask your healthcare professional what a word or concept means.

• An explanation of risks, benefits, and costs of medications, tests, and procedures

• Recommendations on further educational materials

• A teach-back. When someone explains a condition, medication, or procedure, ask if you can repeat it back in your own words. This helps to make sure you understand and feel comfortable with what you've been told.

• How you can contact your healthcare team to ask questions after your visit

Bringing a support person or advocate can also help make sure your questions get answered. Especially if they know what questions you have beforehand.

Get to know your healthcare team

Most clinics have many staff members. It can be hard to know who's who, especially at first. Each person should introduce themselves, and explain their role in your care. And if they don't, don't be afraid to ask.

People who work in an outpatient healthcare clinic may include:

• Healthcare professionals may be a physician (MD or DO), a nurse practitioner (NP), or a physician's assistant (PA).

• Nursing staff work closely with healthcare professionals to meet your health needs.

• Behavioral health professionals include psychologists (PhD or PsyD), social workers (MSW, LCSW), psychiatrists (MD or DO), and counselors (LPC, LCPC).

• Laboratory technicians draw blood and perform other types of lab tests.

• Front-desk staff will assist you with registration and scheduling appointments.

• Acare coordinator helps with insurance, referrals, or follow up on your health conditions.

• Specialized therapists include physical, occupational, or speech therapists.

• Patient advocates work in various ways to streamline your care inside and outside the clinic.

• Dietitians or nutritionists can help with health conditions like diabetes, cancer, or heart disease.

• Scribes may join your healthcare professional in the room with them to enter notes into the electronic health record.

After your doctor's appointment

It may take some time to process what you've learned at your clinic visit. And it's common to have questions or concerns arise between appointments. After your visit, take some time to:

• Review the printed or electronic summary of your visit.

• Record the dates and times of any upcoming appointments.

• Fill any new prescriptions. Review the instructions for how to take your medications.

• Contact your healthcare team with questions or clarifications. You can do this by phone or through the patient portal in the electronic health record.

• Let the team know about any concerns you may have for your next visit. Your feedback is important. You can make requests about your needs for the clinic space, how the team communicates, and the flow of appointments.

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.