What should I bring to a doctor's appointment?
Your consultation with the doctor is a valuable asset. In order for your doctor to be able to help as much as possible, you should prepare the consultation in advance. For a medical consultation, you should gather:
- a list of your symptoms
- a list of all the medication you're taking and its doses, even medications or supplements that don't need a prescription
- all of your tests, especially if they are recent; let your doctor decide whether or not you need to evaluate these tests
- all of your hospitalization or surgery reports; don't assume that the doctor has access to all of your previous data
In a routine appointment, what kind of questions can I ask the doctor?
- How's my health?
- What can I do to improve my health?
- Do I need to have a screening test?
- What are the risks of the exam?
- How will the test result influence my health?
- How much does the exam cost?
- Where can I book the exam? How long does it take to get booked?
- How long does it take for the exam to be taken?
- Are there any specific instructions for the exam (e.g. fasting)?
- Will I have any pain? Do I need anesthesia?
- Do I need to stop some of my medications for this test?
- If I need to miss work, how can I justify the absence?
- Should I bring a companion to take care of me next?
- How often should I repeat this test?
- Do I need to make another appointment? If so, how soon?
- Do I need a referral to a specialist or other healthcare professional?
What kind of questions can be asked by the doctor?
- Are there any new symptoms that are worrying you?
- Have you been admitted to the hospital or visited the Emergency Department since your last appointment?
- Can you tell me about your family situation and lifestyle?
- Who do you live with?
- What is your job?
- Do you exercise?
- What is your diet like?
- Smoke?
- Do you drink alcohol?
- Do you take any kind of drugs?
- Do you regularly measure your blood pressure?
- Do you have any known medical problems or diagnoses?
- Have you had any operations in the past?
- Is there a family tendency to disease in your parents, siblings or children?
- Have you had any allergies or reactions to anything, especially medications?
- What medication are you taking?
- How are you feeling about the medications you are taking?
- Since your last appointment, have you changed any prescription or over-the-counter medications or supplements, such as vitamins?
- Do you have previous exams with you?
What if the query is for a specific problem?
If your appointment is scheduled for a specific problem, your questions may focus more on the health topic in question:
- Why do I feel this way?
- What is most likely to have caused these symptoms?
- Could it be something else?
- Is what I have contagious?
- Can I pass this disease on to my children?
- How long will it take me to get better?
- Do I need to take any exams?
- What are the risks of the exam?
- How will the test result influence my health?
- How much does the exam cost?
- Where can I book the exam? How long does it take to get booked?
- How long does it take for the exam to be taken?
- Are there any specific instructions for the exam (e.g. fasting)?
- Will I have any pain? Do I need anesthesia?
- Do I need to stop some of my medications for this test?
- If I need to miss work, how can I justify the absence?
- Should I bring a companion to take care of me next?
- Do I need a consultation with another specialty?
- How long will it take to get an appointment?
- Do I need to go to this appointment or is a teleconsultation between doctors feasible?
- Do I need any medication?
- What does the medicine do?
- How often should I take it?
- How long should I take?
- Should I take it before or after a meal?
- What are the possible side effects?
- Can this medicine interfere with other medicines I am taking?
- What can happen if you don't take the medicine?
- How much can the medicine cost me?
- If this medication is chronic, can I renew this medication online in the Citizen's Area?
- Do I need any surgery or other treatment?
- What are the risks and benefits of this treatment?
- How likely is this treatment to work?
- Are there other options available?
- What can happen if we do nothing?
- Where can I book? How long does it take to get booked?
- How long will the surgery or treatment last?
- Will I have any pain? Do I need anesthesia?
- Do I need to stop some of my medications?
- Do I need to stay in the hospital for a while?
- If I need to miss work, how can I justify the absence?
- Should I bring a companion to take care of me next?
- How much can it cost me?
- What other precautions should I take to improve my problem in terms of diet or physical activity?
- Do I need to be on sick leave? How can I renew my sick leave?
- Where can I get more information and support?
- Do I need to make another appointment? If so, how soon?
- Can I send results in another way, such as by email?
- What should I do if my symptoms get worse before the next appointment?
In this case, what kind of questions can the doctor ask?
If your appointment was scheduled for a specific problem, the doctor's questions may focus more on the health topic in question:
- Can you describe your symptoms?
- How long have you had these symptoms?
- How is this affecting your day-to-day life?
- Is there anything that improves symptoms?
- Is there anything that makes the symptoms worse?
- Have you had these symptoms in the past? What was the treatment you underwent?
- Have you taken any exams?
- Have you started any medications?
- What worries you most about this situation?
- Do you have another known medical problem or diagnosis?
- Have you had any operations in the past?
- Is there a family tendency to disease in your parents, siblings or children?
- Have you had any allergies or reactions to anything, especially medications?
- What medication are you taking?
Source: Ministry of Health Shared Services (SPMS)