How can I get the most out of my health care visit?

At some point in your future, you will need to access the health care system and interact with a health care provider. This could include seeing a medical doctor (MD or DO), a nurse practitioner (NP), physician's assistant (PA), a physical therapist (PT), a Chiropractor, or other professionals who provide some kind of health care service. The following are a few tips to assist you in making this interaction as safe and helpful as possible.

1. It is best to be prepared to present your story or problem. Many health care visits are for a limited amount of time (generally 15 to 20 minutes). So to make the best use of this limited time, go to the visit with your symptoms, problems, and concerns organized and prioritized. If you have more than one problem, it is best to discuss the most important or concerning problem first because you may have only enough time to deal with one problem and may be asked to reschedule to deal with any others. The other alternative is to ask for an extended appointment when making the appointment. Information you may be asked to give about any problems are: specific symptoms, when and how often they occur, severity of the symptom(s), and any triggering factors or associated events. Be as specific as possible. Also, make sure the health care provider knows all the medications you are taking including birth control medications, vitamins, supplements, herbals, and any other non- prescription medicines. Tell them if you have ever had any reaction or side effect to any medication in the past.
2. Go with a list of questions you would like answers to concerning your problem(s). With the anxiety of being in a medical exam room, and if the health care provider is rushed, you may forget questions you had or get off track. It is a good idea to write down on paper important symptoms, information, and questions to keep handy during the visit.
3. Make sure you know and understand the diagnosis and treatment plan being given to you before the health care provider concludes the visit. The following are particularly important:

• Know the diagnosis (what the health care provider thinks the problem is).
• Know the name and directions for all medications that are prescribed for you.
• Follow all directions as given.
• Don't share prescription medications (others may have reactions to medications not specifically prescribed for them).
• Don't take expired medications (most just lose potency when they've expired, but some can harm you if taken after they have expired).
• Keep medications in a safe place, especially if children are around (don't count on the childproof caps always keeping kids out of medicine bottles).

You have rights as a patient and health care consumer. These rights include: safe, quality care; respectful treatment; informed consent before any medical procedure is performed on you; access to your medical records; and the right to a second opinion. Hopefully, you will not have to use the health care system very often, but if you do need to access it, this information will help to insure a successful and safe outcome for you.

Written by: Harry McDermott, M.D., M.P.H., Executive Director for Health & Wellness and Director of the Campus Health Service