By Lucas Elias
Getting the best care for you and your family means taking an active role in the process. Find a family doctor and know how to communicate with medical professionals and office staff. We have 7 tips for talking to your family doctor who will improve your overall health care.
Talk to your doctor
This might sound like common sense, it’s important to share information that you can with your doctor, even if it’s embarrassing. Hospitals often provide the following information during the exam:
• Whatever symptoms you have
• History of your health. It is said that keeping “health journals” is a good idea. This is something you can bring to an appointment because it is often difficult to remember everything you have done.
• Be prepared to share personal information such as feeling stressed or if you experience living events.
• Bring whatever medication you are taking. That way you don’t have to remember the names of medicines and how much power they contain.
• Every vitamin or supplement you take
• X-rays, test results or medical records that you have.
Ask a lot of questions
There are no stupid questions when dealing with your health. Doctors say that they want to have too much information then have too little. Get the habit of asking every time you don’t understand anything. Even they write before you go to your appointment.
Set the destination for conversation
Even before discussing with your doctor, it is said that it is best to think about the results. Diagnosing and caring for your illness requires time so put your worries on the table and work with your doctor to determine the plan to overcome this problem will be the best.
Save information at home
The information provided to you by doctors and nurses must be saved where you can get there if there are questions about your health. Your doctor is an accurate source of information that you can trust. If you are unsure of written instructions, bring tape recording. Ask your doctor if it’s okay to record your appointment.
Follow-up, follow up, follow up
Many people often feel they burden the doctor when they want to share how they are in their care. If you are confused or forget information, it’s okay to contact your doctor. It is said that waiting can only make your disease worse if you feel sick.
Doctors cannot read your mind
Don’t consider your family doctor who has seen you more than a few times to know exactly what is wrong all the time. Always willing to share as much as you can, even after you become very comfortable with a doctor.
Bring someone to make an appointment
Always helps to have the second ear. They might also think of questions or remember the details you have forgotten.
