Communicating well with your doctor
Description
Having a good relationship with your doctor and other health care providers will help you feel good about the care you receive. It will also lead to better care.
Good communication is a key to a good relationship with your providers. You and your doctor must be able to easily share information, questions, and concerns.
You are a member of your health care team. You may be the only one who knows some things that will help your doctor get a good picture of your health, symptoms, and beliefs about your health care.
Keep your doctor informed
Let your doctor know the reason for your visit, and be open when you talk about your health.
Tell your doctor about a symptom you are having, a medicine, vitamin, or herb you are taking, or a treatment you had in the past. Any of these may not seem important to you, but they may help your doctor diagnose a condition or advise you to have a certain treatment.
Remember, you likely know more about your symptoms and health history than anyone else. Your doctors and nurses will depend on you to fill in the gaps. If they do not ask you about something you think is important, tell them about it.
You are helping both yourself and your providers when you let them know about a symptom or problem.
Prepare for your appointment with your doctor. Bring with you:
- A list of all the medicines, herbs, vitamins, and supplements you are taking. Include how often you take them and what doses you take. If you can, bring them with you.
- Medical reports or x-rays from other medical care you have had, if your doctor does not know about them or has not seen the results.
Keep yourself informed
Make sure you understand all the information and advice your doctor gives you. If you do not understand something, ask about it. Remember, you are an important part of your health care team. It is so important that you have a good relationship with your surgical team. Don't be afraid to ask questions. You may find that you will hear some things that you would rather not hear. They likely will ask you to make some changes, and may ask you to lose weight. They will be counting on you to do those things, in order to have a good outcome from surgery.
You may receive care from more than one provider. It is important for all of them to know your full health history. For instance, tell all of them about:
- Medicines, vitamins, herbs, and other supplements you take
- Treatments you have had in the past
- Other treatments you are receiving now
Having this information will give all of your providers a good picture of your overall health.
Before you see your doctor, think about your symptoms, problems, or questions. Bring a list of them with you. Write them down as you think of them in the days or weeks before your appointment.
Tips for your appointment:
- If your doctor or nurse is talking too fast or using words you do not understand, ask them to explain.
- Ask your doctor to draw or show you pictures about your condition or treatment.
- Write down notes, or bring someone to take notes for you.
- If you need more time, but your doctor must go, ask if there is someone else you can talk with. There may be a nurse or physician's assistant who can spend more time with you.
Reviewed By: John E. Meilahn, MD, Bariatric Surgery, Chestnut Hill Surgical Associates, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
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