It is important to take an active role in your health care with your primary care provider (family doctor or nurse practitioner) to enhance the quality of your care and ensure you are on the same page. Consider these tips to get the most out of your time together.
Before your appointment:
Prepare your questions: write down any questions or concerns you have beforehand. This helps you remember everything you want to discuss and prioritize the most important issues.
List of your medications: While your primary care provider might have a list of your medications on file, you might be seeing more than one doctor or some items may not be included. This information can prevent interactions with any new treatment or medications.
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Share any NEW medications your specialist may have prescribed. Be sure to include the dosage and the times of day you take them.
Update your family’s medical history: Your family’s medical history can provide useful insight on your risk for certain diseases or conditions, such as cancer, stroke or heart disease.
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Share any NEW health issues in your family.
Be on time: arrive 5-10 minutes early to complete any screening questions or paperwork.
During your appointment
Be honest about your medical concerns and health issues: share all health concerns, even if they seem minor or embarrassing. Some topics are sensitive, but they are still important.
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Share all information with your primary care provider including depression, anxiety, sexual dysfunction, financial instability or a spouse who is not supportive of your health goals.
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Be honest about your smoking, vaping, cannabis or other drugs, and alcohol consumption.
Stay focused: ensure you focus on one concern at a time and prioritize the most important issues. It is also important to know that not all your concerns can be addressed in a single appointment, health concerns take time to explore. You may need to book multiple visits to address all your concerns.
Ask for clarification: if you do not understand something, ask for an explanation. It is very important that you understand your health and treatment plan.
Take Notes: Write down important information and instructions from your primary care provider.
After Your Appointment
Follow-up: make sure you book any necessary follow-up appointments. Ensure you follow through with the treatment plan you and your primary care provider discussed.
Monitor your health: keep track of any changes in your symptoms or side effects from medications. If you start to feel worse or if you have problems with your medications, book a follow-up appointment with your primary care provider.
