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How
To Talk With Your Doctor And Get Results
Author: Cecelia Poole RN, BSN
Read this article and you'll learn tips from a nurse who has worked in private practices, clinics, rural, and academic
hospitals about how to get the most out of a doctor visit.
1. Appointment. If something is seriously wrong, BE CLEAR! Tell
them if you need to be seen sooner than offered-you'll probably
be surprised, (if you have a real need). Still not satisfied? -
Ask the scheduler to check with the nurse or doctor. Arrive
early: don't be late. (Inside scoop -never told to patients -it
is not uncommon to schedule two patients at a time, the earliest
gets seen first). Avoid backlog by opting for the first
appointment of the day, or the first one after lunch.
2. Limit your chief complaint. Try to limit your reason to
be
seen to one issue; tell the appointment scheduler if you intend
to discuss issues requiring more time. Don't try to discuss
family planning or a cholesterol treatment plan when they've
scheduled a brief time for your chief complaint of a sore
throat.
3. Be your own detective: identify what is amiss. Be specific
about what you perceive in your body and what evidence you have
that something is wrong. Then, be prepared to state what, where,
when, how long, what makes it worse, what makes it better, if
you have had success treating it and what exact medicines you've
taken. For example, "For three weeks I've had a burning
pain,
right here (pointing to soft space between lower rib cage)
especially after I drink coffee, and it is worse when I lie
down. It feels better for a little while when I eat or take
antacids, and an empty stomach makes it worse." There you
just
saved ten minutes of your allotted time and are more likely to
receive satisfaction.
4. Answer questions mindfully. Don't just agree because it is
asked; physicians purposely throw in red herrings to gather
information. "Does it hurt behind your eyeballs when you
urinate?" a Harvard physician earnestly asks in such
situations.
If "yes," patient reports were usually considered
suspect and
"unreliable historian" was documented in the chart. Be
as clear
and thoughtful as possible about your answers.
5. "What is the plan?" Healthcare providers are
trained to think
ahead. A backup plan should exist for addressing the problem; it
may be a follow-up visit with a more aggressive treatment (if
the first approach doesn't work) or, a referral to a specialist.
Simply put, expect a plan: if it doesn't exist, you are not
getting good care.
That's a little inside scoop on how to have a successful
visit
to your healthcare provider.
About the author:
Cecelia is a registered nurse with years of experience has
worked in private practices, clinics, rural, and academic
hospitals. She is a member of Sigma Theta Tau International
Honor Society of Nursing.
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