Preparing for a doctor’s visit will ensure you get the most out of your visit. Here are a few tips to help you on your next visit to the doctor.
First, bring your insurance card and know how much your copay is or if you have one at all. The copay information is usually noted on the card itself. If you are a new patient, get there a little early to fill out any paperwork.
Again, if you are a first time patient, be prepared to know a little about what medical and surgical issues you’ve had in the past and any that have been prominent in your family. Bring your medications or a list of them if you take any. Know any medication allergies you might have.
For returning patients with specific issues try your best to describe it. For an ache or pain, for instance, describe the quality (burning, aching, sharp, electric, twisting, crampy), what makes it worse or what makes it go away, how long it lasts, how often it comes, when it happens, what are you doing when it happens. You are the one living in your body so you know best what it feels like. The better you describe it the easier it will be for your doctor to figure out the cause.
If you are coming for an annual physical, make sure you know if your insurance covers it. Some plans do not cover “well visits” for screening tests. The same goes for any vaccines you might want to get, especially those specific for travel. Most blood work for a physical requires fasting of 10 to 12 hours so be prepared if you want to get it done on that day, otherwise wait and fast for the blood work on another day. Also be sure to let your doctor know of any changes in your health since your last visit or about any visits to other doctors. • About Dr. Savant
Podcast music credit: Guy Moon
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