Tips to get the most out of your next doctor’s visit

You’re busy – and it’s quite likely your doctor is as well. How can you be sure to make the most of a visit with a primary care provider or a specialist?

“We always want patients to leave an appointment feeling like their concerns have been heard and they’re comfortable about whatever they have to do next,” said Linda F. Habeeb, MD, FACP, an internal medicine physician who practices in Sandwich.

Here are some of Dr. Habeeb’s tips to make your next doctor’s visit successful:

Take a few minutes to relax before the appointment. Listen to some calming music or do a short deep-breathing meditation. “Some patients, unfortunately, have had negative interaction with the medical system or are just anxious by nature, so they should use whatever healthy coping skills they have learned to try to relax before the visit,” she said. “Hopefully the clinician can sense when someone is out of their comfort zone and knows how to put them more at ease.”

Come prepared with a short list of questions and concerns. “People always come in with their own agendas and questions that they want to have answered. I always find it helpful to address that at the beginning of the visit, so we know how to best utilize our time. Sometimes my agenda and their agenda don't match, and it's a juggling act.
“The patient wants to be heard, which is very important, but sometimes with a limited amount of time we have to prioritize chest pain symptoms over a bad toenail.”

Feel free to jot down a few notes but don’t overdo it. “Something I learned from teachers, several of whom I have as my patients, is that when you put something in writing, it’s very powerful. But I sometimes tell patients that taking notes can be distracting because if they get a bit too focused on trying to write everything down, they'll miss some of the verbal and nonverbal communication. I reassure them that the key take-home points will be printed at the front desk and that in 24 hours the note will be printed on the MyChart, so they'll have it electronically as well.”

It's okay to bring a family member or a friend. “I always feel the patient is in the driver’s seat and if that makes them more comfortable, absolutely. If it's critical news, it's well-known in the medical literature that patients may hear the first word or two or hear ‘cancer’ and they don't hear anything else. Having that other set of eyes and ears is very helpful to reinforce the message and be a support for the patient.”

Write some quick notes after the appointment. “Before you head home or back to work, sit in the waiting area or in your car and review the appointment while everything’s still fresh in your mind.”

Don’t hesitate to reach out with follow-up questions. “I’m always going to encourage that, if it helps the patient. I often encourage them to visit reputable websites to learn about a new medication. Take your time to digest the material. I want them to be comfortable with any decisions. Any non-urgent questions can be communicated through the MyChart and my clinical staff and I can respond, or they can call the office. I always like to have that open-door policy on something if they’re just not comfortable.

“Having done this a long time, I always say that there is no such thing as a dumb question. There are a lot of clinical studies that show that if a patient doesn't understand what they’ve heard, they’re not going to be successful in following through with the plan. They need to feel comfortable in order to be compliant. I can have the most brilliant plan in the world as a doctor, but if the patient’s not comfortable executing it or is not clear on how to execute it properly, it’s not going to be successful.”