6 Tips To Get The Most From Your Doctor’s Appointment

Medivisor: 8.03.2015 by Kathleen Hoffman

Most people would say that going to the doctor is stressful. You’re there because you don’t feel your best; you’re poked with needles and prodded with questions. You’re worried about what the doctor will find and what she will tell you. You’re concerned that you’ll forget to tell your doctor something important or not remember what your doctor has told you at the appointment. And you may be anxious that you won’t understand what she says.

You are not alone. Forgetting to tell your doctor something important, or not remembering what your doctor has told you at an appointment, is common.

There are several reasons behind this common problem.

Health literacy is a term used to describe an extremely complicated skill set that’s needed to understand what is being said in the healthcare setting. Conversational competence, that is, the ability to listen effectively, articulate health concerns and explain symptoms accurately are part of health literacy. Health literacy also encompasses decision-making and analytical abilities like evaluation, analysis and interpretation. Even the ability to locate information and assess its quality is part of the skill set. Finally, mathematical calculations and judging risk are part of health literacy.

Anyone can have low health literacy. Even a physician when put into the position of being a patient can experience a lower level of health literacy. As Peter Morrison of the Literacy Coalition of Central Texas notes, “One of the biggest barriers faced by low health literacy patients is the shame of not understanding. This inhibits question asking and promotes head nodding.”

6 Tips To Give You Confidence

1) List Writing

2) Before the Appointment: Do A Little Research

3) At The Appointment: Don’t Fear Asking Questions

A technique to use at the doctor’s office is called “Ask Me 3”. Before you leave the doctor, you want to be able to answer these three questions.

   1. What is my main problem?
   2. What do I need to do?
   3. Why is it important for me to do this?”

4) Teach Back

5) Leave Embarrassment at Home, It’s Not For The Doctors Office

6) Bring A Friend or Family Member Along

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