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There are easy, practical things you can do to foster a good working relationship with your doctors and help ensure productive office visits. Given how precious time is and how important these visits are, it is in your best interest to be prepared and stay on topic when you are dealing with your doctors. Here are some ideas to help you.
Medical Records
- Get copies of everything. Even if you are working within one medical institution, ask for copies of everything pertaining to your own health. This includes test results, X-Ray, CT scan and MRI reports, PFTs and so on. Get everything you can. This will come in very handy if you decide to change physicians or see a specialist at a later date.
- Organize your test results and everything else you have in a binder. This saves a lot of time and if your papers are well organized, gives the doctor a lot of good information. Organize your papers in a loose leaf binder under subject tabs such as: PFTs, Scans (MRI, CT), X-Rays, Lab Tests, ABG's etc. File all tests results in date order with the most recent on top. Your doctor can work backward to see trends. Include a page listing all your current medications, doses and time of day you take them. You might include a section on this sheet to show medications you took previously and the date you started and stopped taking the med. Sometimes doctors want to know if you've tried this or that med in the past. Include vitamins, minerals and any other supplements you take. If your doctor wants copies of anything, he/she can open up the binder and remove a page easily. Some people put everything in plastic protector sheets, but since the pages don't get handled that much, this really is not necessary.
- When you obtain copies of your medical records, check them for accuracy. Make sure that the medications, allergies, and conditions are properly listed. Sometimes the transcription service might have made an error, and other times, it might be that doctor has confused one patient with another, resulting in misinformation. If an emergency arises and the ER doctor calls your doctor or the on call doctor, erroneous information in your charts could complicate your situation. If you do find an error in your records, inform your doctor and get copies of the correct records.
- Obtain copies of scans and X-rays too (the actual films). Scans and X-rays sometimes get lost or misfiled so it's a good idea to keep a copy for yourself. Sometimes they will sell you a copy and other times you can "borrow" the film. Some doctors want to see films and others want to see write-ups. If your films are misplaced or tossed in error, you've lost a bit of your medical history that you can NEVER get back.
Doctor Visits
Some doctors will give us as much time as we need, but most are on a tight schedule so we need to be mindful of that. Below you will find some simple things you can do to help ensure a productive meeting.
- Always take your organized medical binder. Place it on the counter and let your doctor know it's available for reference.
- Don't ask "do you think" questions such as "do you think this will help me?" "Do you think I'll feel better if and when…?"
- Doctors, just like everybody else, make snap judgments about people so it's important to make a good impression on your doctor. The first few words out of your mouth will set the tone for the entire visit so do your best to be concise and clear in presenting your problem/issue.
- You will also want to take care in how you frame your problem. If you say, for example, "I think I have another bladder infection", your busy doctor will move along the "bladder infection" path and you may very well walk out with a prescription for a problem you don't have. Instead, tell the doctor about your symptoms and let your doctor put the pieces of the puzzle together.
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Help your doctor keep an open mind when offering his/her opinion. As we all know by now, it's not a simple matter to arrive at the correct diagnosis based on a smattering of symptoms, but you can help your doctor keep an open mind by asking a few questions. Someone who is overweight complaining of shortness of breath might get advice about losing weight when they actually have pulmonary hypertension. In a situation like that, if the patient were to ask "and what else might it be?", the doctor would be encouraged to consider the matter further. Another useful question is "what is the worst thing it could be?"
- Keep your questions medical, but keep in mind that your doctor's job is not to give you a medical school education. You can go to the Internet for general, factual, medical information. Keep your questions pertinent to your situation such as, "How is my cardiac output?"
- Don't hand the doctor anything to read until your discussion is over. If you hand your doctor a piece of paper, he/she will start reading, and his/her focus will no longer be on you and your questions.
- Prepare your questions ahead of time. Have them in writing for your reference. Stay on topic.
- Be an informed patient. With information so readily available on the Internet now, many doctors will assume you are somewhat knowledgeable about your condition. Read as much as possible between appointments and save your questions.
- Take someone with you to your appointments. If you have trouble remembering what is said during your appointments and/or tend to get overwhelmed because there is just too much to remember, bring someone with a clear head who will help you stay focused. Then after the appointment, you can sit down and discuss what was said with your friend or family member. Be sure to introduce your companion to the doctor and explain the purpose of their attendance so your doctor feels free to discuss the details of your medical situation in front of others.
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If you take a friend or family member to your appointments, make sure they know why they are there. If you want them to speak freely to your doctor, let them know. Caution. A well-meaning family member or friend could derail your visit by asking time-wasting questions or offering opinions that might not be helpful so make sure your companion is clear on their role before the doctor enters the room.
- Be truthful. Answer your doctor's questions as honestly as you can. There's no point in misleading your physician even if the truth embarrasses you a little. For example, ff you feel too depressed or s-o-b to exercise, your doctor needs to know that.
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Take care in discussing stress during your doctor visits. If the word "stress" comes up during your office visits, your doctor may discount some of the important things you've had to say. For example, if an anxious, well-meaning husband tells the doctor "I think my wife (the patient in this example) is stressing out over things and that may be part of her problem", your doctor's focus may shift slightly as he/she tries to determine if "stress" is a big problem and might explain some of your symptoms. So, if you are trying to get to the bottom of a thorny problem and want to keep your doctor moving along, don't throw the word "stress" into the equation. It's too easy to chalk things up to stress when nothing else is obvious.
Wallet Information
- While many people with a serious illness wear a medical bracelet, it's also a good idea to carry a fact sheet in your wallet. Attach it to your insurance cards so that it will be found easily. Your fact sheet should contain details about your diagnosis, medications you are taking, doctor's names and contact information, personal contact information and warnings to people who may be unfamiliar with pulmonary hypertension. For example, a sentence or two about the special risks of general anesthesia for people with PH could be a life-saver if emergency surgery is required and you cannot communicate. Also, for those on Flolan, there should be another warning about handling the pump and line. EMTs not familiar with Flolan may try to disengage the pump and that could be disastrous.
| Contributors: |
Shelly Mendoza
Cheryl Switzer
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Note: This feature began in the Tips & Tricks section to help patients work with their doctors. The information was expanded for this feature. To find more helpful Tips and Tricks for living with pulmonary hypertension, VISIT OUR TIPS & TRICKS SECTION.
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