Getting What You Need from Your Office Visit
Here’s what we know. Patients get frustrated with office visits because they don’t always feel that they’re being heard. Research confirms that even when the physician asks “What brings you in today?” patients are usually interrupted before they can finish their reason. Where does that leave us?
Let’s take a look from the physician’s perspective. They have a limited amount of time to determine what the problem is, and they’re faced with patients who may take a long time to explain their problem. They may interrupt to ask a question about a symptom. While the physician may ask it with good intentions and think it will save time, it may redirect the patient to somewhere other than their main issue.
Don’t forget that physicians are trained to be problem-solvers. That’s different from being trained to take a healthy person and help them to attain optimal health. They’re trained that when people come to their office, something’s wrong and they need to fix it. Nothing wrong with that approach, but it’s also possible they miss issues during that process.
What can you do? Here are three steps to getting what you need from your office visit:
- Be organized before you go to the office. You’re going to be asked what medications you’re taking and any dietary supplements you’re taking. Write them all down, names and dosages, preferably in a printable document separating prescriptions from supplements. You’ll be asked about other doctors you’ve seen and why, plus any medical tests or procedures you’ve had. Note them on your list. Then write down the most significant symptom or symptoms you have.
- Take control of the visit. If you’re not asked, state as succinctly as possible what’s bothering you. Then answer the questions that are most likely to be asked. When did this begin? How bad is the pain? What have you already tried? You can anticipate questions and be prepared to answer them. If you’re interrupted, there’s nothing wrong with saying, “Please let me finish before I lose my train of thought.” Keep it on point; don’t stray into health issues that aren’t your objective that day.
- When you both decide on a course of action, get a verbal summary and written instructions if necessary. Ask questions. “We’re doing this blood test in order to test whether my blood sugar level is high? Do I have that right?” You want to leave that office with a plan of action. Understand that this visit may not completely resolve your issue until there’s more information to evaluate, but it starts the process. It’s up to you to follow through on what the doctor ordered and the steps you agreed to take.
The Bottom Line
Being healthy—and that includes when you’re not healthy and need to get back to it—requires teamwork. You have to find a way to make your physician listen to you, and you have to be precise in how you talk to him or her; remember they’re scientists at heart.
In my observation, many physicians haven’t been trained to treat patients as human beings. It isn’t that they can’t, it’s just the inherent weakness in their training as problem-solvers. Some doctors will be naturally good at listening and understanding, but it’s probably their personal instincts or experience rather than training.
Understand one thing about this process: you’re the customer and they’re selling their services. Patient satisfaction is becoming an important measure of how healthcare services of all kinds are evaluated. You’re the one in charge. I don’t say this lightly because I know access to healthcare can be challenging in some areas, but if you don’t get the service you need, fire that doctor and find another who will listen to you as a human who needs his or her expertise. Then do your job to be ready to help them do theirs. It’s the only way this crazy system will ever work.
What are you prepared to do today?
Dr. Chet
References: J Gen Intern Med (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-018-4540-5
