Maximize Your Visit
Depending on where you live and who you are going to see, many people are waiting weeks, months or sometimes even years to see healthcare providers. Typically, the longest wait is for specialists, although it seems that often now it can take weeks (rather than days as it may have been in the past) to see any type of provider for a non-urgent matter. Regardless of who you’re waiting for, it’s best to spend at least some of that time preparing for your visit - so that when it finally does come around, you can make the most of your appointment time. I have all too often seen people who waited a very long time to see a specialist, only to forget to ask a lot of the things they wanted to and/or felt they were dismissed without having their problem investigated fully. So here’s a few things you can do to help your next visit go a little smoother:
1. Know your symptoms: This seems pretty basic, but you’d be surprised how many people don’t actually pay much attention to how they feel. A fair few people show up to their provider and have a hard time answering any questions about their symptoms. This inhibits the provider’s ability to help and the lack of information can lead to delays in nailing down the right diagnosis. You don’t need to know all the answers, and of course you don’t always know what we might need to ask, but having a good idea of a few basic things can really help your cause: Do you know when it started? Did something happen that might have caused this? What makes it better and what makes it worse? (For pain this might be certain positions, activities or times of the day. For illness/systemic issues this may be times of the day or night, after eating certain foods, during or after exercise etc). Is it generally getting better, worse or staying the same? Do you have any other symptoms that have come on since, or around the same time? Do your symptoms wake you up at night? If you are having difficulty answering these, consider making a symptom diary. This doesn’t need to be a novel, just a few notes each day of what you did and how you felt - then look back and review it. You may be able to find a theme or pattern that you didn’t realize was there. Being able to answer these questions to the best of your ability can make a world of difference in figuring out what might be going on, and determining which tests would be best to order if we need to investigate things further.
2. Do what you can and know what you’ve tried: Though it seems more like a frustrating curse, sometimes the longer wait times can also be a blessing in disguise. Like it or not the delay is there, so we may as well use it to try to give our body the opportunity to heal and perhaps try other treatments (if appropriate). The time and other therapies may help you solve the problem or manage some of your symptoms without needing to progress to more aggressive interventions. It’s important to be seen when things aren’t feeling right, but when you’re stuck in the waiting game, use the opportunity to see what you can do and keep track of how it went. Depending on the situation, perhaps some home-care strategies like rest, ice, heat or gentle exercise may help. You may have already seen other providers and tried some treatments or medications. If you’ve done these things, add them to your list to communicate at your appointment. At the very least knowing what hasn’t worked can also give valuable clues for what might be best to try next!
3. Family history: For a wide variety of reasons we don’t all have insight into the medical history of our family members; but if you are able to ask, knowing about any significant medical conditions that seem prevalent in the family can also be useful information. While there are some exceptions, immediate family members usually hold the most clues. It may be helpful, it may not be, but mention it if relevant and let the docs decide.
4. Get clear on your story and keep it at the forefront: Unfortunately, time can be of the essence at some of these appointments. Practice talking about your problem (using the information you have from the first few steps), in a concise way. It’s important not to leave things out or minimize them, but also don’t wander off into the side stories - you can do that later on, or elaborate more as requested. This helps ensure you get all your important things out. Tell them about your issues first - and your weekend second ;)
5. Research if you can: Educate yourself as best you can. This doesn’t mean waltz into the office with a "Dr. Google” diagnosis and potentially annoy the provider you’ve waiting months to see! But, if you already know who you are seeing or for what procedure, do a little research on those. Keep in mind that they will help you make the decision on what to do and inform you of the risks and benefits, but knowing a bit about who you are seeing or for what can help you feel more at ease and allow you to ask questions that may have come up in your research. If you have a diagnosis already, then it’s possible to research some treatment options and perhaps discuss which may be appropriate for you.
6. Advocate for yourself: Coming prepared by going through the first 5 steps can help set you up to do this very well. Often people feel dismissed because they don’t feel heard - but sometimes that’s because they have a hard time getting out what needs to be said! Try to remain respectful as best you can, but also push to get the answers you need. If you feel dismissed and it seems like a lost cause, then perhaps you need to seek another provider. If the conclusion is that they can’t help you, it may be worth asking what they would recommend you do next or if there is anyone they could suggest to refer you to.
7. Bring your list - and maybe a buddy: For some people, having another set of ears can be helpful, especially if you are anxious or stressed about the appointment. Not everyone is the right one to bring with you though! Bring someone who is respectful and won’t talk over you, but who can advocate for you if needed. They may also ask questions that they know you have and perhaps if you practiced your story with them, they may be able to help you fill in the gaps if you forget to mention something. Buddy or not, bring a list with you. On here should be your main symptoms, the things you don’t want to forget and the questions you want to ask. Nobody says you need to pull it out, but have it with you in case you need it.
Given the long wait times these days, seeing a healthcare provider can sometimes feel like a kid waiting for Santa to come. Try to look forward to your appointment and be optimistic that some answers and guidance will come from it, but also try not to be discouraged if it wasn’t all you had cracked it up to be. There is rarely a magic bullet that will solve all your problems, so go in with an open mind and take what you can from it. If you didn’t get the answers you need, you can always seek another opinion. Interventions and treatment strategies are evolving all the time. Do remember to bring that list though -and check it twice ;)