2. Ask questions.
“It’s important to have a notebook and pen to take notes. Write down things that don’t make sense, and ask for clarification,” advises Nurse Alice. You should never leave your visit with any unanswered questions unless you forget and that shouldn’t happen if you follow the previous step. Essentially, you should feel comfortable asking your doctor any questions you have, especially if and when you do not understand something. Not the case? Then it’s time to switch doctors.
3. Do research.
On one hand, it isn’t recommended that patients research their symptoms beforehand because it often leads to them thinking they have some disease that they don’t actually have. On the flip side, it’s a wise idea to do just enough research so that you have something to refer to when speaking with your doctor and so that you can familiarize yourself with certain medical terms related to your symptoms and/or condition. As Nurse Alice explains,”It’s okay to ask your doctors about what you read on the Internet. An important role of the doctor’s which often gets shortchanged is patient education. Your doctor should be able to explain to you what is going on and why what you read on the internet does or does not pertain to you.”