The Not To Do’s on a Doctor’s Visit

  • Author Arpita Banerjee
  • Published April 17, 2012
  • Word count 667

There are a few things that people do on a medical visit, which sabotages their own care. Health care providers opine that, a doctor-patient relationship is like a business partnership and both need to work together. There should be trust and willingness from both the sides to make it successful. An interview conducted by CNN with specialists of various disciplines, suggested that there are many things that patients do which interrupts the treatment or the medical procedure. Here are a few things to keep in mind that you shouldn’t do while or after your visit to the doctor.

  1. Don’t talk on your phone: It’s ok to catch up on your calls or messages while you are waiting for your turn at the doctor’s waiting room, but don’t use your phone in the middle of a session or while lying on the examination table. It’s definitely not advisable, after all your health is of prime importance.

  2. Don’t lie: The whole essence of a treatment can go wrong if a patient lies or hides necessary facts from his doctor. A lot depends on your lifestyle, smoking or drinking habit, ongoing medication or past ailments. It is always better to keep your specialist informed in order to get the accurate medical analysis and cure.

  3. Don’t say it right: It is important that you give precise information describing your problem or pain in order to get the right diagnosis. Giving vague descriptions about your pain doesn’t helps in deducing the problem. Know the exact location, the intensity or the duration of pain, these things help in better and faster analysis.

  4. Don’t give the right reason for your visit: If you have an irritation in eye, your ear pains or you have an excruciating stomach-ache, state all these concerns in the beginning of the visit. Doing this, will help the doc to plan the appointment effectively.

  5. Don’t know what to expect: If you are expecting to find a solution for your ear pain or that headache, then please say it. The health specialist will explain if your expectations are real and can be met at that instant or not. If you don’t communicate your hopes or anticipations to your health care specialist, then how can he/she address them?

  6. Don’t be ignorant about your ongoing medications: It is important you inform your medic about the medication you are actually taking. Don’t hide any fact if you are taking any herbal, antibiotics, supplements or any other prescription drugs. If you don’t remember, then just get the list, prescription or medicine foil.

  7. Don’t leave with unspoken doubts, concerns or queries: If you leave with without clearing your concerns or queries then your visit wouldn’t be considered satisfying. Clear your doubts even if you feel the doctor is in a hurry.

  8. Don’t forget your past medical reports or records: It is important that you carry those copies of X-rays or MIR reports on your next visit to the physician. Also it is important to get the last prescription to the visit in order to assess the effect or requirement of change of any medicine.

  9. Don’t be scared to say no: If you find a medication too costly or can’t take, then say it rather than nodding your head. The doctor would immediately find an alternative.

  10. Don’t do as the Doc say: When you don’t do as your physician says, then there’s no point of the whole procedure. You should listen to your doc and execute accordingly. Though when you don’t comply with the treatment plan, just tell so to the doctor instead of keeping him in dark and assuming that the treatment failed.

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