On any particular day, a physician typically has approximately 20 patients to see – combined with phone calls, paperwork, as well as other administrative duties. It leaves precious little time spent with each patient, which is the reason why it’s important to optimize that time and make certain you properly comprehend the results of each doctor appointment.
At Independence-4-Seniors Home Care, our caregivers provide transportation and accompaniment for older adults to healthcare appointments, and recommend the following strategy:
Don’t be hesitant to ask questions. With such a time crunch, your doctor may have a tendency to communicate information to you quickly, that’s why it’s your responsibility to hit the pause button to make sure you clearly comprehend everything that’s being explained and to speak up with any questions you have, no matter how tiny or seemingly unimportant you may think they are.
And, prepare ahead for those questions. It can be difficult to absorb everything being shared with you within the couple of minutes spent together with the physician. Creating a list of inquires in advance can help ensure nothing slips through the cracks. Some questions to consider include:
- Exactly what are the long and short term outcomes of my condition?
- What is likely to be the reason for this problem?
- Is there a treatment?
- Where is it possible to obtain further resources?
- Will I need any medical tests?
- Are there any possible adverse effects from those tests?
- When am I going to be given the test results?
- What treatments are out there to help with my health problem?
- What are the likely adverse side effects of the medications?
- What are the lifestyle changes I should look into making?
- Take comprehensive notes. Bring along paper and a pen, or utilize the notes section of your smartphone or tablet, and jot down responses to your questions along with additional information the doctor provides. It can be useful to have a reliable member of the family or professional caregiver on hand throughout the appointment to make sure all things are recorded.
- Include other medical experts. Bear in mind that although the directions provided by the physician are vital, other people involved in the senior’s medical team can offer beneficial insight as well: nurses, pharmacists, physician assistants, dieticians, physical therapists, etc. Follow up with these professionals for added help in carrying out the doctor’s guidelines if warranted.
At Independence-4-Seniors Home Care, we are always here to help older adults through medical appointments and procedures in many ways, as well as to help implement doctors’ recommendations after returning home. We’re able to provide transportation, medication reminders, preparation of meals that are in adherence with any prescribed dietary plan, and many other tasks to ensure optimum health for older adults. Contact us at (630) 323-4665 for more information!