Upland, Pa. - Just as most people would not venture into a business meeting unprepared, neither should a person making a trip to the doctor’s office. Since some visits can amount to a mere matter of minutes, adhering to the old Boy Scout adage “be prepared” can be the difference in making the most of your time with the doctor.

One of the easiest and most sensible ways to prepare for a trip to the doctor’s is to come up with a checklist about what you’d like to discuss with your doctor.

“The patient should have an agenda in mind, including what they would like to address and what they hope to get out of their visit to the doctor,” says Mitchell Kaminski, M.D., chairman of the Department of Family Medicine at Crozer-Chester Medical Center. “If numerous or complicated issues need to be addressed, a checklist is a must.”

In addition to forming a list of current medical problems, keeping a record of your family history can also help shed light on your health – both now and what to look out for in the future.

“Many serious health problems — such as heart disease and cancer — list family history as a risk factor,” says W. James Hart, D.O., chairman of the Department of Family Practice at Delaware County Memorial Hospital. “Knowing your family history can help the physician and the patient shed light on current health concerns, and also paints a clearer picture about what to look out for in the future. The more information about a patient’s family history that is known, the more the patient and the physician can make informed decisions in regard to the patient’s care and preventive wellness.”

Patients should also bring a list of current medications.

“A patient should also bring a list of the medications that they take — including ‘natural’ products and over-the-counter medications — to the visit and show it to their doctor,” Kaminski advises. “Their doctor may be able to photocopy or print out their list of medications during the visit for future reference.”

For some patients, bringing along a close relative or spouse can help make the trip to the doctor a successful one.

“In some cases, it’s helpful for a patient to bring a relative or friend with them to the doctor’s,” says Nelson Ziets, D.O., chief of the Division of Family Medicine at Springfield Hospital. “Elderly patients, patients with Alzheimer’s, patients with a language barrier, or patients with a speech impediment all may benefit from bringing someone with them to their doctor’s appointment. The extra person could help significantly in communication between the doctor and the patient.”

Obviously, good communication is critical to a successful patient-doctor relationship.

“Good communication both ways is critical to having a successful visit with a health care provider,” Kaminski emphasizes. “The patient should be as direct and clear as possible about any concerns. For example, if a provider is recommending a certain test or treatment but the patient feels uncomfortable about it, the patient should say ‘I feel uncomfortable about taking that medication or having that test,’ and then explain why.”

David Kalodner, D.O., chairman of the Department of Family Medicine at Taylor Hospital, also suggests that if the doctor is explaining a particularly complex disease or condition, take notes.

“Remembering what a doctor says, whether it’s advice or a new diagnosis, can sometimes be overwhelming,” Kalodner says. “Taking notes can help keep the information clear and can also give the patient the opportunity to repeat back to the doctor what he or she jotted down to ensure it’s indeed correct.”

Patients should not feel embarrassed by double-checking that they understood what the doctor said during the appointment, or asking for clarification.

“The patient should not hesitate to tell their doctor that they don’t understand something he or she has said,” Kaminski says. “Doctors do not expect patients to understand all medical terminology. But because doctors use medical terminology all day long, they use it with patients automatically and often don’t realize that the patient doesn’t understand what they’ve said.”

And what about those visits that leave the patient less-than-satisfied?

“A patient who is unhappy about their care and shares this with the provider or his/her office staff gives that practice a gift: an opportunity to improve,” Kaminski says. “It gives the provider a chance to develop a deeper working relationship with the patient, and perhaps improve other patients’ experiences in the office based upon the feedback.

“In my experience, there is at least a kernel of truth and opportunity for improvement in the complaints of even the most ‘difficult’ or unreasonable patient,” Kaminski continues. “It is far easier to not go back to a provider or office after a bad experience, and tell 10 friends about the bad experience. But a simple misunderstanding or oversight might cause a patient to leave an office and provider that might have provided a perfect medical home for him or her.”

To find a Crozer-Keystone physician who’s right for you, call 1-800-CK-HEALTH (1-800-254-3258).