{"id":35213,"date":"2024-10-16T07:00:08","date_gmt":"2024-10-16T07:00:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/?p=35213"},"modified":"2025-10-08T21:25:08","modified_gmt":"2025-10-08T21:25:08","slug":"how-to-get-the-most-out-of-your-doctors-appointment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/how-to-get-the-most-out-of-your-doctors-appointment\/","title":{"rendered":"How to get the most out of your doctor\u2019s appointment","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"

Have you ever left a medical appointment only to realize there were important questions you forgot to ask? Or have you ended a visit feeling uncertain about what you discussed with your provider?<\/p>\n

These common experiences can leave you feeling frustrated \u2014 and less able to make informed decisions about your health. Here are tips to help you maximize your time with your doctor or other health care provider and ensure your visit focuses on what matters most to you.<\/p>\n

A little planning goes a long way<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Often, our attention is on making a medical appointment and then getting to that appointment \u2014 not necessarily planning ahead for what we want to discuss.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen people just show up for an appointment and go with the flow of the conversation, it can lead to disappointment sometimes, because what I think is important to discuss may not coincide with their priorities,\u201d says Michelle Signs, DO, an internal medicine physician<\/a> at MultiCare Advanced Primary Care – Spokane Valley<\/a>.<\/p>\n

To avoid that pitfall, spend 15 minutes preparing for your appointment. The Institute for Health Improvement offers a free checklist<\/a> that helps you think through four key areas of life that influence your health and well-being:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. What matters most to you right now<\/strong>. What\u2019s going well? What would you like to improve? Have there been changes in your life or health since your last appointment?<\/li>\n
  2. Medications<\/strong>. What medications are you taking in what doses? How do you feel about these medications \u2014 are they helping you reach your health goals? Are they causing any problems? Is cost an issue?<\/li>\n
  3. Mood, mind, memory and sense of well-being<\/strong>. Have you noticed any sustained changes to your mood, mind or memory since your last appointment? How do you feel most days?<\/li>\n
  4. Mobility<\/strong>. How active are you and what sorts of activities do you do? What barriers interfere with your ability to be active or get around?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    While the checklist is designed for older adults, it\u2019s beneficial for people of any age.<\/p>\n

    Once you\u2019ve answered the questions within these four areas (there are more questions in the checklist<\/a>), write down your top three concerns. Then bring that list of three items to your appointment.<\/p>\n

    \u201cWhat I like about the checklist is that it helps patients focus on themselves,\u201d says Cathy Cooper, LICSW, a social worker specializing in palliative care at MultiCare Auburn Medical Center. \u201cIt helps providers get to know their patients, normalizes hard conversations and can lead to more person-centered care.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Have you ever left a medical appointment only to realize there were important questions you forgot to ask? Or have you ended a visit feeling uncertain about what you discussed with your provider? These common experiences can leave you feeling frustrated \u2014 and less able to make informed decisions about your health. Here are tips […]<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"author":367,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[127,99],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-35213","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-healthy-living","category-primary-care"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nHow to get the most out of your doctor\u2019s appointment - MultiCare Vitals<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"These tips can help you maximize your time with your doctor or other health care provider and ensure your visit focuses on what matters most to you.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/how-to-get-the-most-out-of-your-doctors-appointment\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to get the most out of your doctor\u2019s appointment - 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