How to Get the Most out of Your Appointment

Let’s be honest. No one actually enjoys going to the doctor’s office, do they?

The stress. Time. Money. You name it. There are so many reasons to dread it.

However, have you ever thought of things that you could do to actually enhance your visit? Like really get your time and money’s worth?

Follow these basic steps to ensure you’re maximizing the potential of every visit!

1. Arrive early.

   • And by early, I mean 10 minutes before your appointment. Yes, some offices offer online paperwork prior to your appointment, but this 10-minute buffer allows for any additional information (i.e. insurance, etc.) that may be needed.

2. Know what you’re using.

   • Medications. Over the counter products. Supplements. You name it.

   • This helps to paint an accurate picture and may aid in establishing a proper diagnosis and successful treatment plan.

3. Bring a blank canvas.

   • Well, not literally, but if you have a spot on your nail, take your nail polish off! If we’re looking at a spot on your face, lay off the makeup! And please, whatever you do, don’t apply self-tanner the morning of your appointment….you’d be surprised.

4. Ask questions.

   • There’s nothing worse than walking out of the office confused and overwhelmed, especially when a lot of that can be mitigated by a few simple questions. As cliché as it sounds, there really are no stupid questions.

   • I always write notes for my patients to take home. If your provider doesn’t and you think this would be helpful, ASK THEM TO!

5. Limit distractions.

   • Maybe you didn’t arrive early and are struggling to fill out your paperwork when the provider enters the room? PUT IT DOWN AND FINISH IT WHEN THE VISIT IS OVER. There is ZERO benefit to trying to complete your paperwork while your provider is talking to you.

   • Put your phone away and on Silent. Seems obvious, but again…you’d be surprised.

6. Stay focused.

   • Although it may seem like a bigger bang for your buck to address 5 different issues in 1 visit, it actually puts you at a HUGE disadvantage. By the time we’re finished discussing problem number 5, I can almost guarantee you don’t remember what we said to do for problem number 1.

   • The more focused the concern, the more easy you’ll be able to comprehend the treatment plan and, thus, the more successful it will be.

Yes, doctor’s offices can be overwhelming and sometimes you won’t receive the news you were hoping for, but adopting these strategies can make the visits a little less intimidating!

-xoxo