Engaging with Your Doctor – What to Expect from Your Doctor During An Appointment

When doctors and patients fully engage during appointments, their joint collaboration allows for better health outcomes. A successful appointment is a two-way street that creates a productive experience for all.

Sometimes, preconceived notions of how a doctor should treat patients can cause misunderstandings. Being scientists whose job it is to understand what’s happening with the body, their attention to a person’s individuality sometimes gets overlooked during an appointment. But understanding the doctor and patient relationship is important for better wellness.

Here are several things to consider that help manage expectations during an appointment with a doctor:

Limited Time – Time with a doctor can average as short as 8-10 minutes or as long as 16-20 minutes. Either way, that’s not much time. Expecting your doctor to cover countless medical concerns in a short time might not be the best approach. Be respectful of how much time your doctor can spend with you, come prepared with questions and stick to the facts when explaining your conditions.

Be clear – Healthcare has a complex vocabulary of terminology that most people don’t understand. Although doctors generally use common terms as often as possible, they may inadvertently slip into medical jargon. If you don’t understand what the doctor said, ask him or her to explain it again or ask for a definition. Everything they’re telling you about your condition is important, so be honest with them if you don’t understand what they’re saying and ask for clarification.

Interruptions – Some studies report that it only takes 23 seconds for a doctor to interrupt his or her patient. Others say that it’s actually within the first 18 seconds of the beginning of the conversation. If your doctor interrupts you while you’re trying to explain something, politely ask them to listen to your list of symptoms or for you to fully ask your question. If your doctor continues on before you are finished, they might miss important details about your condition.

What’s next – Generally, the appointment with your doctor will not be your last step in treating your condition. Usually there are further tests, prescriptions, referrals and follow up appointments. Your doctor should explain to you what else will be involved in your treatment. If not, be sure you ask.

Appropriate questions – But remember, your doctor is very busy treating you and other questions about scheduling, parking validation and insurance or sharing your other personal stories are not appropriate to discuss with your doctor. Even though they may engage with you out of respect, they are most likely trying to concentrate on treating you.

If you have tried collaborating with your doctor, but you don’t feel like you’re getting what you expect, seek out another medical professional to care for you. Sometimes there just isn’t a common rapport between a doctor and patient, and it’s best to engage with a doctor who respects your personal communication style.

To understand more about how to foster a healthy doctor and patient relationship for more successful appointments, visit cfah.org.

Sources

http://patients.about.com/od/therightdoctorforyou/a/docpatientcomm.htm

http://www.hdac.org/features/article.php?p_articleNumber=398

Related Articles

Engaging With Your Doctor – What You Should Ask During An Appointment

Engaging With Your Doctor – How to Prepare for a Successful Appointment