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It can take some time to get familiar with a particular doctor – but once you do, that relationship can be one of the most important of your golden years. The right doctor will guide you through a host of the challenges that come with aging, doing all they can to extend your good health as long as possible.
According to HealthDay, nearly a third of seniors and elderly adults aged 65 and older see at least five doctors, most of whom are specialists, to stay on top of their health concerns.1 Seniors prefer to stay with their primary care physicians as long possible, with the vast majority – a whopping 87% - changing their physician only when forced to by insurance coverage or budget constraints, as reported by the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine.
And unfortunately, when a senior does change their primary care physician, it can lead to gaps in care that last for months or even years.2 Those gaps could mean the difference between lasting better health and a serious decline. Though things like an alert system for elderly adults can help bridge the care gap, a solid doctor/patient relationship with in-person check-ups is clearly important.
Building a productive relationship with new doctors takes time and effort, and it all begins with the first visit. How can you make that visit go as smoothly as possible? These 6 tips will help.
1. Compile Your Health Records
A new specialist for your arthritis might not be prescribing your diabetes medication, but they need to know about your other health issues anyway. To make sure they have all they need, request that your primary care office send your medical records to the new doctor. It’s also a good idea to carry a printed copy with you, just in case the medical information didn’t make it to the new office on time.
The information you provide should include (but not be limited to):
· Dates of tests and medical issues. This can be very simple, such as the date of your last physical, or more complex, such as the date of your most recent surgery. You should also let the doctor know of health-related incidents, such as if you suffered a fall, how bad it was, and when it happened.
· Immunization records. These will help the doctor determine what other shots you might need to get up to date and stay as healthy as possible. Many offices will require immunization records before they will agree to see you.
· Prescription history. What medications are you currently on and what did you recently stop taking? Include over the counter drugs and supplements in this list if you take them on a regular basis. If you worry that you won’t get the numbers or names correct, take the prescription bottles with you or take a picture of them on your phone to show the new doctor.
· Other healthcare providers. Who has treated you thus far? A list of physicians, including first and last name and basic contact information, could be helpful if your new doctor has questions about specific health issues or how your health condition has changed and been treated over time.
· Surgical records. You will want to provide the reasons for the surgery, when and where it occurred, and how it went.
· Hereditary conditions. If you are at high risk for a certain problem, that might not be clearly evident in your medical charts. For instance, if both your parents died of heart disease and you’re showing signs of it, that’s important to bring up. Make a list of any potential conditions.
· Allergies and other “little things.” Those small medical issues that you just deal with and never really mention could matter a lot to your new physician. A good example of this is run-of-the-mill allergies. The medications you take for a grass allergy might interact with prescription meds, or the symptoms of allergies might be indicative of something else.
· Your current health condition. Your new doctor will want to know how you feel right now. Are you struggling with fatigue, headaches, upset stomach, falls, or any other problems? Write down your symptoms and take those to the doctor.
· What you’re doing to improve your health. In addition to all of your medical concerns, let the doctor know what you’re doing to make your health situation better. This can include everything from your diet to exercise to the emergency button alarm you wear. The National Institute on Aging stresses how important it is to tell your doctor about your habits and lifestyle so they can get a clear picture of what is going on with you.3
· Any practical or cultural concerns. Finally, make sure to note any concerns you might have that don’t necessarily have anything to do with your physical health. For instance, if you will need a translator to speak to the doctor, let them know that. If you have dietary restrictions due to religious requirements, expect certain cultural norms around the doctor/patient relationship, or want someone else to be present when you talk with the doctor, let them know that as well.
2. Create a List of Questions
Your doctor will have a lot of questions for you, and you should also create a list of questions for them. Remember that this is a very important interview – you’re deciding whether you will feel comfortable with this person making healthcare decisions with you. To that end, here are some suggested questions:
· How do you handle medical emergencies?
· How do I get in touch with someone if I have a non-emergency question?
· How early in advance should I schedule appointments?
· Will I see other people in your practice when I make that appointment, or will I always see you?
· How long does it typically take for the office to get back to me when I reach out?
· How do you prefer to provide information – in person in your office, or through online links and other resources?
· If I need more time than the usual appointment slot, how does that work?
· Do you have an answering service? Who covers you when you’re not available?
· Where do you have hospital attending privileges?
Though you might not be happy with all the answers you receive, hopefully you will be pleased with the majority of them. But perhaps even more important than the questions is the doctor’s attitude. Are they open and caring, curious about your questions and eager to answer? Or do they seem frustrated or impatient with your queries? Their attitude may be a factor to let you know if this is a good fit or not.
3. Bring Someone with You
Meeting someone new can be nerve-wracking, especially if that someone new is a doctor who will be asking you some personal questions. This relationship matters, so it’s important to get it right. Another person in the room will be able to take notes, ask questions if necessary, and support you as you talk about what’s going on and what you need from the new doctor.
However, make sure the person you choose to go with you is someone who knows when to advocate for you versus take over the conversation. That can be a tricky line to walk, as that person certainly means well when they step in to help you. Talk to them before the appointment to create a game plan for the discussion with the doctor.
4. Schedule Carefully
A new patient appointment should always take longer than one for an established patient. For your first appointment, try to make it bright and early in the morning, so you are first in line and there won’t be any delays in starting your time with the doctor. If you know that you will take some extended time, ask the office for a double appointment (if they offer that).
Get to the appointment 15 minutes before your scheduled time so you can fill out any new patient forms that might be required. You can also take that time to review your notes.
5. Open Up to Questions
Your new doctor will likely have several questions for you as well. Their questions might run the gamut from medical history to what your hobbies are to what makes you happy. Some doctors are laser-focused on treating the ailments, while others are curious about everything else in your life and how it can affect your overall well-being. Answer all their questions fully.
If you are uncomfortable with the questions the doctor asks you, ask yourself a few questions when the appointment is over, especially this one: Were you uncomfortable with the questions themselves, or with the attitude that met your answers? If it’s the former, that’s understandable. If it’s the latter, this might not be the doctor for you.
6. Go With Your Gut
This is pretty common advice these days, but that’s because it tends to be true. Your intuition will often kick in to tell you if something is right for you or not. If something felt a little “off” but you can’t put your finger on it, you don’t necessarily have to figure that out – you can just go with your gut and look for another provider who will better suit your needs.
As you go through the journey of finding the right physician, whether for your primary or specialty care, let Alert1 be your constant companion. Any doctor should be delighted to see that you are wearing a medical alert pendant for your safety and are taking steps to safeguard your health.
