... when choosing a doctor:
Does the doctor take time to listen?
Is the doctor easy to talk to?
Do I trust this doctor?
Is the office easy for me to get to?
Are office hours convenient for me?
When can I reach the doctor by phone?
How can I reach the doctor in an emergency?
How can I get help when the office is closed?
... before you visit the doctor:
What am I most worried or concerned about?
What do I most want help with now?
... when you are sick:
What caused my illness?
How will it affect me?
What treatments are there, how do they work, and how will they make me feel?
... when the doctor wants to run tests:
What do they expect to find out?
How long will the tests take?
Do I have to do anything special to prepare for them?
Will there be any side effects or discomfort?
When and how will I find out the results?
What will happen if they find something wrong?
What difference will it make to my treatment?
... when your doctor recommends an operation or procedure:
What are the risks and benefits?
How will I feel afterwards?
What will my recovery be like?
Is there anyone I can talk to who has had this operation before?
What are the non-surgical alternatives?
... when your doctor recommends a specialist:
Why do I need to see a specialist?
What will the specialist do for me?
Do they know my medical history?
Who will be in charge of my medical care?
How will they communicate their findings to me and my other doctors?
... when you're going home from the hospital:
How will I feel after I go home?
How long will it take before I start to feel better?
What danger signals should I watch out for?
Will I need special help?
What activities should I avoid?
When can I resume my normal activities?
What medications should I take, and how will they affect me?
When should I see the doctor again?
Which doctor should I see?
... And things your doctors need to hear from you:
Are you taking the medicines they prescribed?
Are you following their suggestions - or is it too hard?
Are the medicines and treatments making you feel better?
What are you doing on your own to treat your illness?
What other practitioners are you seeing?
MHA thanks the Massachusetts Hospital Association for permission to use its material in preparing this content.
