Senior Care Mission Viejo, CA Provider Offers Tips to Make the Most out of Doctor Visits

On any particular day, a physician typically has approximately 20 patients to see – combined with calls, paperwork, and other administrative duties. It leaves precious little time spent with each person, which is why it’s important to capitalize on that time and be sure you clearly comprehend the outcome of each appointment.

At CareWorks Health Services, our professional care staff offers transportation and accompaniment on doctor visits for older adults, and suggests the following approach:

• Don’t be reluctant to ask questions. With such a time crunch, your physician may have a tendency to communicate information to you rather quickly. It’s your responsibility to hit the pause button to ensure that you fully understand everything that is being communicated and to speak up with any questions you may have, no matter how small or seemingly unimportant they may seem.
• And, prepare ahead for those questions. It may be difficult to process everything being shared with you during the couple of minutes spent with the physician. Creating a list of problems beforehand can help ensure nothing slips through the cracks. A few of the questions to consider include:
  • What are the long and short term ramifications of my condition?
  • What is likely to be the reason for this condition?
  • Is there a remedy?
  • Where can I find further information?
  • Will I require any specialized tests?
  • Are there any kind of possible negative effects from those tests?
  • When can I obtain the test results?
  • What medications exist to help with my situation?
  • What are the possible adverse side effects of these drug treatments?
  • Are there any kind of changes in lifestyle I should think about making?
• Take excellent notes. Bring along paper and a pen, or utilize the notes section of your smartphone or tablet, and detail responses to your questions along with additional information the doctor provides. It can also be helpful to have a dependable family member or professional caregiver present during the appointment to help make sure all the details are recorded.
• Include other medical professionals. Keep in mind that even though the directions provided by the physician are important, other people in the senior’s medical team can offer beneficial insight as well: nurses, pharmacists, physician assistants, dieticians, physical therapists, etc. Check in with these professionals for further assistance in carrying out the doctor’s instructions, if warranted.

At CareWorks Health Services, we are always here to assist older adults through medical appointments and procedures in a variety of ways, as well as to help carry out doctors’ recommendations after returning home. We’re able to provide transportation, medication reminders, preparation of meals that are in adherence with any prescribed dietary plan, and many other tasks to ensure optimum health for older adults. Contact us at (949) 859-4700 to learn more about the senior care Mission Viejo, CA families trust!