Majority of healthcare happens outside of the doctor’s office.
Preparation-before, during and after your appointment is key to
maximizing the limited time you have during the doctor’s visit. Here
we’ve provided you with a simple checklist to get you started.
Call the doctor’s office to confirm
location, preparation needed, and
items to bring with you (e.g.
referral, insurance card).
Follow-up with the insurance
company to confirm coverage,
costs and/or obtain approvals.
Be prepared to share
your medical history
and test results.
Keep a record of health
complaints, symptoms, allergies,
and medications to share with
your doctor/nurse. You can keep
track on Medical Timeline.
Write down your
questions/concerns in order of
priority and discuss the most
important items first. Make a
copy for your doctor/nurse. Bring
someone, whether it’s a
care/support partner or friend to
help you take notes. Refer to
Questions to Ask My
Healthcare Team for FAQs.
Make sure you understand
your options so that you can
make informed decisions.
Ask for clarification if you
don’t understand any terms
or instructions.
Don’t leave your appointment
until you are clear on next steps.
It’s a good idea to repeat next
steps to your doctor/nurse to
avoid any miscommunication.
Be open and honest with
your healthcare team
about your health,
lifestyle, concerns and
preferences.
You can ask your healthcare
team to prescribe
recommended resources to
you through Prescription to
Learn® so that you can learn
more about managing your
condition over time.
Did you make a
follow-up appointment
and/or schedule
recommended tests?
Did you fill your
prescription(s)?
Did you contact family
and/or friends who need to
know what happened?
To ensure that your care is
coordinated between
different doctors on your
healthcare team, be sure to
share information on where
medical records and tests
results should be sent.
Call the doctor’s office to confirm
location, preparation needed, and
items to bring with you (e.g.
referral, insurance card).
Follow-up with the insurance
company to confirm coverage,
costs and/or obtain approvals.
Be prepared to share
your medical history
and test results.
Keep a record of health
complaints, symptoms, allergies,
and medications to share with
your doctor/nurse. You can keep
track on Medical Timeline.
Write down your
questions/concerns in order of
priority and discuss the most
important items first. Make a
copy for your doctor/nurse. Bring
someone, whether it’s a
care/support partner or friend to
help you take notes. Refer to
Questions to Ask My
Healthcare Team for FAQs.
Make sure you understand
your options so that you can
make informed decisions.
Ask for clarification if you
don’t understand any terms
or instructions.
Don’t leave your appointment
until you are clear on next steps.
It’s a good idea to repeat next
steps to your doctor/nurse to
avoid any miscommunication.
Be open and honest with
your healthcare team
about your health,
lifestyle, concerns and
preferences.
You can ask your healthcare
team to prescribe
recommended resources to
you through Prescription to
Learn® so that you can learn
more about managing your
condition over time.
Did you make a
follow-up appointment
and/or schedule
recommended tests?
Did you fill your
prescription(s)?
Did you contact family
and/or friends who need to
know what happened?
To ensure that your care is
coordinated between
different doctors on your
healthcare team, be sure to
share information on where
medical records and tests
results should be sent.
