Make the most of your doctor visit

For some, a view of the lunar eclipse may be more frequent than a doctor’s visit. For many, doctor visits can be more frequent than desired. Whatever your situation, it is important to make the most of it.

If it has been a while since you have seen your physician, make a list of the top three or four things you want to discuss. If you have many issues, schedule several visits.

I frequently see patients who have not seen a doctor for years bring in a long “wish list” of complex questions that have accumulated and expect detailed answers in a 15- to 20-minute visit. Several visits will allow you to get more complete and helpful information and will likely lead to better patient satisfaction.

If you are a “regular” at your doctor’s office, chances are you have a chronic condition that needs close monitoring. If this is so, make sure to bring all your medication bottles to your visits, including herbs, vitamins and over-the-counter meds. This will allow your medication list to be updated and checked for dangerous interactions.

Don’t always assume your doctor knows what you’re taking, since a specialist – your cardiologist, for example – may have made changes that your primary doctor is not aware of.

R. Eric Madrid, MD, is a Board Certified Family Physician at Rancho Family Medical Group in Temecula. He is an Ohio State University School of Medicine graduate.

For more information, visit http://www.ranchofamilymed.com.