We have all been patients and some are continuing patients with our doctor and health care provider. If this is your first meeting with a new doctor or healthcare provider consider the following as important to consider toward developing a good relationship.

1. Be an “on time” patient. Your healthcare provider and staff need to get to know you. There is often paper work to fill out and there may be a need for some prescreening measures to be taken before meeting your health care provider. Arrive a little early for your appointment.

2. Be a “prepared” patient. Time is money and it is important that you have several things with you. Have your insurance card or cards, a complete list of any medications, all paperwork from referral source, charts, x-rays, or test results from those other providers, your means of payment, and whatever else the office staff may have requested. Call ahead if necessary to ask what you should bring.

3. Be a “responsible” patient. Make a list of questions that you have for your healthcare provider. Doing these things saves everyone time and effort that can be better spent addressing your specific medical needs. If you have some anxiety about the appointment, bring a family member or a friend with you and serve as a second listener and advocate. Bring a note pad and pen with you to any visit and summarize what your provider tells you. If this is a problem, there are some providers who do allow you to use a voice recorder during the appointment where instructions are important for you to remember.

4. Be a “thorough” patient. Tell the whole story, review all your symptoms and tell the truth when it comes to any bad habits you have like smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, skipping medications. Failure in being thorough, complete and accurate may well compromise your care and treatment. Often, your healthcare provider can either offer options for treatment or make a referral to the appropriate health professional.

5. Become a “knowledgeable” patient. Be a researcher and learn all you can about your health and any conditions or diseases that you are diagnosed. Learn the symptoms to watch out for and the causes, treatments and what can be done to prevent your condition. Internet sites like, WebMD, MayoClinic. com and a host of others can provide you with helpful information.

6. Maintain health records at home. A three ring binder or loose leaf note book can provide you with the start for this. Keep all your records from each visit in one place so that you can check things for insurance coverage or when you see another healthcare provider.

7. Be a “confident” patient. Confidence comes with having patience with your health care provider. The answer to your symptoms and the many questions you have may not be immediately answered. Consults to other healthcare providers may be needed in order to focus on the correct diagnosis before the correct treatment can be offered. Communication is critical to confidence and to trusting your health care provider’s advice.

8. Be a “Committed” Patient. Maintain good management of your health and follow treatment and interventions as prescribed. While your healthcare provider(s) plays an essential role, we all must realize that the care and management of our health conditions is the primary responsibility of being a good patient!

By Thomas W. Miller Ph.D. ABPP, Staff Writer

Read more at: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1186585,00.html#ixzz1PS...

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1186585,00.html#ixzz1PS...

http://www.MayoClinic.com

http://www.WebMD.com

About the Author Thomas W. Miller, Ph.D. ABPP is a Professor Emeritus and Senior Research Scientist, Center for Health, Intervention and Prevention, and former Chair Health Promotion, Allied Health and Applied Health Sciences, University of Connecticut and retired service chief from the VA Medical Center and tenured Professor in the Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky.