Ever put off a checkup because you’re anxious about talking with your primary care provider? Or maybe you aren’t sure how to ask questions about your health.
You aren’t alone.
Annual checkups play an important role in preventing disease and helping you maintain good health, but many people skip them. While the cost of medical care plays a big role in keeping people away from the doctor, feeling uncomfortable talking with a doctor is another common reason for not seeking medical care.
Why a Good Doctor-Patient Relationship Is Important
When you think about relationships, you may think about your spouse or your friends, but your medical provider may not come to mind. In reality, though, building a strong and trusting relationship with a primary care provider (and specialists, if needed) can help you get healthy and stay that way.
Having a provider you trust makes you more likely to have annual checkups, receive the health screenings and tests you need, and seek medical care when you’re feeling under the weather.
Becoming more comfortable with talking to your doctor can help you build a good relationship with each other. It can also help you get the most from your appointment.
We’ve included some tips for talking to your doctor below to help you get started.
5 Tips for Talking to Your Doctor
The first step toward building a strong relationship with your medical provider is finding the one who’s right for you. That may take a bit of trial and error, almost like dating. Make sure to look for someone you connect with and can work with you and your goals toward improving your health.
Once you’ve found a provider, use these tips to strengthen your communication with your doctor:
1. Take a Deep Breath
Have you ever heard of “white coat hypertension”? It’s a phenomenon where a person’s blood pressure increases when they’re in a medical office, usually triggered by stress and/or anxiety.
Those same emotions — and stress hormones — can cause you to feel uncomfortable talking with a medical provider about your concerns and health issues you’re experiencing. You might find that you’re clamming up during appointments or forgetting what you wanted to ask about.
Take a few steps to calm your mind and body for your appointment. Start by leaving your house or workplace a little earlier so that you aren’t rushing to the doctor’s office. While you wait, focus on your breathing, inhaling for a few counts and then exhaling.
2. Write Down Concerns and Questions Ahead of Time
If you often lose track of what you wanted to talk with your provider about, write it all down beforehand. Use the notes app on your phone or a piece of paper to jot down questions or symptoms you’re experiencing.
At your appointment, talk through those items with your provider. If you have a number of issues or concerns on your list, prioritize them and talk about the most important ones first to ensure you get to them during this medical visit. Try to stay on topic without shifting between concerns too quickly in case something gets missed.
3. Be Open and Honest
Open communication with your doctor starts with honesty. Your provider can’t help you treat symptoms or make an accurate diagnosis without having a good understanding of what you’re experiencing.
Be honest about any symptoms you’re having, your lifestyle habits, the medications you’re taking, and your personal and family medical history. The information simply allows your doctor to make informed decisions about your health and wellness.
4. Listen Thoughtfully, Then Follow Up
During medical appointments, focus carefully on what your provider is saying about your health. It can be helpful to jot down notes during your visit so you remember what was said at a later time.
Those notes can also help ensure you understand what your provider is telling you. Read your notes back to your doctor or ask follow-up questions about what you’ve written down. This can bring clarity to anything you’re uncertain about.
If you are a University Health patient, you also have access to your own medical notes through MyChart in case you need to review.
5. Speak Up
You are your own best advocate, so if you don’t understand something or feel as if a symptom or concern needs further attention, let your provider know. You can do this during your medical appointment or afterward, reaching out by phone or using a patient portal to message your provider.
If you don’t feel at ease advocating for yourself, it may be helpful to bring a family member or close friend to your appointments. This person can listen along with you to what your provider says and ask questions if needed.
Primary Care with University Health
Your health matters. Don’t wait and schedule an appointment today with one of our trusted providers. At University Health, we want our patients to feel empowered in order to achieve their best health.
Our primary care physicians are available for both adult and pediatric patients.
To schedule an appointment by phone, please visit one of our primary care clinics.
