“ehe!!!Doc abeg I forgot to tell you!!!!” My 7 quick tips to getting the most out of your next doctors visit!

Have you ever left your doctor’s office only to realize as you get to the pharmacy that you didn’t tell him something vital about your health, making you dash back to his office? I’m sure we are familiar with this, for some you may have left the hospital, or even gotten home already before you realized it. Well here are my top seven quick tips to help you get the most out of your next and subsequent hospital visits.

1.       We are a team!!!

Today’s medical care has evolved. As a patient, you are part of the team; you and the doctor are partners in this. It’s vital you know this as it will shape your mentality and affect the way you view the doctor and the whole experience.

2.       Note your most pressing questions

It’s better to just take a jotter and note what you intend to discuss with your doctor beforehand. Keep the list handy, and add to as they come up between check-ups or if you get answers before your next appointment, that’s great! Simply tick them off as handled!

3.       Go straight to the point

Now you are in!!!You must be familiar with the long queues in the waiting area and how long it takes to finally see the doctor; well that’s another topic for another day! So here you are, to get the best out of this brief session and not leave with an unaccomplished feeling; just go straight to the point. Now that is after pleasantries of course ha ha! Here’s where your little jotter becomes handy, it will interest you to know that doctors are impressed by well-organized and articulated patients! It makes the interaction interesting and alive!

4.       Ask for explanations if you don’t understand

It’s ridiculous to see someone after the hospital visit who can’t explain with any new information his ailment; he shrugs the question off with “they gave me medicine sha”.
Please please that isn’t enough now! We often see ourselves nodding to every word the doc says whether we understand or not, even when he asks the rhetoric question “do you understand?” If you have any questions please interrupt and ask for a simpler explanation, you deserve to know. Remember you are part of the team!

5.       Know the names of your drugs!!!

If I could shout this from the rooftops I would!!! It’s actually frustrating to see a well-dressed banker, lawyer, etc. enlightened in every sense of the word not know the names of the medications they are placed on! Now especially if they are on drugs for conditions like; hypertension or diabetes. Its importance becomes pronounced when you have to see a different doctor, maybe in a different hospital and then in an emergency situation. It makes it harder for the new medic I tell you. How can you know all the team players in the premier league and not know the names of the few medicines you take? How can you know the entire gist about the kardashians and not remember the pills you are about to swallow…haba step up please!

6.       Ask also about side effects of drugs and any fears you have too!

 “doc eh, that medicine sef e too hash for my body, I stop am since sef!!!” the woman exclaimed. This statement is so so familiar!!! Aha please don’t forget to ask about any side effects to the drugs you are about to take. You know some peeps go back home, take the first dose…see a side effect drop the drug and wait for two weeks till their next appointment to alert the doctor. This can be avoided easily. Also In our society a lot of passive gist about drugs and their “powers” exist, this conditions our minds and should be discussed with your physician thoroughly.

7.       Discuss, schedule and note your next appointment honestly!

This is so important!!! Your continued wellness may well depend on your continued health checkup. As healthcare moves from curative interventions to more of preventive medicine, it is important for you to realize your checkups are vital. They should be agreed upon and upheld as important. If any party won’t be able to meet up it should be rescheduled.

 

Hope these 7 quick tips will help improve the quality of you hospital visits! You know, as an excellent student sharpens his teacher, with these the quality of your healthcare provider will no doubt improve!

 

Dr Chika Ehiemere

 

NB: please feel free to add, comment, suggest, and ask questions too.

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