Open and honest communication with your doctor or health care provider plays a vital role in managing your health. Being transparent about symptoms—even those that may be embarrassing—helps ensure informed decisions about your diagnosis, treatment, and recovery.
Before your appointment, write down questions and concerns you want to address. Bringing a trusted family member or friend and taking notes during the visit can help you retain important information.
Learn how to access your medical records. Doing so enables you to track test results, diagnoses, treatment plans, and medications, which helps you prepare for future appointments. Also, ask for your provider’s contact information and preferred communication methods for ongoing dialogue.
Nurses and pharmacists are also valuable sources of information and can help answer your health care questions.
These recommendations are provided by the National Institutes of Health in their guidance on communicating with doctors and health care providers.
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