Making The Most of Your Visit
At TienaHealth, our goal is to have a good relationship with each of our patients, a relationship in which we share information with each other and work together to make the best
decisions for your health. Please remember that our providers take the time to care for each patient or for the occasional urgent matter and that sometimes results in being behind
schedule. Our promise is to provide you with the same amount of attention and care.
The best way to make the most of your time with your health care provider, is to come to your visit prepared.
If you’re a new patient:
Please bring a written list of your medical conditions, previous hospitalizations, and your family’s medical history to your appointment.
Bring any and all medications, supplements, vitamins, and herbs with you to your visit. Be sure to tell us if you’re taking the medications in a different way or amount from what is stated on the label.
If you’re a returning patient:
Tell the appointment scheduler what you want to talk about so that she can schedule the right amount of time.
Bring a written list of all of the medications, supplements, vitamins, and herbs with you to your visit. Don’t forget to include medications that are prescribed by other practitioners you might see, such as a cardiologist, dentist, or ophthalmologist.
Bring a list of the medications that need to be refilled.
Bring a list of your symptoms and questions. Tell us all of your symptoms, even if they seem unimportant to you. It’s also important to share personal information – even if it’s embarrassing or uncomfortable. The more information you share, the better we are able to figure out what’s wrong and how to treat it. Your list should be prioritized. Begin thinking ahead of time about what you want to accomplish at the visit. Avoid using the three most dreaded words in medicine, “by the way …” If you have issues other than the original reason for the visit, schedule another appointment so that we may dedicate the appropriate amount of time and attention to each of your problems.
Take notes during your visit. So much information is provided during medical visits that it’s easy to forget some of the details.
Let us know if you need time. We will do our best to accommodate you.
Asking questions is one of the ways to be sure you get the most out of your visit. If your provider uses language or words you don’t understand, always ask questions until you are sure that you understand. Ask, “what do you mean by that?” If you
don’t ask questions, your provider may think that you understand and don’t want more information. Be sure that you understand any instructions that were given and when you need to return for follow-up.
Questions to Ask
About your diagnosis:
What is wrong with me? How do you know?
What caused this problem?
Do I need any more tests and why?
About any tests you may need:
What will the test tell us?
What will happen during the test?
How do I prepare for the test?
When will I know the test results? What do I do if I don’t hear about the results?
Will my insurance cover the cost of the tests?
About treatment and medications:
What are my treatment choices?
What are the side effects?
When can I expect to see improvement?
How much improvement can I expect?
What do I do if the treatment doesn’t work?
How long will I have to take the medication?
Should I take the medication with food? Is there anything I should avoid?
What should I do if I miss a dose?
Follow-up:
When do I need to see you again?
Do I need to see a specialist?
If you have questions after you leave our office, please email or call back and speak to someone in the Triage Department. If they can’t answer your question, they can relay it to your provider.
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