DSI Newsletter: Get the Most Out of Your Doctor

DSI Newsletters, Issue 46:
Get the Most Out of Your Doctor

Are you getting the most out of your visits to your physician? Odds are you will get a lot of different answers to that question. But the truth is you should be getting the most out of your visit that you can possibly achieve.
One of the keys to getting the most out of your relationship with your physician is good, effective communication. You have questions and you need them answered. While patients visiting our office get the time they need to discuss their medical problems, it is still a good idea to be prepared when you visit your physician.
Let’s go through some Tips From The Doc to help you make the most of each and every visit you have with your physician.

Bring ALL your prescription medications or a written list of ALL your medications with you every visit. This will ensure that your physician knows about all of the prescription medications you are taking. This also takes the pressure off of you to remember each and every medication you have at home. It also ensures that your physician and you have the same understanding of what medications you are taking.
Remember to tell your physician about all of the over-the-counter and herbal medications you are taking. Many over-the-counter and herbal medications have strong and potentially dangerous interactions with your prescription medications. Make sure your physician knows what you are taking so that he or she can make safe recommendations about what you should be taking.
Write down your symptoms. Jot it down. Make a list of all the things that are bothering you. Go over the list with your doctor. Just as important is to write down the advice/treatments your physician recommends for your concerns. By keeping a list of questions as well as the answers to your questions, you will ensure that all of your issues are addressed.
If you have gone through anything particularly stressful lately, be sure to tell your physician about it. Have you gone through a stressful life change recently? It may seem like a simple question. Truthfully, many ailments are effected by stress. Fill your physician in on what you have been dealing with or going through. Your physician may have suggestions to help you cope as well as have valuable insight on how this stress is affecting your overall health.
Bring someone along with you to your doctor visit. Yes, four ears are better than two. Having someone else along to help you remember all that was said can be invaluable. Fill your visit partner in on what you will be discussing with your physician. That way, both of you will be able to absorb and retain the information you receive during your doctor visit.
Ask about resources in your community. Are there community groups to help support people with the same ailments that you suffer from? There are a surprising number of community resources available that many people are not aware of. Why not take advantage of the resources available in your community. It makes sense!
Volunteer for a Drug Study with DrugStudyInstitute.com. Volunteering to participate in a clinical drug study is one of the best ways you can contribute to the understanding of diseases that affect people and the development of new therapies. Volunteers are important to the clinical study phase of the drug approval process. As a volunteer, you are the most critical link in a long chain of research and testing in the development of new medications for a broad range of health problems.

Participating in the research process that may lead to new therapies.
Receiving medical care from Dr. Saponaro during the study.
Learning new information about your condition.
Possibly meeting people with similar conditions.

Join a boutique medical practice like ConciergeCareClub.com Our waiting room is waiting for you! You will not experience excessive waits. Phone calls and prescription renewals will be dealt with promptly. We will coordinate your care with your other physicians, home healthcare nurses, laboratories and imaging facilities. We will be available to answer any and all of your families concerns. Care and compassion along with attention to fine detail will be the rule. This unparalleled access to healthcare service is a product of innovative new concepts in personalized "boutique style" healthcare made possible by:

Limiting the patient load to fraction of what it was.
Seeing fewer patients each day to emphasize quality, not quantity.
Spending more time with each patient, including preventive medicine teaching.
Be available for same day visits along with phone advice.
Live receptionist; not an electronic phone attendant voice mailbox machine.

The bottom line? By doing a bit of planning, you will get a lot more out of your visits with your physician. Make every encounter with your doctor as productive as possible. By doing so, you will allow your physician to meet your needs much better and ensure that your relationship with your doctor is as satisfying as possible. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Call us at the Jupiter Preventive Medicine Center and explore better healthcare options with us.

Sincerely:

Joseph Saponaro, MD, DABIM, FACP, CPI, CCI, CCRI, CCRC, CCRP
Board Certified Internist, JPMC
Principal Investigator, DSI
Diplomat American Board of Internal Medicine
Fellow American College of Physicians
Certified Physician Investigator by the AAPP
Certified Clinical Investigator by the DIA
Certified Clinical Research Investigator by the ACRP
Certified Clinical Research Coordinator by the ACRP
Certified Clinical Research Professional by SoCRA
Member: The American College of Preventive Medicine

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