A visit to the doctor is pretty straightforward… or is it? It may be something your team has been doing their entire life, but that doesn’t mean they’re getting it right. Feeling rushed and skipping over important symptoms or over-sharing irrelevant ones can lead to a misdiagnosis… which can mean more illness-related absences or the need to book more time off to get a second opinion. When you provide your employees with health navigation via web, mobile, and call centre support, they can head into their checkup more prepared and better able to articulate what is ailing them.
Answer the question “Why is my appointment today?” if your symptoms have been occurring for a while. It is important to get your doctor to understand your ongoing symptoms and why these symptoms compelled you to visit on that particular day. Avoid rhyming off a laundry list of symptoms right away. Instead, explain in detail the symptoms that have worried you. After the doctor has understood your concerns, provide any additional background information. For example, you might say: “My abdominal pain suddenly got worse today. It’s never been this bad, and I also noticed some blood in my stool and I’ve never had that before.” Now the doctor will know why you are visiting on that day and can better focus on what needs to be ruled out.
What are you actually worried about?
Typically, patients are worried about a specific medical diagnosis but do not articulate this worry to their doctor. If your doctor never addresses the concern that you have, you may still be preoccupied with this concern after the appointment is over. Be sure to always tell your doctor what you are worried about; it may help the doctor to avoid missing something very important. Never be embarrassed to share your thoughts. For example, you can say: “I am worried my chest pain is a heart attack because my brother had one in his 30s and I am around the same age.” If you get your concerns out in the open, they may be ruled out, which will help you to feel reassured.
What is going on in your life right now?
Oftentimes, we may not realize that there is a link between the events in our lives and our symptoms. Only upon further reflection do we understand that there was a connection. Periods of transition in life can often lead to stress-related medical complaints. Physical activity or trauma, however seemingly small or minor, can often cause physical complaints. For example, a minor fall you had while playing with your kids in the park may be contributing to your back pain. Your doctor may not ask you about these specific details, so err on the side of caution and explain what has been going on in your life over the last few days or weeks. Certain events in your life may be related to your symptoms – even if they don’t seem to be.
Remember that doctors are people too and that their data gathering techniques and decision-making can occasionally be flawed. Doctors can be overly focused on following their own template of questions and, as a result, they can miss important aspects of your medical history. It’s best not to get adversarial with your doctor. Instead, calmly express that you feel they need to understand the background details of your situation. If you feel that you are not being heard, remember that you can always obtain a second opinion and that it is your right to do so.
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