Before the visit
- Gather your questions
- Identify symptoms
- Check your loved one’s file
- Call to confirm appointment
- Take a list of any medicines the patient is currently taking
- If the patient has seen a doctor before for a similar problem, take the record from the visit with you
During the visit
- Help the patient describe symptoms accurately
- Ask questions
- Record the doctor's instructions
- Discuss recommendations
- Verify follow-up
- State the main problem first
- Describe the symptoms
- Describe the patient's past experiences with the same problem.
At the end of the visit, ask:
- Does the patient need to return for another visit?
- Can I phone in for test results?
- What danger signs should we look for?
- When does the patient need to report back about the condition?
- What else do we need to know?
After the visit
- Review your notes
- Check prescription
- Discuss the visit
- Update your calendar
- Call for test results
- What's wrong?
- What might happen next?
- Ask what you can do at home
Being prepared
- Post emergency information in a prominent place
- Have updated information on your loved one ready to go
- Enlist a friend to be your ER buddy before a crisis occurs
- Pack a bag ahead of time