You and Your Doctor
Part 1 - Your Rights and Responsibilities as a Patient
The most important things to remember about being a patient are:
• Your body belongs to you. You have the right to decide what happens to it.
• Your doctor’s job is to help you take care of yourself.
• When you are dealing with your doctor, you have the right to know what is going on. You have the right to ask questions, and the right to get answers.
• This may be easier said than done. It is easy to feel confused and afraid when you are dealing with doctors and people in hospitals.
• Sometimes they talk to you in words that you don’t understand.
• Sometimes they tell you to do things without telling you why.
• Sometimes they give you medicine without giving you enough information about it.
If this ever happens to you, you need to remember that you have both rights and responsibilities as a patient. You have the responsibility to ask the questions which you need to ask. You also have a right to get answers. If you are confused or afraid about your treatment, that’s a sign that you need to ask more questions. If you are confused or afraid about your treatment, your doctor needs to give you more answers.
Asking questions is the first step in starting to work with your doctor. If you work with your doctor, you can solve your health problems together.
Adapted with permission from Taking Care by Mary J. Breen. McGraw-Hill. 1991.
Part 2 - Preparing for a Doctor’s Appointment
When you need to go to the doctor, it is a good idea to prepare for your appointment. While you are still at home, think about your problem. Be ready to describe your problem as clearly as you can.
Make a written list of all your symptoms and concerns. Write down anything that you think seems different. For example, you might write down: “aching joints, crawly skin, hot flashes”.
Think about what medical tests you have had lately. X-rays and blood tests are common medical tests. These tests usually do not need to be repeated if they were done recently.
Write down the questions that you want to ask the doctor. If you don’t write your questions down, it is very easy to forget them. Be sure you put these two questions on your list: “Why am I sick?” and “What can I do so I won’t get sick again?” Put your most important questions at the beginning of the list, so you can ask them early in your visit.
Make a list of all your medications, or take the container with you. Be sure to include over-the-counter drugs as well as herbal remedies and nutritional supplements.
Ask a friend to go with you. A friend can take notes, ask questions you may not think of, and help you remember what the doctor says. Before the visit, discuss with your friend what you would like them to do.
Think about what you want from your doctor. This is very important to think about. You may want to find out if your experiences are normal. You may want advice, or medical help or all of these things. If you know what you want, you have a much better chance of getting it. If you are sick or worried, all of this thinking and planning may be a big chore. However, planning really helps. If you are well prepared, you will get better results.
Adapted with permission from Taking Care by Mary J. Breen. McGraw-Hill. 1991.
Updated by the Women’s Health Care Centre, 2006