Support a Loved One at the Doctor: Quick tips

Visits to the doctor can be stressful, especially when someone is dealing with a serious or chronic (long-term) health condition. Use these tips to help someone you care about before, during, and after a doctor’s visit.

Before the visit:

• Ask your loved one if he would like you to go with him to the visit.
• Help him make a list of questions to ask the doctor or nurse.
• Suggest that he make a folder of information to share with the doctor or nurse.

Information to share with the doctor:

• Any changes in your loved one's health since the last visit, like a serious injury or illness
• Any recent life changes, like becoming unemployed
• A family health history
• A list of all medicines, including over-the-counter medicines and vitamins

During the visit:

• Introduce yourself to the doctor and explain why you are there. The doctor may ask to see your loved one in private during parts of the visit.
• Take a notepad and write down the doctor’s advice and answers to questions.
• If you don’t understand something the doctor says, ask her to explain it until you do understand.

After the visit:

• Discuss the visit with your loved one and talk about what you learned. If you forget or can’t agree on what the doctor said, call the doctor’s office and ask.
• Ask your loved one if she needs help getting any medicines or supplies that the doctor recommended.
• Remind your loved one to set up any follow-up appointments with the doctor or nurse.

Resources to share with your loved one:

• For help making a list of questions to ask the doctor or nurse, visit http://www.ahrq.gov/apps/qb/.
• To start a family health history, visit https://familyhistory.hhs.gov/FHH/html/index.html.