Fox Valley Orthopedics Offers YouTube Video Tips on Getting the Most Out of Your Physician Time

Fox Valley Orthopedics encourages patients to become advocates for their own healthcare. Dr. Vishal Mehta, an orthopedic sports medicine surgeon at Fox Valley Orthopedics in Geneva, IL, offers tips, including a YouTube video, on maximizing the time spent with your physician.

Some people leave their doctors’ offices feeling confused and frustrated because, they say, their time runs out before they’re able to talk over their problem. Dr. Vishal M. Mehta, an orthopedic surgeon at Fox Valley Orthopedics, says a little pre-appointment preparation can help both you and your physician feel as though appointment time is always well spent.

“Be your own patient advocate,” says Dr. Mehta. “Often, the interaction between physician and patient is not as efficient as it could be. But when patients do a bit of pre-appointment planning, it enables us to really get a lot accomplished in a short amount of time.”

The average appointment time in any physician’s office runs around ten minutes, so it’s vital to learn how to make the most of this time. Dr. Mehta suggests sitting down the day before an appointment and making a list of all the problems you want to discuss.

Next, narrow the list down to one or two issues, preferably just one. And finally, make a list of the specific details about the problem that bothers you the most:

• List the number one issue – i.e. my hip hurts.
• Describe where it hurts.
• Describe what the pain feels like.
• Note what makes the pain feel worse.
• Note what makes the pain feel better.
• Describe how long the problem has been going on.
• Explain what initially triggered the problem.
• Describe what you have done, if anything, about the problem so far (i.e. provide a list of any medications and their dosages and/or a list of exercises or therapies you’ve undertaken to try to get relief).

“If you have several issues, make separate appointments for each problem,” says Dr. Mehta. “A fresh interaction with your physician for each issue is more helpful than trying to cram everything into one appointment.”

Additional tips from Dr. Mehta:

• Ask for a longer appointment if you think you may need it.
• Schedule multiple appointments to cover multiple issues.
• Wear loose clothing, to facilitate an examination.
• Bring a list of your symptoms.
• Be honest about your problem…the quality of your diagnosis and care depends on it.
• Be specific about your problem and tell the doctor what you think he or she needs to know.
• Take notes and ask questions.
• Don’t be shy…If you don’t understand something, ask for clarification.
• Ask what to expect from your treatment.
• Ask your physician for reading material recommendations regarding your condition.
• Other members of your physician’s team are a valuable resource…talk to them.