Communicating Effectively with Health Care Providers

Handout

5 Tips for Communicating with your Health Care Provider

Tip #1
Ask Questions /
  • Asking questions helps put you in charge of your health care.
  • Create your question list.

Tip #2
Be Prepared / Create a visit plan and write it down.
  • List all your medicines (prescriptions, over-the-counter, vitamins, herbal).
  • List all your symptoms (physical, thoughts and feelings).
  • List lifestyle changes and life events (helping devices, ability to do things, retirement, death of a loved one, smoking, alcohol use).

Tip #3
Be Open and Honest /
  • Do not just say what you think the doctor wants to hear.
  • Some things are hard to talk about (such as sexual problems, memory loss, fear of falling, driving, grief, depression).
  • It is important to talk with your doctor about all your concerns.
  • Your doctor cannot help you if you do not talk about what is going on.

Tip #4
Make Sure You Understand /
  • Ask about anything that is unclear.
  • Repeat what your doctor says in your own words.
  • Take notes.
  • Bring a friend.
  • If you still do not understand, ask again! Do not be embarrassed and do not worry about appearing confused. Your doctor wants to help you.

Tip #5
Know the Answer to 3 Questions / Be sure you know the answer to these 3 questions after each health visit:
  • What is my main problem?
  • What do I need to do?
  • Why is it important for me to do this?

After Your Visit

  • Review what you need to do. If you do not remember or do not understand, ask.
  • Tell a friend or family member what the doctor told you.
  • Follow through with any instructions you received.
  • Know where to go if you have questions or want more information.

One More Thing You Can Do….

  • Be on Time - Your visits are already short enough. Do not lose any of your time by being late.

Created By:

Alisha Ellwood, MA, LMFT
Chair, Minnesota Health Literacy Partnership
Project Manager, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota

Additional health literacy resources are available from the Minnesota Health Literacy Partnership Website at:

Last Updated: April 18, 2011


The Health Literacy Program for Minnesota Seniors (HeLP MN Seniors) is brought to you by the University of Minnesota Health Sciences Libraries and the Minnesota Health Literacy Partnership. Funding was provided through a subcontract from the National Library of Medicine National Network of Libraries of Medicine under contract number N01-LM-6-3503.

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