medical speak in english

1. Research your doctor or health care provider.

Ask family or friends what doctors they have seen in the past, because doctors tend to refer patients to other providers in their area.

You can go to the board of medicine in your particular state to see if a provider has ever had any complaints or actions against them.

2. Know why you are going to the office visit and write your medical questions down.

Many providers are constrained by time so they may not be able to address all of your health issues in one visit  You need to prioritize your health questions and issues.

Ask the doctor or health care provider questions.

3.  Bring an updated medication list, allergies, prior surgeries, and family history with you to your doctor's visit.

This will save your doctor or provider time by not having to write them down or type them into the computer at the time, and this may help guide the doctors questions to you.

4. Get a copy of lab tests, x-rays results, or any test that a specialist has ordered to bring with you.

 Often times the labs or x-ray results that a doctor or provider ordered are not actually sent to him/her by the facility that performed the test

5. Write your symptoms, complaints, down so that you do not forget anything.

Try to remember what makes your medical condition or pain worse and what makes it better.

6. Know what medication refills you will need.

7. Sample Template to bring with you to an office visit.

Name

Past medical history (include any prior medical problems you have had)

High blood pressure (hypertension)

  Hyperlipidemia

  Smokes

Allergic rhinitis

Low back pain s/p spinal fusion

   Sacroiliac joint dysfunction (SIJ)

  L5-S1 bulging discto the right with mild spinal stenosis

Past surgical history - include any prior surgeries that you have had

Right knee arthroscopy - 2004 with Dr. Clough

Hysterectomy with bilateral oophorectomy (TAH/BSO) - Dr. Clough

Lipoma removal - Dr. Bagley

Coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) x 2 - Dr. Manniquin

Family history - you will want to know if your parents, grandparents, or siblings had breast cancer, colon cancer, high blood pressure (HTN), high cholesterol (hyperlipidemia), prostate cancer, diabetes, ect. This is only for immediate family members and does not include adoptive parents.

Mom

Depression, breast cancer diagnosed at age 50, high blood pressure, hyperlipidemia

Dad

Colon cancer diagnosed at age 40, diabetes, high blood pressure, hyperlipidemia

Brother

alcohol abuse

Maternal grandmother

Breast cancer diagnosed at age 50, depression

Maternal grandfather

Coronary artery disease with heart attack, depression, diabetes, prostate cancer

Paternal grandmother

Breast cancer diagnosed at age 70, alcohol abuse, depression

Paternal grandfather

Colon cancer diagnosed at age 65, prostate cancer, alcohol abuse

Social history - are you married, do you work, do you have children, hobbies.

Married with 2 children.  Frank age 3, Haley age 7

Works at Liberty Mutual

Smokes

Does not drink

Enjoys hockey, golf, rock climbing, and reading