Visiting a new doctor can be a stressful experience. Being prepared makes the first visit easier and paves the way for more effective treatment and care. Be sure to bring everything from a list of current medications to a list of chronic health conditions when visiting or speaking with your new primary care physician or specialist for the first time.
List of Medications
A list of all current prescriptions helps your new doctor assess your situation more quickly. If any medications have been problematic in the past they should be listed. Any medications you’re allergic to should also be listed. New, recently started or recently stopped medications should be noted and highlighted for emphasis. Any over-the-counter medications and dietary supplements should also be recorded.
Lab Reports
Though a new physician is likely to order a fresh blood panel and urine analysis for every new patient, any blood panels or urine tests done in the past 1 to 2 years can be helpful. Be sure to bring any recent complete blood counts (CBC), electrolyte panels, renal panels, thyroid function tests and urine analysis records with you when meeting a new doctor.
Diagnostic Reports
Further helpful reports to bring to a new physician include x-rays, ultrasounds, CT scans, MRIs, pulmonary function tests, biopsy reports, cardiac catheterization reports, EKGs and neuropsychology evaluations. It’s especially useful to bring diagnostic reports from the past 1 to 5 years that are directly related to a diagnosis or management of a chronic condition. Viewing past diagnostic reports helps a doctor focus on known health issues more quickly.
Hospital Reports
Records detailing your visit to an emergency room or hospital are additional documents that can be helpful to a new doctor. Emergency room clinical notes, admissions history and hospital discharge summaries are all useful reports that can summarize what conditions you may be suffering from. Your new physician will look over any hospital or emergency room visit reports to further assess your health history.
List of Chronic Health Conditions
A list of all chronic health conditions or previously diagnosed conditions is helpful to a new physician who is unfamiliar with both your current and past health. Also include any conditions your relatives suffer from or have suffered from previously. To further assist your new doctor, list the year each of your conditions was first diagnosed and any notable issues with each disease. You can also include past conditions that you’ve ceased treatment for.
List of Healthcare Providers
Depending on whether you’re visiting a specialist or primary care doctor, a list of your other healthcare providers may be needed. Any type of skilled therapist, including occupational, speech, or physical, should be included. Behavioral clinicians, such as counselors, therapists and psychologists, should also be listed. If you are seeing a certain kind of specialist your new physician may need to be privy to the associated condition you are suffering from. Further developing an accurate medical picture of your health, knowing what doctors are involved in your ongoing healthcare helps a new doctor gain insights into appropriate proactive and ongoing care needs.
Immunizations
A printed record of every immunization you’ve had and the year it was administered is yet another useful piece of information for your new physician. Your new physician will know what vaccines to recommend if they know which ones you’ve already received. Keeping you safe and protected from a variety of diseases, immunizations should be kept up to date.
Easing the stress of cumbersome procedures associated with visiting a new clinician, compile all your health information before your first appointment. From immunizations to past diagnostic reports, a new doctor can gather a comprehensive picture of your health much quicker if all relevant information is provided upon the first meeting. Paving the way for quicker diagnostics and more effective care, be prepared and armed with your health information when visiting a new clinician. Contact Diamond Physicians today to speak directly with a primary care doctor.