Short medical appointments lead to missed conditions

When you go to your doctor to discuss a medical issue, you expect him or her to give you reliable, consistent advice. But this is hard to receive if your doctor spends only a few minutes consulting with you and going over your symptoms. 

According to Reuters, for most people in the world, medical visits with a primary care doctor last five minutes or less. This limits your doctor’s ability to see a full picture of your condition, leading to missed issues and diagnoses that can create serious medical issues later on. 

Prepare notes

Since you likely do not have much time with your medical provider, it is imperative that you prepare for your appointments ahead of time to prevent a missed diagnosis. Write down the symptoms you are dealing with and their severity. Detail how these issues affect your daily life, like your ability to care for yourself and others, work and perform routine tasks. Also note any medications or treatment you have tried to treat these symptoms. 

Ask questions

In addition to outlining your symptoms, take time to brainstorm some questions you want to ask your medical provider. For example, list questions relating to potential side effects of any prescribed medications, what any recommended tests will show and how you should follow up with any referrals. 

Do not be afraid to ask questions during your appointment. If your provider does not ask if you have any questions, speak up and go over any concerns you have before you leave.