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Key Points
- The article emphasizes the importance of teamwork between a patient and their medical provider for quality health care. Active participation from the patient can lead to more satisfaction and better health outcomes.
- Preparation for an urgent care visit should include a thorough understanding of your health history, including family medical history, current conditions, medication details, and recent health issues. The article suggests creating "medical information cards" for easy access to this information.
- The patient should be prepared to answer detailed questions about their symptoms, including the nature and duration of the problem, any treatments tried, and the reason for seeking urgent care.
- It's also important for the patient to ask the doctor certain questions to fully understand their diagnosis and treatment plan. These include queries about the diagnosis, expected recovery time, medication details, reasons for a possible return visit, follow-up plans with regular physicians, and a request for written care instructions.
- The article concludes by reinforcing the idea that an empowered, proactive patient is likely to have a more satisfactory and effective health care experience.
Do you know how to make the most out of your urgent care visit? Ask yourself and your doctor the right questions and you will!
Getting quality health care starts with teamwork between you and your medical provider. Patients who take an active role are a lot happier with their care and see more improvement than patients who do not. Here’s how to prepare for your next visit to urgent care (or pediatric urgent care) and get the most out of your appointment once you’re there.
Know Your Health History
To provide the best treatment, the doctor will need a snapshot of your overall health. Come ready to talk about your family medical history and your current conditions. Know the names of the medications you’re taking, as well as the dosage. If you’ve had any recent illnesses or surgeries, make sure to mention those as well. It’s helpful to create “medical information cards” for yourself and your family so that you have all these details on-the-ready.
Know the Answers to Health Questions
To help the providers at the urgent care clinic get to the bottom of things faster, think through these questions before your appointment. If you’re taking your kid to pediatric urgent care, ask her to describe her symptoms before you leave home or in the car so you can relay that information to the doctor.
- What’s your main concern?
Describe your issue in detail. Use words like aching, cramping, stabbing, tender, or sickening to describe any pain and rank its severity on a scale of 1-10. What aggravates or alleviates things? Is the pain in one spot or is it spread out? Is it constant or does it come and go? - How long have you had these symptoms?
Pinpoint when the symptoms first began. Have things worsened since then? Have you had this issue before? Is this occurrence different in any way? - What have you tried?Walk through any over-the-counter medications, naturopathic remedies, or other home treatments you’ve tried. Did they work?
- Why are you seeing a doctor about it now?Tell the provider what made this situation urgent.
Questions You Should Always Ask Your Urgent Care Doctor
In order to leave urgent care with a comprehensive understanding of your issue and the treatment plan, you should always ask the following questions:
- What is the diagnosis?
- When should I expect to feel better?
- Can you go over the medication? Are there any side effects? How will it interact with my current medications?
- What would be a cause to come back in?
- How do you plan to follow up with my regular physician or pediatrician?
- Do you have a printout I could take home for care instructions?
An empowered patient is a happier and healthier patient. Remember to use teamwork at your next Solv appointment to get the best possible outcome.
Frequently asked questions
What is the importance of knowing my health history for an urgent care visit?
Knowing your health history helps the doctor provide the best treatment. It's important to be ready to discuss your family medical history, current conditions, medications you're taking, and any recent illnesses or surgeries.What is a medical information card and why might it be useful?
A medical information card is a tool that contains all your relevant health details. It's useful to have these cards on hand during your urgent care visit to ensure you have all necessary information readily available.How can I effectively describe my symptoms to an urgent care provider?
When describing your symptoms, be as detailed as possible. Use descriptive words to explain any pain and rank its severity on a scale of 1-10. Discuss what aggravates or alleviates your symptoms, whether the pain is localized or spread out, and if it's constant or intermittent.Why is it important to note when my symptoms first began?
Noting when your symptoms first began helps the provider understand the progression of your condition. It's also useful to discuss if your condition has worsened, if you've had this issue before, and if this occurrence is different in any way.What should I tell the doctor about any treatments I've tried?
You should tell the doctor about any over-the-counter medications, naturopathic remedies, or home treatments you've tried and whether they worked. This can help the doctor understand what has been ineffective and guide the treatment plan.What questions should I always ask my urgent care doctor before leaving?
Before leaving, you should ask about the diagnosis, when you should expect to feel better, details about any prescribed medication, reasons you should return, follow-up plans with your regular physician, and if there is a printout of care instructions you can take home.How does teamwork contribute to a successful urgent care visit?
Teamwork between you and your medical provider contributes to a successful urgent care visit. Patients who take an active role in their care tend to be happier with their care and see more improvement than those who do not.What makes a situation urgent enough to visit an urgent care clinic?
A situation becomes urgent enough for an urgent care visit when your symptoms are severe, worsening, or not responding to home treatments. It's important to tell the provider what made your situation urgent.
