By Sylvia Nissenboim, MSW, LCSW
How many of us have gone to the doctor and left the office without asking questions we had planned to ask? Or perhaps you have left your doctor’s office without having a clear understanding your health condition. Or maybe you have been worried about something not addressed during your doctor’s visit and this worry adds even more stress to your situation.
Each of us has probably felt this way at one time or another. Whether we are professional health care providers, or family caregivers, learning skills to improve communication with our health care professionals can only benefit the patient, the caregiver, and the health care professional or doctor.
Good Communication
Good communication between caregivers and their physician or health care provider will enhance a family member’s care, and for the professional health care provider, will make visits more efficient and thorough. Both patient and health care provider can benefit from improved skills in communication regarding medical conditions, concerns, and questions during an office visit.
Our parents might have had a harder time asking their doctor for a few more minutes of explanation, or what the side effects of a medication are, but we have learned over time that, we have the right to get answers from the doctor during a visit. The better prepared we are before we go into the doctor’s office, the less stress to “think on their feet” the patient and/or their family caregiver will experience.
There are a number of communications pointers caregivers can learn for themselves as well as the person they are caring for:
- Learning to focus
- Staying calm and clear when visiting the doctor
- Knowing the most relevant questions and how to ask them, and
- Knowing not to leave until questions are satisfied, within reason
Crucial Information
If you were to ask a caregiver what were the most important components of a meeting with the doctor, they would likely say they wanted a clearer explanation of the condition, medications, and recommended treatment plans. They want unrushed time with the doctor. They also want the doctor to be sensitive to the impact of their family member’s illness on them, the caregiver, and the practicality of follow-through with care regimens.
A few moments of face-to-face, in seated conversation, would give the caregiver a sense that he or she had connected with the health care professional and hopefully that the health care professional had addressed their feelings, worries, and concerns. This is much harder to bring up when the doctor is standing at the door, reading the chart, or not making eye contact. Family caregivers need to trust that the doctor is being forthright, honest, and direct with questions posed to them by the patient or the caregiver.
Care for the Caregiver
Finally, but certainly not less important, is the need caregivers have for the health care professional to simply ask the caregiver how he or she is doing. This is not intended to open up the caregiver’s whole life story, but rather to ensure the health care professional sees the family unit in context, making sure caregivers feel heard.
Too often caregivers feels ignored or even that their role is minimized or taken for granted by the physician. (Sometimes caregivers themselves minimize their role too.) When caregivers know the physician recognizes the many responsibilities that are carried out by the family, caregivers feel acknowledged and this makes for a healthier, more satisfied customer. Satisfied customers, whether patients or patient advocates, are what doctors want to have, as they are more cooperative and compliant with care regimens.
It is also important to show the physician that you expect basic information and questions answered. If you find yourself in a situation where the health care professional does not address you or your questions, you might do best by addressing it head on. If, after that, they do not demonstrate an interest in satisfying your questions, you might consider switching doctors.
Bring Your Questions
Likewise, if you ask physicians what would make the office visit run more smoothly and efficiently from their perspective, they will have additional recommendations that all of us should heed, taking into consideration the tight scheduling concerns that limit face-to-face time. They also appreciate the time taken beforehand to prepare a list of questions and concerns, so you get the information you need at the time. This minimizes the need to call back to get them answered or let them go unanswered entirely. Thinking about the questions and keeping a list with you (you never know when you will think of something you need explanation for!) will suffice.
Also, try to keep social conversation to a minimum, and stick to the point. This will allow for more time for quality input from the health care professional. Sometimes, the hardest questions, usually those starting with “Why did . . . ” or “When will . . .”, are not easily answered if answerable at all. Also, give the physician room to say, “I just don’t know.” There is no crystal ball.
Coming to the office visit having done some basic “research” (i.e., checking on the Internet for information, listening to experts and others who have gone through similar situations, and reading) prepares you with the basics of the conditions you are facing with your loved one. The health care professional will not have to take valuable office time to give you the entire overview of all the causes, prognoses, and treatments for the condition a caregiver and patient are facing. Keep your questions specific to your loved one’s situation.
While these are only guidelines, they are not intended to indicate that the physician is not interested in giving you all the information you seek. The pressure on physicians to see many patients each day has limited the time they can spend with each one. Use your time well, and the physician will appreciate it.
Don’t forget, the care team is comprised of the health care professional, family and patient and understanding each other’s circumstances a bit better will lead better outcomes for all.
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The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, and do not necessarily reflect those of the National Association of Social Workers or its members.
