Questions to ask my doctor

When you see a doctor or any other healthcare professional, it’s important that you’re fully involved in any decisions made about you or your health. To help you get the information you need, we have designed a series of questions to take along to your doctor’s appointment. They include questions about:

My condition
My test(s)
My treatment

However, if you only have limited time with your doctor and aren’t able to go through a list of questions, you may find it useful to take along our top three questions:

• Can you explain what my condition is and how it may affect my life day-to-day?
• How accurate are the tests used to diagnose my condition? Are there any risks associated with these tests and how do they apply to me?
• What are my treatment options? Would you recommend a particular treatment and why?

Print the top three questions.

To make a fully informed decision about your care you need to know about the condition you have, any test(s) you may need and what your treatment options are. As with all medical procedures, there are risks and benefits involved. Understanding these and how they may affect you personally is vital in helping you making the right choice for you about your care.

Produced by Kerry McKeagney, Bupa Health Information Team, April 2012.