Brochures
and Forms | Care
Managers | The Role of Care Managers |
Other Services to Ask About | Doctor Visits
- A Checklist to Help You Prepare
Checklist for Doctor Visits
 It
takes time to adjust to the diagnosis of cancer. It's common
to feel confused, and overwhelmed. These feeling and your health
condition can
make it especially difficult to keep track of and prepare for
appointments, medications, and tests. The purpose of this page is to
help you to overcome these challenges.
General Guidance:
When you go to your doctor you want to accomplish two main goals:
( 1 ) Assist your doctor in determining your medical needs and
most appropriate treatment plan;
( 2 ) Ensure that your receive timely access to medical care and
the related
services you need.
To accomplish this need to communicate and prepare materials and questions:
 | Communicate:
Ask for help. There's no need to go it alone.
|
| During visits, ask
questions of the secretary, nurse, or
doctor about referring you to a
care manager and other
services.
|
| Prepared materials
for your visits in advance.
|
| Prepare your questions in advance.
|
Brochures and forms you can print:
| Preparing for Doctor Visits - What to bring, - PDF
|
| Checklist of Questions for your Doctor - Web
| PDF brochure
|
|
Is a clinical
trial
appropriate for me? - PDF
|
|
Treatment History Diary - PDF
|
|
|
Care Managers
You *may* be able to get the help of a care manager
or care "navigator" from the place you get
treatment.
What you might ask:
I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed right now. Can you provide me with
the names of care managers who can help me to organize what I need
to know and do?
|
Nurse specializing in cancer or other areas
("nurse navigators"); |
|
Social worker; |
|
Health care advocate; |
|
Family member or friend that you trust; |
|
Large facilities usually have a full-time care manager.
OR |
Contact your local or virtual (online) non-profit organization -
ACC PAL, LLS, LRF
The Role of Care Managers
What you might ask:
I'm feeling overwhelmed right now. Can you provide me with
contact information for care managers who can help me to organize what I need
to know and do?
Care managers help you make sense of what the doctor tells
you. It's especially important to obtain help from a
care manager if you have special needs.
Care Managers can help you to:
|
Organize your
information and point you to resources; |
|
Find out what types of treatments and tests your insurance company pays for; |
|
Make sure your doctors have everything they need before they meet with you, including your
medical files, test results, treatment history files; |
|
Understand what your doctor
has explained to you about your diagnosis and treatment
plan; |
|
Answer any questions you might have after you leave the doctor's office.
(Adapted from guidance published by the Oncology Nursing Society)
|
Usually, one visit with the doctor is not enough, especially if you're upset. You need to fully understand and remember all the important and complicated information you'll hear about your illness and treatment.
Other Services
What you might ask:
I'm in need of special assistance because of one or more of the
following: anxiety, depression, confusion, fatigue, finances,
pain ... Can you please provide me with contact
information for special services to help me adjust to or overcome
this this problem?
| Mental health professionals (psychologists, or
psychiatrists) - can help you adjust to the stress of living with
cancer. Also see Support for Anxiety
and Depression page.
|
| Social workers - can help you find
the resources you need, and provide direct support.
|
| Support groups -
can help by providing encouragement, and helping you to find
resources.
Also see Support Groups for how
to join online groups.
|
| Pain specialists - can help you to improve your
quality of life, and address problems related to your illness and
treatment. Also see Talking
About Pain and Pain Support.
|
| Physical therapists -
can help you to address problems with mobility.
|
| Nutrition experts - can help you to improve your
quality of life, optimize your health, and reduce some risks
related to diet and treatment. |
Doctor Visits - A Checklist to Help You Prepare
 What you might ask:
Is this a good time to ask questions, doctor?
Important: Treatment and initial consults should not be rushed. Ask your
doctor to schedule a time that allows for a thorough discussion of all
appropriate options.
|
Ask a trusted friend or family member to come
with you.
Select someone who has good listening skills and some medical or
support
background if possible to each visit. |
|
A referral from your primary care doctor when seeing a specialist |
|
Authorization
from your insurance company when special services or tests, or treatments will be administered. |
|
Insurance cards -
bring all to first consult; |
|
Emergency contacts
- bring a list of names, addresses, and telephone numbers to first
consult; |
|
Family doctor and
local pharmacy - bring a list
of names and contact information to first consult; |
|
Pathology report and
slides - bring with you to
first consult;
Bringing the slides is especially important when consulting an outside
expert for the first time |
|
Medical and treatment history
- bring a summary to all consults. |
|
A complete list of medications you are taking, including
the dose and schedule; |
|
Bring a list of the dietary supplements and
herbs you may be taking. |
|
Bring a list of dates, locations, and results of all
doctor visits, tests, or x-rays; |
|
Bring a copy of your recent
radiology reports, and the film
from the last image test if available. |
|
A list of all your
questions. See Questions
for Your Doctor |
NOTE: A new federal law, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability
Act (HIPAA),
could make it more difficult for doctors to get these records from other doctors' offices.
|
