Gary Barg, Editor-in-Chief
The Physician’s Appointment
- Treat your loved one’s telehealth appointment with their physician like a company or school presentation.
- Prepare the questions you want to ask in advance.
- Don’t let any unfamiliar phrase or acronym go unquestioned.
- Don’t be afraid to ask the doctor anything.
- Ask about any new medication they propose to see it if will interact with your loved ones existing medications.
- No question from a family caregiver is silly. Ever.
- Take the first segment of the call in private if there are things that you need to share with the doctor and don’t want to say in front of your loved one.
- Take notes or ask if you can record the session.
- Be ready for the appointment on time, even if they are late (and chances are that they will be late).
- Remember: Good physicians are interested in your observations and aren’t grading on a curve or basing a promotion on your questions.
Truth is, although, I appreciate the value of telehealth, I can wait to be able to sit in a cold waiting room in order to be sent into another cold room waiting to feel a cold stethoscope against my chest. Ah, the good old days!