How To Get the Most Out of Your Doctor’s Appointment

When you receive a diagnosis of osteoporosis, some things can feel overwhelming. One of these things might be a doctor’s appointment. You may wonder what kinds of questions you should ask, what you should bring with you, what you can expect from your doctor during your visit, and how you should manage your health care appointment.

Jackie Herman, Osteoporosis Canada Advocate, and Dr. Adrian Lau, member of Osteoporosis Canada’s Scientific Advisory Council have provided some guidance on how to get the most out of your doctor’s appointment.

Jackie shares that when she was first diagnosed, she felt like she was flooded with emotions and unable to think clearly. Over time, she has discovered some strategies to support herself in these circumstances. She has some thoughts to share with those who may be newly diagnosed with osteoporosis and are getting ready for their next doctor’s appointment:

• Pick 5 questions that you want answered; you may not have all your questions answered at once, so prioritize them in order of importance
• Group your questions into categories for specific appointments
• Bring something with you to write down or record what you learn
• Ask a trusted support person to attend your appointments with you; have them record answers to your questions
• Build a personal support team: family and friends as well as pharmacists, physiotherapists, Bone Fit™ trained exercise professionals, etcetera, can all help you better manage your osteoporosis
• Remember your doctor’s appointments are one small piece of how you manage your health. You have control over how well you are prepared, informed, and how you put the advice of your health care team into practice

Dr. Lau explains that when he sees his patients, he has a plan on topics and questions to cover during the encounter. Sometimes the patient’s priorities may differ from the doctors.  Hence, it is important for patients to voice their priorities to their doctor during their visit and also understand what their doctor’s agenda may be. The overall goal is to realize each other’s agenda so you both get what you need out of the appointment.

Dr. Lau shares that when he sees a patient about osteoporosis his agenda is generally made up of two things:

• To assess a patient’s fracture risk
• To reduce a patient’s fracture risk

Dr. Lau breaks down a strategy for getting the most out of your appointment into the concept of “Patient Empowerment”. He explains that patient empowerment is defined as “A process through which people gain greater control over decisions and actions affecting their health”. The way to achieve patient empowerment is through participation, knowledge, and skills.

Participation

Be involved in your own health care, know your medical history and your family’s history. Know about your activities, your medications, and your test results. Ask questions!

Knowledge

Gather information and understand how to use this information. Use the Osteoporosis Canada website as a starting point for knowledge about osteoporosis, nutrition, exercise, treatments, and more. This knowledge gives you shared responsibility with your healthcare providers.

Skills

Living with a chronic illness means learning skills such as health literacy, (the belief that you have the capability to reach a certain goal), and decision making will all be important ones for you to develop on your health journey.

Remember to be patient with yourself. This may feel overwhelming at first, and it may take some time to build up some of these skills and knowledge. You won’t learn everything at once and that is ok.

Use your support network around you; your healthcare team, your family and friends, and the resources available to you through Osteoporosis Canada – support groups, programs, webinars, podcasts and more. You are not alone!