Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

Save time and money with your visit with healthcare providers

Stephen Meyers, MD
Physician
January 17, 2011
Share
Tweet
Share

Have you ever been frustrated by an unproductive or inopportune visit with your doctor that wasted your time and money?

Here are a few tips to keep that from happening again.

The problem

Many visits with healthcare providers are poorly timed and less productive than they could be.  Why?  Because nobody is looking out for you between visits. It’s not that your doctor doesn’t care.  He or she is simply too busy with clinical tasks to be able to optimize your visits.

As a result, you spend more money and get suboptimal care:

  • Extra visits and additional costs at the pharmacy.
  • Incorrect or unnecessary testing and treatment.
  • Rushed decisions and explanations.
  • Some visits are so handicapped by poor planning that they accomplish nothing, wasting both your time and money.

It is easy to minimize the number of visits and maximize the time with your doctor.

The solution

You can easily accomplish more for less cost at the doctor’s office with what I call SMART Preparation–Scheduling, Medications, Agenda, Records and Tests.

The exercise will only take a minute or two and will pay off every time.

Scheduling

Optimize visit timing and duration.

  • Most important:  When making the appointment, inform the receptionist of EVERY issue that you need to cover so that adequate time is scheduled.  If you think of additional topics to be addressed, call back to allow a previously scheduled visit to be extended.
  • Schedule visits just before medications refills are due to avoid wasting purchased prescriptions.
  • Using a mail-order pharmacy?  Allow time for shipping to avoid expensive local refills.
  • Space out visits to different healthcare providers to avoid redundant care.

Medications

Save money by knowing your medication history and cost information.

  • Most important:  Bring your insurance drug formulary and/or pharmacy discount drug list.
  • Be sure to know details about any ineffective or poorly tolerated past medications.  (Tip:  If you can’t remember a name or dose, check with the pharmacy.)
  • Carry an accurate list of current medications and dosages.

Agenda

To avoid a return visit sooner than expected, have a clear understanding of what needs to be accomplished this visit.

  • Most important:  Make a prioritized list of items that you hope to address.  Always present your list to the doctor at the start of the visit.
  • Don’t count on your doctor to identify non-immediate issues that may soon need follow-up.  (Tip:  Look for any prescriptions that have fewer than five refills left.)
  • Identify any future exam or paperwork deadlines (school, camp, daycare, work, employment, insurance).  Address them now, or account for them in the timing of your visit.

Records

Don’t let lack of needed information undermine your visit.

  • Most important:  Turn in your homework.  Examples might include home blood pressure measurements, blood sugar results or a detailed timeline of your symptoms.
  • Gather or request all past records related to issues that you plan to address.
  • Bring all recommendations from other healthcare providers seen since your last visit.

Tests

Avoid unnecessary testing and being hauled back into the office for overlooked lab work.

  • Most important:  Consider what tests you will soon be due for.  Get them out of the way now.
  • Bring a copy of all recent and past pertinent test results done elsewhere.
  • Get a copy of any test results performed this visit.

It is up to you

When seeking assistance from any professional, ample preparation allows you to accomplish more in less time.  In the medical setting it will also improve your care and save money along the way.

ADVERTISEMENT

Now with SMART Preparation you can spend less for your care than just showing up at the office and hoping for the best.

Stephen Meyers is a family physician who blogs at The Med Savings Blog.

 

Submit a guest post and be heard on social media’s leading physician voice.

Prev

Are malpractice lawsuits really responsible for the rise in C-sections?

January 16, 2011 Kevin 61
…
Next

Fetal ultrasound and our image oriented society

January 17, 2011 Kevin 5
…

Tagged as: Patients, Primary Care

Post navigation

< Previous Post
Are malpractice lawsuits really responsible for the rise in C-sections?
Next Post >
Fetal ultrasound and our image oriented society

ADVERTISEMENT

More by Stephen Meyers, MD

  • a desk with keyboard and ipad with the kevinmd logo

    A physician responsibility for the financial health of patients

    Stephen Meyers, MD
  • a desk with keyboard and ipad with the kevinmd logo

    Respect the potential wrath of a drug

    Stephen Meyers, MD
  • a desk with keyboard and ipad with the kevinmd logo

    What to do with a prescription bottle with the wrong pills inside

    Stephen Meyers, MD

More in Physician

  • How to handle chronically late patients in your medical practice

    Neil Baum, MD
  • How early meetings and after-hours events penalize physician-mothers

    Samira Jeimy, MD, PhD and Menaka Pai, MD
  • Why medicine must evolve to support modern physicians

    Ryan Nadelson, MD
  • Why listening to parents’ intuition can save lives in pediatric care

    Tokunbo Akande, MD, MPH
  • Finding balance and meaning in medical practice: a holistic approach to professional fulfillment

    Dr. Saad S. Alshohaib
  • How regulatory overreach is destroying innovation in U.S. health care

    Kayvan Haddadan, MD
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Forced voicemail and diagnosis codes are endangering patient access to medications

      Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA | Meds
    • How President Biden’s cognitive health shapes political and legal trust

      Muhamad Aly Rifai, MD | Conditions
    • The One Big Beautiful Bill and the fragile heart of rural health care

      Holland Haynie, MD | Policy
    • Why timing, not surgery, determines patient survival

      Michael Karch, MD | Conditions
    • Why health care leaders fail at execution—and how to fix it

      Dave Cummings, RN | Policy
    • How digital tools are reshaping the doctor-patient relationship

      Vineet Vishwanath | Tech
  • Past 6 Months

    • Forced voicemail and diagnosis codes are endangering patient access to medications

      Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA | Meds
    • Why are medical students turning away from primary care? [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • How President Biden’s cognitive health shapes political and legal trust

      Muhamad Aly Rifai, MD | Conditions
    • The One Big Beautiful Bill and the fragile heart of rural health care

      Holland Haynie, MD | Policy
    • Why “do no harm” might be harming modern medicine

      Sabooh S. Mubbashar, MD | Physician
    • The hidden health risks in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act

      Trevor Lyford, MPH | Policy
  • Recent Posts

    • Why point-of-care ultrasound belongs in every emergency department triage [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Why PSA levels alone shouldn’t define your prostate cancer risk

      Martina Ambardjieva, MD, PhD | Conditions
    • How to handle chronically late patients in your medical practice

      Neil Baum, MD | Physician
    • Reframing chronic pain and dignity: What a pain clinic teaches us about MAiD and chronic suffering

      Olumuyiwa Bamgbade, MD | Conditions
    • How early meetings and after-hours events penalize physician-mothers

      Samira Jeimy, MD, PhD and Menaka Pai, MD | Physician
    • Why medicine must evolve to support modern physicians

      Ryan Nadelson, MD | Physician

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

View 7 Comments >

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

ADVERTISEMENT

  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Forced voicemail and diagnosis codes are endangering patient access to medications

      Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA | Meds
    • How President Biden’s cognitive health shapes political and legal trust

      Muhamad Aly Rifai, MD | Conditions
    • The One Big Beautiful Bill and the fragile heart of rural health care

      Holland Haynie, MD | Policy
    • Why timing, not surgery, determines patient survival

      Michael Karch, MD | Conditions
    • Why health care leaders fail at execution—and how to fix it

      Dave Cummings, RN | Policy
    • How digital tools are reshaping the doctor-patient relationship

      Vineet Vishwanath | Tech
  • Past 6 Months

    • Forced voicemail and diagnosis codes are endangering patient access to medications

      Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA | Meds
    • Why are medical students turning away from primary care? [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • How President Biden’s cognitive health shapes political and legal trust

      Muhamad Aly Rifai, MD | Conditions
    • The One Big Beautiful Bill and the fragile heart of rural health care

      Holland Haynie, MD | Policy
    • Why “do no harm” might be harming modern medicine

      Sabooh S. Mubbashar, MD | Physician
    • The hidden health risks in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act

      Trevor Lyford, MPH | Policy
  • Recent Posts

    • Why point-of-care ultrasound belongs in every emergency department triage [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Why PSA levels alone shouldn’t define your prostate cancer risk

      Martina Ambardjieva, MD, PhD | Conditions
    • How to handle chronically late patients in your medical practice

      Neil Baum, MD | Physician
    • Reframing chronic pain and dignity: What a pain clinic teaches us about MAiD and chronic suffering

      Olumuyiwa Bamgbade, MD | Conditions
    • How early meetings and after-hours events penalize physician-mothers

      Samira Jeimy, MD, PhD and Menaka Pai, MD | Physician
    • Why medicine must evolve to support modern physicians

      Ryan Nadelson, MD | Physician

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Save time and money with your visit with healthcare providers
7 comments

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...