Making the Appointment
Who do you call to make the appointment?
The receptionist
This is the fixed amount you often have to pay at the front desk before you see the doctor.
A co-pay
You should bring a list of these to every appointment, including vitamins and supplements.
Medication list
This label tells you exactly how many times a day to take your medicine and if you should take it with food.
What is the prescription label?
What should you have out when you call to make an appointment?
Calendar and insurance
You are considered this type of patient if you haven't seen that specific doctor in over three years.
A new patient
This phrase is the best thing to say if the doctor uses a medical word you don't recognize.
What is "Can you explain that again?" (or "I don't understand")
These are drugs you can buy at the store without a doctor's note, like Tylenol or Advil.
What is Over-the-Counter (OTC) medicine?
What three things to bring to your aapointment?
Insurance, ID, money to pay co-pay
This federal law ensures that your medical information stays private and confidential.
HIPAA
These are the physical signs of an illness, like a cough, fever, or rash.
Symptoms
This is a digital or paper "note" from your doctor that allows the pharmacy to give you medicine.
What is a prescription?
When the receptionist asks for the "reason for the visit," you should give a brief description of these.
Your symptoms
To save time, many offices now ask you to fill out these forms online before you arrive.
Intake/Registration forms
Before you leave, you should ask the doctor for a written version of this, which explains what you need to do next.
What is a visit summary (or after-visit summary)?
If you run out of medicine, you call the pharmacy to request one of these.
What is a refill?
This is a list of your current medical issues, past surgeries, and family illnesses that you should know before your first visit.
What is your medical history?
If your insurance requires it, you must get this "permission slip" from your main doctor before seeing a specialist.
Referral
This is the term for a second opinion or when your doctor asks another expert to look at your case.
What is a consultation?
This is an unwanted reaction to a medicine, such as feeling sleepy or getting an upset stomach.
What is a side effect?