TIPS FOR AN EFFECTIVE PATIENT MEDICAL VISIT

A Medical visit will be beneficial for the patient if the treating Doctor has all the available information from the patient but also when he succeeds in developing a relationship of trust with the patient that will allow him to release himself from misgivings and evasions.

Below are some useful tips regarding the preparation of the patient before the visit, as well as the requirements of a visit as well as instructions for after returning home.

Before visiting the clinic:

 It is worth arriving at the doctor's office shortly before the scheduled appointment to avoid disruption because in case of tension you may forget issues that you would like to discuss with the Doctor.

Plan your journey to the clinic, always taking into account the usual traffic load at the time, while the nearest Metro station, ¨Evangelismos¨, is a 15-minute gentle walk away.

 Before the visit you should have written down all the questions and concerns you would like to discuss with the Doctor, because we often remember many of these after we leave the office.

In order not to forget the note with the questions, it is a good idea to have it saved in the memory of your mobile phone.

The clinic is located at 1^The floor and guests are served by 2 elevators, with easy access for people with reduced mobility.

You will always receive a reminder notification to confirm your scheduled appointment 24 to 48 hours in advance.

During your visit to the Clinic:

You should bring with you your recent laboratory tests in printed form, your diary of blood sugar measurements (if you have Diabetes), copies of your recent hospital discharges, the list of medicines you are taking with the corresponding dosages. Be informed about the medical history of your first degree relatives or their causes of death.

You should have available the details of Doctors of other specialties who monitor you for other diseases in case it is necessary to contact them and do not forget to mention any allergies you have to food or drugs.

During your visit, you should trust the Doctor, tell him the exact reason for the administration of the treatments you receive or the reasons for your personal choice to take over-the-counter drugs, nutritional supplements, or herbal preparations. The reason is that many of them may be responsible for the symptoms you have.

When describing your symptoms you should be prepared to answer when exactly they appeared, what condition you were in, whether they were gradual or sudden in onset, what position your body was in, how active you were at the time, the recent medication you took, the exact description of the feeling of pain, its exact location in the body – whether it is localized, but also whether it has improved or worsened since it started.

In the visits of chronic sufferers the first visit is more important than routine visits (at regular intervals), while an annual or 6-month checkup of a healthy person is of a different nature. Of course, the reason for the visit is different for an acute sudden incident. Finally, the visit of a Diabetic mother-to-be who wants a prenatal check-up is also of special character.

You should trust your Doctor more than Google, and if there is a significant discrepancy between your internet searches and what the Doctor says, you should report it.

Quality is always better than quantity, so during your visit you should choose and focus on the 2-3 most serious health issues that concern you so that valuable time is not wasted on chaotic searches.

You will choose whether you want your companion to attend the examination area with you or wait for you in the waiting room.

Don't forget to mention from the beginning that you also want an electronic prescription of your chronic medications or a routine laboratory check.

It is also very important that you are dressed in clothes that will facilitate the clinical examination.

After your visit to the doctor:

Our practice is not contracted with EOPYY and it is possible to pay by credit card.

Before leaving the place, make sure you have taken with you any printed material, tests or notes that the Doctor brought or gave you, as well as plan your next visit so that there is consistency in your appointments and medical follow-up.

On your departure we can call a taxi for you.

Returning home:

On your return home the hard times are over, but there is still a little left to consider the visit a success. For example, ask yourself whether all your questions have been answered, whether you have been thoroughly informed about the issues that concern you and whether you are confident about the initiatives you need to take, whether it is about the treatment you have been recommended to follow, the carrying out of specific tests, or the need to visit a Doctor of another specialty.

Mark in your calendar the day of your next visit to the Doctor and make sure that all the required tests or any visits to Doctors of other specialties are completed by then, so that the results of these can be holistically taken into account by the Doctor and in combination with the then your course, to form a better picture of your condition.