Making the Most of Your Appointment
At Community Care, the patient is the center of the Care Team. Working as a team with your provider, nurse, navigator and pharmacist, you have the ability to reach your health care goals. Your active participation is the key to your success.
There are some key steps to making the most of your appointment:
Step 1: Before Your Appointment
Step 2: At Your Appointment
Ask Me 3 - Three Important Questions to Ask During Your Appointment
Use this as a guide to ask your Care Team questions during your visit. Make sure to write down the answers in your notebook.
Other questions you may want to ask your Care Team, based on your diagnosis and treatment, include:
Step 3: Before You Leave
There are some key steps to making the most of your appointment:
Step 1: Before Your Appointment
- Determine what you want to accomplish during the appoint.
- Write down questions for your Care Team in a notebook. You'll want to take the notebook with you so you don't forget anything important.
- Verify and write down the name and dosage of all your medications, both prescription and over-the-counter, as well as vitamins and supplements. Make note if you are taking a dosage other than the prescribed or recommended dosage. It will be important to review this list with your Care Team.
- Place all medications, vitamins, and supplements, in their original containers, in a bag to take to your appointment. Having them available will make it easier to review if a question arises.
- Notify your Care Team if you have been hospitalized or have seen a specialist or other medical provider since your last visit. This will give them time to obtain related medical records prior to your visit.
- Organize any medical documents you are taking to the appointment.
Step 2: At Your Appointment
- Tell your Care Team about your most important problems first. Your Care Team has a limited amount of time to spend with each patient and you want to make sure they know your pressing needs.
- Review the list of medications, vitamins, and supplements you are taking. Ask any questions you may have about the medications.
- Tell your Care Team about any other medical providers taking care of you. This will keep your Care Team up-to-date about all the care you are receiving and allow them to coordinate care as necessary.
Ask Me 3 - Three Important Questions to Ask During Your Appointment
Use this as a guide to ask your Care Team questions during your visit. Make sure to write down the answers in your notebook.
- What is my main problem?
- What do I need to do?
- Why is it important for me to do this?
Other questions you may want to ask your Care Team, based on your diagnosis and treatment, include:
- What is this test for?
- When will I get the results?
- How do you spell the name of that drug?
- Are there any side effects?
- Will this medicine interact with medicines I'm already taking?
- Why do I need this treatment?
- Are there any alternative treatments?
- How do I get care after hours?
- What hospital is best for my needs?
- What are the possible complications?
Step 3: Before You Leave
- Ask your Care Team to explain anything you don't understand. Do not leave the office without having your questions answered.
- Make sure to ask about referrals to specialists or social service agencies.
- Make an appointment for your next visit.
- Please consider using the in-house pharmacy so that your medical provider can confer with our clinical pharmacist about any important medication issues or interactions. Also, please ask about our mail order pharmacy services. We can mail your medications right to your door.
After Your Appointment
We are here for you!
Your care doesn't stop when you leave our clinic. Your Care Team is available for you whenever you have questions. They will also reach out to follow-up to see if you have any questions, are doing well with your medications, or are responding to treatment.
It is important that you follow-up on your provider's instructions. It is also important to call your Care Team if you are unclear about any instructions or have more questions.
When should you call your Care Team?
When you are experiencing an urgent medical situation or have urgent questions, remember you can contact your Care Team after hours by calling 1-888-557-2298.
Your care doesn't stop when you leave our clinic. Your Care Team is available for you whenever you have questions. They will also reach out to follow-up to see if you have any questions, are doing well with your medications, or are responding to treatment.
It is important that you follow-up on your provider's instructions. It is also important to call your Care Team if you are unclear about any instructions or have more questions.
When should you call your Care Team?
- If you experience any side effects or other problems with your medications.
- If your symptoms get worse after your visit.
- If you receive any new prescriptions or start taking any over-the-counter medications.
- To get results of any tests you've had. Do not assume that "no news is good news".
When you are experiencing an urgent medical situation or have urgent questions, remember you can contact your Care Team after hours by calling 1-888-557-2298.