These tips can simply make your MD 1st Urgent Care visit even more productive and ensure your experience is a less stressful one for you.
💡 Tip 1: Be on time to your appointment
Arrive 15 to 20 minutes early for your appointment. Doing so will give you plenty of time to check in and have your vitals monitored (like your height, weight, and blood pressure). Arriving early will also help you get as much time with your provider as possible as it will allow them to remain on schedule. Being on time may also help you feel less rushed or stressed about the appointment.
💡 Tip 2: List Your Symptoms
Write down a list of your symptoms before the visit. It’s a good idea to keep a diary so you can chart your symptoms over time. Include details of the type of symptoms you are experiencing, when these symptoms began, and what makes them better or worse.
💡 Tip 3: Write down questions
Keep a running list of questions you want to ask your Urgent Care doctor. Every time you think of something you want to ask, go write it down, so you don’t forget
💡 Tip 4: Utilize Smart Device data
If you use a self-tracking device, like a Fitbit or Apple Watch, download your data and summarize the findings beforehand.
💡 Tip 5: Find out if you need a follow-up appointment
Before you leave the urgent care clinic, find out if you need a follow-up appointment. For some problems, you only need to follow up if your symptoms worsen, don’t get better, or return. In other cases, you will need to see a doctor to complete treatment. For example, you may need to return for suture removal or see your doctor to make sure a fracture heals properly.
💡 Tip 6: Try to relax
It’s natural to be nervous or anxious when visiting a healthcare provider, but remember that they are here to try to help you. Try to relax as much as possible.
💡 Tip 7: Be honest with your provider
Let’s be honest — many medical conditions are uncomfortable to discuss, especially in-person. But you should not feel embarrassed or ashamed to talk about anything with your provider. (Trust us, providers have heard it all!) Actually, leaving out details or lying to your provider can be bad for your health because it affects your care, so tell your provider everything. Honesty is definitely the best policy — especially for your health.
💡 Tip 8: Empower Yourself with Knowledge
Do research so you have a better understanding of medical terms the doctor might use. For example, if you are having hip pain, do some online research about the hip joint and hip pain.