Asking the Right Questions
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How to ask questions, understand answers, and engage in your care
Understanding your healthcare and working with your doctor toward better health is called being engaged. Patients who are engaged in their care are generally healthier: they recover from illness and surgery sooner and have better outcomes.
Engaged patients ask questions and make sure they understand the answers they get to those questions. In this article, we’ll give you tips on helpful questions to ask your caregivers. Asking questions is an important part of understanding and being engaged in your healthcare.
It’s okay to ask questions. Really.
Asking questions can be intimidating, but it is always okay to do it. Your caregivers will not mind answering questions. In fact, they want you to understand your procedures and care plans. Asking questions helps your doctor work with you to make the best plan for your treatment and recovery. So don’t be scared or hesitant to ask questions. No question is “silly” or too simple when you need to better understand your health. (Remember, they went to school to learn this stuff, but it’s new to you.)
Make a list and keep it going
Before you meet with your doctor, make a list of questions you have. Ask these questions during your appointment and write down the answers you get. If you have questions about the answers, ask your new questions, too.
Keep your list handy and write down any additional questions as soon as you think of them. This will help you remember to ask those questions the next time you see your doctor.
Take notes when you talk to your doctor to help you remember the answers to your questions. If an answer doesn’t make sense, ask them to explain in a different way. Make sure you have everything you need to communicate well and prevent misunderstandings, including glasses and hearing aids. Ask for an interpreter if you need one.
Taking good notes
Helpful questions to get you started
Here are some great conversation-starting questions to help make sure you understand your care:
Managing medications
What is this medication for and how will it help?
How do you spell the name of the medication?
Does it have any side effects?
How should I take the medication? For example, with food?
Will it interact with anything I am already taking?
Should I stop any of the other medications I am taking?
Understanding tests
What is the test for?
When will I get the results?
Are there any other tests I should get?
Knowing what to expect
What symptoms should I expect?
What will I feel as I am healing?
What is not normal to feel?
Learning your options
Why do I need this treatment?
What are the alternatives?
What are the possible complications?
Taking the next steps
What happens next?
How should I take care of my condition at home?
Do I need special care after discharge?
When should I call the doctor?
Partnering with your doctor
When you and your doctor work together and communicate clearly, you get the treatment plan that is best for you. Share your thoughts with your doctor in your own words. Let them know about symptoms you are experiencing, including side effects from medications and any changes in your medical condition.
Share your feelings, too. If you are struggling with mental or emotional health, your doctor may be able to help. Mental health is a vital part of overall health, and knowing what you are going through helps your doctor see the full picture and care for you better.
Questions are the answer
There is no “right” way to keep a list of your questions. You can use a notepad, your laptop or computer, your phone, or the NOTES sections in your Patient Guide.
You can also use a mobile App. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality offers a free question builder on their App. Click here to get started.
Even doctors need to ask questions
Doctors are sometimes patients, too, and they ask questions when they see their doctor. In this short video, meet a heart doctor who brings her own list of questions to her appointments (and she thinks you should, too).
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