Often when people with cancer visit members of their medical team, they may have many questions but they either forget or run out of time to ask them. Below are some suggestions that may help form your questions and get them answered at your next medical appointment.
- To get started, Write down a list in the table below of any questions or concerns you would like answered at your next medical appointment. Simply click the ‘add new’ button below the examples provided. It is a good idea to write/type these questions down as they come to mind, or else they may be forgotten! Either post (or email) the list to your doctor a few days before your appointment, or give it to the Receptionist to give to him/her on the day of your appointment. This should ensure all of your questions are addressed.
- Take a printed copy of these questions for yourself so that you or your support person can write down the answers. Alternatively, you could take a small tape recorder (or smart-phone) to your appointment, and record the session with your doctor’s permission. It may be useful to follow this procedure for each appointment.
- If you ask a question and don’t understand the answer, remember it is okay to tell your doctor that the answer is not clear and to ask him/her to please explain it again. It is important to make sure that when you leave your appointment your questions have been addressed and answered to your satisfaction.
- Encourage your support person to ask and repeat questions too.
- Ask your doctor/nurse/clinician to provide a follow-up letter to summarise the main information they gave you. That way if you do feel as though you are being told different information from someone else, you can show them what you were originally told and ask why the information has changed. You may want to get this new information tape recorded and written down in another letter from the treatment team.
To get started, click the ‘Add New’ button at the bottom of the table.
