Doctor Visits
Take Charge of Your Health Care
The Basics
Overview
Did you know that when you play an active role in your health care, you can improve the quality of the care that you and your family get?
Health care is a team effort, and you're the most important member of the team! Your team also includes doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and insurance providers.
To take charge of your health care:
- Ask your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist questions — and don't be afraid to ask them to repeat or explain information
- Know your family's health history
- Keep track of important health information
- See a doctor regularly for checkups
- Be prepared for medical appointments
- Follow up after your appointment
Take Action
Keep a Record
Use these tips to play an active role in your health care.
Keep track of important health information.
Keeping all your health information in one place will make it easier to manage your health care. Take this information with you to every medical appointment.
To start your own personal health record, write down:
- The name and phone number of a friend or relative to call if there’s an emergency
- Dates and results of checkups and screening tests
- All the vaccines (shots) you’ve had — and the dates that you got them
- Medicines you take (including over-the-counter medicines and vitamins), how much you take, and why you take them
- Phone numbers and addresses of all the places you go to for care, including your pharmacy
- Your blood type
- Any health conditions you have — including allergies — and any health conditions that run in your family
If you're not sure about some of this information, check with your doctor’s office.
Know your family health history.
Your family's health history is an important part of your personal health record. Use this family health history tool to keep track of health conditions that run in your family. Take this information with you when you visit the doctor.
Get Checkups
See a doctor regularly for checkups.
Getting regular checkups with your doctor or nurse can help you stay healthy. If you don’t have a doctor or nurse, check out these tips for choosing a doctor you can trust.
Regular checkups can help find problems early, when they may be easier to treat. Use these resources to:
Help Make Sure You Get the Care You Need
You have the right to get the care you need to be as healthy as possible — your race or ethnicity, sexual identity, or other factors should not affect this. But sometimes bias in the health care system can affect the types of treatment and care people get.
Follow these tips to help make sure you get the right care:
- Ask as many questions as you need to during your appointment — and ask the doctor or nurse to repeat information if you missed something. Consider writing down your 2 to 3 most important questions before your appointment and asking those first.
- If you’re not comfortable speaking with the doctor or nurse in English, ask for translation services.
- Keep in mind that you can ask another doctor for a second opinion if you’re not sure about the care you’re getting. You may need to check with your insurance company to see if your plan will cover a visit to another doctor.
- Ask a friend or family member to come with you to appointments — they can offer support, take notes, or help you ask questions.
Cost and Insurance
What about cost?
Under the Affordable Care Act, insurance plans must cover many preventive services, like screenings and vaccines. Plans must also cover well-child visits through age 21 years and well-woman visits.
Depending on your insurance plan, you may be able to get preventive services at no cost to you. Check with your insurance company for more information.
Medicare also covers certain health services at no cost. Use this tool to see what Medicare covers.
If you don’t have insurance, you may still be able to get free or low-cost health services. To learn more, find a health center near you.
You can also check out these resources:
Be Prepared
Write down any questions you have about your health. Take the list with you to your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist. Use this tool to build your list of questions.
Make the most of doctor visits.
Take your list of questions and personal health record with you to the appointment. You may also want to ask a family member or friend to go with you to help take notes.
Be sure to talk about any changes since your last visit, like:
- New medicines you're taking, including over-the-counter medicines
- New herbs, home remedies, and vitamins you're taking
- Recent illnesses or surgeries
- Important changes in your life, like losing your job or a death in the family
- Health concerns or issues
You can also ask your doctor questions about health information you’ve found online or heard from others.
Follow up after your appointment.
It can take time and hard work to make healthy changes you might have talked about with your doctor or nurse. Remember to:
- Call if you have any questions — or if you experience side effects from a medicine
- Schedule follow-up appointments for tests or lab work if you need to
- Contact the doctor to get test results if you need to
Content last updated June 24, 2024
Reviewer Information
This information on managing your health care was adapted from materials from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
Reviewed by:
Justin Mills, MD, MPH
Medical Officer, U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Program
Center for Evidence and Practice Improvement
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
