- When patients aren’t truthful about their medications or health habits – If you’re holding back out of shame, you might miss out on some important information that can affect your diagnosis. “When patients aren’t using their glaucoma drops because of redness or burning, for instance, we may think their glaucoma is uncontrolled and recommend surgery, instead of simply switching medications,” Dr Zhu explained.
- When patients are late for appointments – By arriving late, you throw off the schedule. You’ll have to wait longer, and your doctor might be obliged to rush through your visit. Their schedules are very well organized and on point, so any delay can mess with that.
- When patients switch from one doctor to the next without reason – Some people choose to hop between doctors because they don’t notice any improvement in the condition being treated.
- When patients don’t bring a list of the medications they’re taking -Not telling your doctor anything they need to know about your medication might lead to them prescribing the wrong dose of a medication, which can lead to adverse reactions. Come to your appointments with an up-to-date list of all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you take, with their dosages.
- When patients don’t communicate outside of appointments – This is important to be done, especially when there are some ongoing health problems that need to be addressed.
