You can help your doctor gather facts
May 28, 2007

Have you ever gone to a job interview and wondered what and how the interviewer was thinking? Is she looking at your tie or blouse, examining your physical mannerisms or analyzing your previous work history and school grades?

With all this information, your prospective employer will make an informed decision whether to hire you or not. In a similar way, when you visit a doctor for an illness, he listens to you about your problem, analyzes the lab reports, examines you and then, putting together all these factors, arrives at a conclusion as to the diagnosis and future course of action.

Having done this nearly every day for 17 years, I can share with you how I as a doctor think.

I begin by listening carefully to my patients. How they are feeling -- for instance, do they have a fever, cough, sinus drainage; do they feel listless, what is their appetite like, and other such questions. These are the symptoms. I first ask open-ended and more general questions, and then narrow the field to understand the symptoms.

Second, I ask questions about any previous history of illness. For instance, did they have a sinus infection before or any sinus surgery?

Third, I look at the lab reports -- any previous blood tests or x-rays that can provide more information.

Fourth, I do an examination -- like pressing on the sinuses, listening to the heart and then the lungs, looking for any signs of pneumonia.

Fifth, I make an initial diagnosis -- I commit myself to the most likely cause of the illness -- a sinus infection, bronchitis, pneumonia or even asthma.

Sixth, I do further testing and treatment -- possibly an x-ray and an antibiotic.

This is what I as a physician do. Now how can you help me to better help you? It's important that you become an equal partner in the care of your body. Once you know how your doctor is thinking when he is working toward curative health, you can contribute greatly to this process.

As a patient at a doctor's visit be prepared to SHaRE IT

Know your symptoms: What hurts, how long has it been hurting, and what makes it worse or better.

Know your previous history: Has this happened to you before, or to anyone in the family?

Know your previous lab reports: What tests were done and why? What did the results show?

Know the examination process: As the doctor examines you, be specific as to where you are having the pain or ache.

Know the initial diagnosis: The doctor will tell you what is likely causing you to feel ill; understand it and learn where to get more information. It may be the nurse, the pharmacist, the Internet or a friend or relative.

Know further tests and treatment: Know the names of the medicine and what they are for and their side effects. Know about surgical options and the reason more tests are being done.

Lastly, and most importantly -- the period you are undergoing treatment is an opportune time for beginning a discussion about preventive health, the long-term solutions: Cutting down on smoking, a better diet, reducing stress and other such lifestyle changes.

A good job interview may land you a lucrative job, but a good health interview (visit to the doctor) may help the physician arrive at a diagnosis quicker and more accurately. For you, that could well be a matter of life and death.

Go to your doctor's appointment and think SHaRE IT (Symptoms, History, Reports and labs, Examination, Initial diagnosis, Testing and Treatment.)

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