How to get the most out of your visit: Great tips and strategies
This video, created for rheumatoid arthritis patients, also pertains to anyone dealing with a complex disease.  Igives excellent advice to get the most out of any medical visit. This means you must prepare in advance, and not wait until last minute. 

Watch the first half of this video (about 15 minutes) as they walk you through the P-R-E-P steps.
Don't wait until last minute, see the first hafle of this video , RA Management, Patient Perspectives. You will learn tips about how to make your visit a productive as possible. ,  presentaiton to make your visit as productive as possible 

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Highlights: 
P- How to prepare for your visit and make a list of chief concerns. Ask them if they will put this list in your record. 

R- Rehearse. This is important, but rarely done. The pont iw to practice what to do if you get interrupete, to make sure you are able to state your top concerns (try to lmite to 2 or 3)  early in the visis, and to plan what to say if one of your top concerns has not been met at the end of the visit.
E- Engage  What to do if the visit goes off the rails. Think about how to thoughtfully interrupt. When possible, anticipate typical "derailing scenarios, such as psychologizing / downplaying sympotms, refusing to provide routine monitoring, or blaming your illness on your weight, etc.  These talking points can be practiced as part of your rehearsal.  Tips on these pages:

Know your rheumatologist, Self advocacy for diagnosis, Other??
P- Persiste  If a concern was not address, bring it up again. 

 

The video offers excellent sample statements that patients can use to help keep the visit on track 
 

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