Build Your Question List
Improving health care quality is a team effort. You can improve your care and
the care of your loved ones by taking an active role in your health care. Ask
questions. Understand your condition. Evaluate your options.
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Contents
Did
your clinician give you a prescription?
Are
you scheduled to have medical tests?
Did you recently receive a
diagnosis?
Are you considering treatment for an illness or condition?
Did
your clinician recently recommend surgery?
Are you choosing a health
plan?
Are you choosing a clinician?
Are you choosing a hospital?
Are
you choosing long-term care?
Did your clinician give you a
prescription?
Ask:
What is the name of the medicine?
__________________________________
How do you spell the name?
__________________________________
Can I take a generic version of this
medicine?
__________________________________
What is the medicine for?
__________________________________
How am I supposed to take it?
__________________________________
When should I take my medicine?
__________________________________
How much medicine should I take?
__________________________________
How long do I need to take the
medicine?
__________________________________
When will the medicine start
working?
__________________________________
Can I stop taking my medicine if I feel
better?
__________________________________
Can I get a refill?
__________________________________
Are there any side effects?
__________________________________
When should I tell someone about a side
effect?
__________________________________
Do I need to avoid any food, drinks, or
activities?
__________________________________
Does this new prescription mean I should stop taking any other medicines I'm
taking now?
__________________________________
Can I take vitamins with my
prescription?
__________________________________
What should I do if I forget to take my
medicine?
__________________________________
What should I do if I accidentally take more than the recommended
dose?
__________________________________
Is there any written information I can take home with
me?
__________________________________
Are there any tests I need to take while I'm on this
medicine?
__________________________________
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to Contents
Are you scheduled to have medical tests?
Ask:
What is the test for?
__________________________________
How is the test done?
__________________________________
Will the test hurt?
__________________________________
How accurate is the test?
__________________________________
Is this test the only way to find out that
information?
__________________________________
What are the benefits and risks of having this
test?
__________________________________
What do I need to do to prepare for the
test?
__________________________________
How many times have you performed the
test?
__________________________________
When will I get the results?
_______________________________________
What will the results tell me?
_______________________________________
What's the next step after the test?
_______________________________________
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Did you recently receive a diagnosis?
Ask:
What is my diagnosis?
_______________________________________
What is the technical name of my disease or
condition, and what does it mean in plain English?
_______________________________________
What is my prognosis (outlook for the future)?
_______________________________________
What changes will I need to make?
_______________________________________
Is there a chance that someone else in my
family might get the same condition?
_______________________________________
Will I need special help at home for my condition?
_______________________________________
Is there any treatment?
_______________________________________
What are my treatment options?
_______________________________________
How soon do I need to make a decision
about treatment?
_______________________________________
What are the benefits and risks associated
with my treatment options?
_______________________________________
Is there a clinical trial (research study) that is right
for me?
_______________________________________
Will I need any additional tests?
_______________________________________
What organizations and resources do you
recommend for support and information?
_______________________________________
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Are you considering treatment for an
illness or condition?
Ask:
What are my treatment options?
_______________________________________
What do you recommend?
_______________________________________
Is the treatment painful?
_______________________________________
How can the pain be controlled?
_______________________________________
What are the benefits and risks of this treatment?
_______________________________________
How much does this treatment cost?
_______________________________________
Will my health insurance cover the treatment?
_______________________________________
What are the expected results?
_______________________________________
When will I see results from the treatment?
_______________________________________
What are the chances the treatment will work?
_______________________________________
Are there any side effects?
_______________________________________
What can be done about them?
_______________________________________
How soon do I need to make a decision about
treatment?
_______________________________________
What happens if I choose to have no treatment at
all?
_______________________________________
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Did your clinician recently recommend
surgery?
Ask:
Why do I need surgery?
_______________________________________
What kind of surgery do I need?
_______________________________________
What will you be doing?
_______________________________________
What are the benefits and risks of having this
surgery?
_______________________________________
Have you done this surgery before?
_______________________________________
How successful is this surgery?
_______________________________________
Which hospital is best for this surgery?
_______________________________________
Will the surgery hurt?
_______________________________________
Will I need anesthesia?
_______________________________________
How long will the surgery take?
_______________________________________
How long will it take me to recover?
_______________________________________
How long will I be in the hospital?
_______________________________________
What will happen after the surgery?
_______________________________________
How much will the surgery cost?
_______________________________________
Will my health insurance cover the surgery?
_______________________________________
Is there some other way to treat my condition?
_______________________________________
What will happen if I wait or don't have this
surgery?
_______________________________________
Where can I get a second opinion?
_______________________________________
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Are you choosing a health plan?
Ask:
What are my options?
_______________________________________
Does this health plan provide the benefits and
services I need?
_______________________________________
Does this health plan offer the clinicians and
hospitals I want?
_______________________________________
Can I afford this health plan?
_______________________________________
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Are you choosing a clinician?
Ask:
Is this clinician part of my health plan?
_______________________________________
Does this clinician have the background and
training I need?
_______________________________________
Is this clinician able to work at the hospital I like?
_______________________________________
Can I talk to this clinician and ask questions
easily?
_______________________________________
Does this clinician listen to me?
_______________________________________
Does this clinician wash his or her hands between examining each patient?
_______________________________________
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Are you choosing a hospital?
Ask:
Which hospital has the best care for my condition?
_______________________________________
Is this hospital covered by my health insurance?
_______________________________________
Does the hospital meet national quality standards?
_______________________________________
How does the hospital compare with others in my
area?
_______________________________________
Has the hospital had success with my condition?
_______________________________________
Does my clinician have privileges (is allowed to
work) at this hospital?
_______________________________________
How well does the hospital check and improve on
its own quality of care?
_______________________________________
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Are you choosing long-term care?
Ask:
What kind of services do I need?
_______________________________________
What are my care options?
_______________________________________
Will my health insurance cover long-term care?
_______________________________________
Will this facility meet my needs?
_______________________________________
How is this care facility rated?
_______________________________________
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More Information
For more information, go to:
http://www.ahrq.gov/questionsaretheanswer
Current as of May 2007
AHRQ Publication No. 07-0039-A
Internet Citation:
Be Prepared for Medical Appointments. AHRQ Publication No. 07-0039-A, May 2007. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/beprepared.htm
540 Gaither Road Rockville, MD 20850