How to Reduce the Drama of Doctor's Office Visits

Have you ever visited the doctor only to come out feeling sicker than you already were due to mishaps unrelated to your illness? For example, you arrive to the doctor's office in time for your appointment, only to end up waiting more than an hour before your name is called. And to add insult to injury, you have to pick up your kids from their school across town in 15 minutes? Perhaps you open your mailbox one day to get an unexpected medical bill with a balance that sends a cold chill down your spine. Or maybe you've waited weeks to see a specialist for that painful sinus infection, only for your appointment to be canceled because your family doctor did not pre-authorize the visit. I bet just reading those examples alone made you want to scream!

Trust me when I say you're not alone. In my years as a medical office manager, I've seen more than enough drama at the doctor's office that will make even the most stoic person ill. Such was the inspiration for my 11+ tips. So sit back, relax and find out how you can reduce the headache out of going to the doctor.

1- Confirm your doctor's address. If this is your first time to a new doctor, confirm the address with the receptionist upon making your appointment. Often times, a doctor's office can move to a new location before the address information is updated in the yellow pages or your insurance's provider directory, which can lead new patients to the wrong place. Making sure that you have the right address beforehand can eliminate the stress of feeling lost.

While you're at it, don't forget to ask if there is a suite number. Many businesses are located in office buildings and you could end up wandering around aimlessly trying to find your doctor. If you need directions, check out Google Maps, Mapquest or HopStop (a subway/mass transit direction site). Quite often, the office staff live out of the area or use public transportation to get around and are unable to give you proper directions.

2- Get a referral if your insurance plan requires it. If your insurance plan requires a referral to see a specialist, it's imperative for you to get one from your primary care practitioner (or PCP) prior to your appointment. If your PCP plans on sending the referral directly to your specialist, request that they mail or fax you a copy as well. If you don't see a copy of that referral in your mailbox at least two days prior to your appointment, be sure to give your PCP's office a call. Specialist offices will not see an HMO patient without the proper authorization as the insurance will not pay them for services rendered, so make sure you have a referral in advance!

It's also a good idea to keep track of the amount of visits and expiration date of your referral, so when it is time to get a new one, you can get it before your next trip to the specialist.

3-Know your co-pay amount. More likely than not, your co-payment information is printed on your card. But if you're unable to find it there, call your insurance company to find out. Unless you have a deductible or co-insurance in place, your co-payment will be the same amount each visit. Too many times I've had patients ask me what their co-payment was when the information was right on their insurance card. This can make patients vulnerable to getting ripped off by unethical medical practices.

4- Find out if your doctor accepts cash, checks or credit cards. Prior to your first appointment, be sure to ask the receptionist what form of payment the doctor accepts. Although many doctors offices accept checks & credit cards, there are quite a few that only take cash. Since most medical practices will not allow you to see the doctor unless you pay your required fee or make exceptions to the rule when it comes to money, it's better to come prepared with the right amount of currency. Once you make a payment, be sure to get a receipt from the receptionist. Should an account discrepancy come up in the future, your receipt is proof of payment.

5- Come early for your first appointment. If you are visiting a doctor for the first time, come about 15 minutes-1/2 hour prior to your appointment. Those extra minutes can be quite useful when you're filling out a pile of registration forms. By the time you're done with this excruciating task, it will be time for your appointment. However, make sure you know the business hours before arriving extra early. If you're the first patient of the day, you might to be stuck at the front door waiting for the office to open.

Bonus tip: If you made the appointment in person, ask the receptionist for the forms so you can take them home and fill them out.

6- Keep yourself busy during the wait. Sometimes a medical practice can have waiting rooms that are filled to the front door with patients and it could be an hour or more past your appointed time before the doctor sees you. If you're a busy person on the go, ask the receptionist to book your appointment during the slowest time of the day. However, if your doctor's office is always packed with patients, try to schedule your appointment at a time where you have a couple of hours to spare.

Be sure to bring books, magazines, an mp3 player, portable hand games, bills to pay or anything that will keep you distracted until you finally hear your name being called. Complaining to the receptionist won't make the wait time go faster for you, as there's not much she can do about the situation.

7 - Turn your cellphone off. If you have a cell phone, please turn it off while you're in the office. Cell phones often interfere with the technical equipment in the practice. In addition, carrying on a loud phone conversation is rude and disruptive to the other patients in the waiting room. Also- don't take a call while you're with the doctor. This not only takes important examination time that a doctor has with their patient, but the distraction can inhibit the patient from properly communicating their health concerns with the doctor.

8 - Tell the office of any information changes. Should your personal or insurance information change, notify the office staff immediately! This is extremely important because if a medical claim is denied due to outdated information, you'll get slapped with a bill for the visit.

Bonus Tip: If you have any underage children insured under your plan, be sure to regularly update their coordination of benefits with your insurance company. If your child is a full-time college student, you'll have to send in their school information every semester so they can be fully covered while hitting the books.

9 - If you have to cancel your appointment, call the office immediately. If you know in advance that you have to cancel your appointment, call the office at least 24-48 hours prior to your appointment time. Some doctor's offices have a policy in place where if a patient is a no-show, the patient can be billed to supplement the loss of income. This is perfectly legal in many states. Even if you can't make your appointment due to a last minute emergency, it is better to call and cancel rather than to stand up the doctor. Many doctors understand that emergencies happen and they may even waive the cancellation fee if you call in advance.

And whatever you do, don't make frequent cancellations. Many medical practices are reluctant to book immediate appointments to patients who constantly bails out and you may find yourself waiting some weeks before you can see the doctor.

10- Don't use one doctor for every ailment. One doctor can't fulfill all of your medical needs, no matter how excellent they are. If you suddenly break out in a rash, your best bet would be to see your family doctor or a dermatologist (if you have one already). It would be fruitless to make a trip to your chiropractor as there's not much in the way he can do to soothe the itch.

11- Be nice to the office staff. Some doctor's offices tend to be understaffed (especially smaller practices), so many medical staff members are doing the work of two three people. By the end of the day, they are burned out and stressed, so kindness goes a long way and is often reciprocal. I've known of situations where patients were squeezed into busy schedules at the last minute or given free samples of their prescribed medication if they're financially strapped, and it's all because they had a good relationship with the office staff. Behind every great doctor, is an even greater support system.

If you come across an office worker that is legitimately rude, speak with the office manager and let them handle the situation. After all, no good business owner wants to lose customers!

Although there's no foolproof way of making your trip to the doctor a pleasant experience, these 11+ steps are a great start towards the path of wellness. The best part about these tips is that every one takes very little effort or preparation on your part.