How to communicate with your doctor: ideas and preparations

1. Make sure that you have access to services in your language, and, when necessary, and interpreter, as required to be available by law.
2. If you don't have access to a doctor who speaks your language, make sure that the interpreter has experience in working with patients like you.
3. Avoid using a family member as an interpreter.
4. Although the time of the visit is limited, you can use mindfulness techniques (detailed in the book) and take advantage of the entirety of each minute.
5. Realize that neither doctors nor patients know everything - and for that reason a relationship between the two can achieve health. Both play an important role.
6. Recognize and admit the place of emotions in the visit, both of the patient and the doctor, and take advantage of them.
7. Prepare for the visit with a narrative of your symptoms.
8. Recognize hat you aren't going to be comfortable discussing you most intimate symptoms, but it's necesary to talk about them anyway. Without openness, what point is the medical visit, and how can a healthy relationship be established between you and your provider?
9. Invest in the relationship with your doctor. You won't agree on every point, but little by little you can establish compromise and work together.

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