Which documents to put in the folder

Everything that helps the doctor see the history behind your question: the referral, past results, discharge summaries and reports.

Start with what they ask for at reception: proof of identity and an insurance document, if those are required in your country and clinic. The easiest way to find out which ones exactly is to ask when booking the appointment.

  • The referral, if the doctor or the clinic issued one.
  • Results of tests and examinations on this matter – especially the most recent ones.
  • Hospital discharge summaries and reports from other doctors.
  • Scans and their reports, if the appointment relates to an examination.

Lay the papers out by date, the newest on top. When the history reads in order, the doctor finds their way through it more easily, and you do not have to hunt for the right sheet during the appointment.

What to write down before the appointment

Medicines, allergies, questions and what has changed since the last visit. A list on paper or on your phone is more reliable than memory, especially when you are nervous.

According to MedlinePlus, it is worth preparing a list of allergies and of every medicine, herb, vitamin and supplement you take, along with a list of questions and of what worries you.1

  1. The medicines you take now

    The name and the dose, as on the box, and how you take them. Add over-the-counter remedies, vitamins and supplements: those are forgotten most often. If you are not sure of a name, photograph the box.

  2. Allergies

    What caused a reaction and when. If you have no allergies, that is also worth telling the doctor.

  3. Two or three main questions

    Start with the most important one: if the appointment runs out of time, the main thing will already have been discussed.

  4. What has changed

    When it started, what eases it, what makes it worse, how it changed over time. Write down observations, not conclusions: “since Monday it hurts more in the mornings”, not “it is probably gastritis”. The conclusions are the doctor’s.

The NHS suggests a similar list: write down the two or three most important questions, list every medicine including vitamins and supplements, and describe the symptoms – when they started, what eases them and what makes them worse. If you want, you can bring someone you trust with you.2

What to do after the appointment

Save the new documents and write down what the doctor said and what happens next, while it is all fresh.

The NHS advises writing down after the appointment what was discussed and what happens next, and keeping those notes.2

  • Photograph or scan the new documents the same day: the prescription, the referral, the report.
  • Write the prescriptions down the way the doctor phrased them rather than in your own words – there is less chance of a mistake.
  • Put the dates in your calendar: the follow-up visit, the tests, the end of the course.
  • If something stayed unclear, check with the doctor, the clinic or a pharmacist rather than guessing.

MedlinePlus points out that you can ask for written instructions if you need them, and advises finding out how to access your medical record so you can follow test results, prescriptions and medicines.1

How MedKeep will help you prepare for an appointment

Documents, treatment, allergies and doctors’ contacts will be in one app, and the files will open at the appointment even without an internet connection.

  • A visit can be added to a course with a date and time: it appears in the schedule, and the day before and on the day itself as a separate line on the course card.
  • Allergies will be kept in the profile and current treatment in the list of active courses, so the list of medicines does not have to be gathered again.
  • Tests, discharge summaries and reports can be shown to the doctor straight from the phone screen – the files open without an internet connection too.
  • Notes on how you felt during the course help you recall what changed: Nomi will find and quote them, but will draw no conclusions.
  • Doctors’ contacts will be in the “Doctors” section, and you can call straight from the card.
  • If a test needs repeating, you can set a reminder for the day you choose.

Asked whether a value in a test is normal, Nomi will answer that this is a question for the doctor, and offer to note it down for the next appointment.

A doctor’s summary with the data you choose, and sharing a file by link, are planned for V1; the order of features is decided by votes.

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