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Guide for Follow-up Doctor Visits

Assessment
At each visit, your doctor will evaluate or assess the patient’s progress. You can help by keeping track of changes in the patient’s condition and reporting them to the doctor. Whether you are the patient or the caregiver, keeping a list of questions, concerns, changes in routine, etc., may be helpful. Review the following questions before your next visit and write down the answers.

  • Have you noticed changes in the patient’s health, memory or mood?
  • When did you first notice the change?
  • How often does it happen? When does it happen?
Examples
Health (e.g., pain, illness) “Bob complains of pain in his lower back almost every day. This started about three weeks ago and has slowly gotten worse.”

Memory

“Bob seems really confused a lot lately. He forgot how to get home from the store yesterday.“
Mood “Bob isn’t sleeping at night. He cries often and is obviously upset about something. This started about a month ago and keeps getting worse.”
Treatment

Your doctor may prescribe medication or other treatments for the patient. It’s your job to keep track of how things are working (or not working).

  • Are the prescribed treatments working? What has improved? What has gotten worse?
  • Have you noticed any side effects of the medications? Are they causing problems?
  • Have you noticed any new problems that may need treatment?

Check with your primary doctor
before taking a new medication
from another doctor or a new
over-the-counter drug.

See the doctor right away if the patient:

» Becomes suddenly more confused

» Has a major change in memory or mood

» Has a black-out, faints or falls

» Is suddenly unable to speak or move any part of the body

» Has a fever; or is suddenly incontinent (having ‘accidents’ or wetting the bed)

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