before the appointment · 5 min

What to ask a GP in a twelve-minute appointment

In short: a GP appointment often lasts about fifteen minutes. You will get more done if you come with one main complaint, a list of your medicines, past results and three questions written down in advance.

What to prepare at home

Put your main complaint into one sentence: what bothers you, since when and how it changes. For example: “I've been tired by the evening for three weeks, which never used to happen.”

Bring past results and reports, and a list of medicines and supplements with doses. If you measured blood pressure or temperature, show the records: numbers over several days say more than “it's sometimes high”.

Three questions worth asking

“What could this be, and what should be ruled out first?” This shows how the doctor is thinking and why tests are needed.

“Which tests do I need, and when should I come back with the results?” and “Which signs mean I should come sooner?” The answers are your plan until the next appointment.

How not to forget the main thing

Write your questions in your phone and start with the main complaint, not the small things. If the doctor prescribes treatment, ask how long to take it and how to tell whether it is working.

At the end, repeat the plan in your own words: “So I understand that…”. That makes it easier to catch a misunderstanding and leave without new questions.