Skip to main content

Viatris Sdn. Bhd. recognizes the public concern in relation to COVID-19. Click here to know about Mental health and psychosocial considerations during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Home

Main navigation

  • Home
  • Pain
    • The Art of living with Osteoarthritis
    • Know your headache
    • Protect your lower back
    • Low back pain
    • Chronic pain
    • Diabetic Nerve Pain Center
    • Helping someone in pain
    • Lower back pain center
    • Nerve pain center
    • Understanding Nerve Pain
    • Understanding joint pain
    • Staying ahead of the pain
  • Cardiovascular
    • High Blood Pressure
      • About High Blood Pressure
      • High blood pressure causes
      • Morning blood pressure
      • High blood pressure and stroke
      • Managing high blood pressure
      • Keeping blood pressure stable
    • Stroke
    • Heart failure
    • Heart attacks
    • High cholesterol
      • About high cholesterol
      • High cholesterol risk factors
      • Managing high cholesterol
      • Facts about cholesterol
  • Diabetes
    • Understanding Diabetes
    • Diabetes risk factors
    • Managing diabetes
    • Complications of diabetes
    • Fasting and diabetes
    • Foot care
  • Healthy living
    • Maintaining a healthy weight
    • Exercise
    • Diet
    • Getting enough sleep
    • Smoking cessation
    • Social engagement and health
    • Chronic illness and depression
    • Fatigue
    • Relaxation techniques
    • Downside of sitting
    • Understanding depression
    • How grief affect your health
    • Asking for help is a sign of strength
  • Medication
    • About Medication Adherence
    • Medications adherence value
    • Improving medication adherence
    • Overmedicating
  • Tips and FAQs
    • Before taking your readings
    • Getting ready for travelling
    • What to do during emergencies
    • Family health history
    • Healthy aging
    • Questions for your doctor
    • FAQs
  • Video
English (Malaysia)
  • English (Malaysia)
  • Melayu (Malaysia)
  • 中文(中国)

You are now leaving Viatris Myhealth Mylife to visit another website.

You are now leaving Viatris Myhealth Mylife. Links to other sites are provided as a convenience, and Viatris does not take responsibility for the content of linked sites.

Doctor

Questions for your doctor

Question about the side effects, effectiveness, or duration of a new treatment that has been prescribed.

  1. Home
  2. Tips and FAQs
  3. Questions for your doctor
  • Questions for your doctor
  • Before you leave the doctor’s office, ask these 2 things6,8:
  • References

Questions for your doctor

question

When receiving a new diagnosis or recommendation from your doctor, there are some general questions you may want to ask the doctor. Just remember the 5Ws and an H: “Who”, “What”, “Where”, “When”, “Why” and “How.” The chart below offers some general questions for your doctor using this framework. Organize your questions before your appointment so that you are more prepared.1-3

There may be additional questions you may need to ask based on your specific diagnosis or treatment. For example, a person diagnosed with diabetes or cancer may have questions specific to that particular disease.4-5 Or there maybe question about the side effects, effectiveness, or duration of a new treatment that has been prescribed.

patient_question
  New diagnosis6 New treatment6
whoWho Who usually gets this disease or
condition?
Who usually gets the treatment?
whatWhat What caused the disease or condition?
What is the short and long term
prognosis (likely course of disease)?
What are the signs and symptoms?
What are my treatment options?
What are the risks and benefits of each
option?
whereWhere Where should I go to get medical
testing?
Where can I get additional information
or a second opinion?
Where will I be treated?
At home?
In an outpatient clinic?
In a hospital?
whenWhen When can I expect to see the signs and
symptoms from the disease (if
expected)?
When will I have my next laboratory
tests, results, or medical visits related
to this diagnosis?
When can I expect treatments to start
and/or stop?
whyWhy Why did I get the disease? Why do I need this treatment?
Why might someone consider delaying
or not having the treatment?
howHow How will the disease or condition
impact me over the long-term?
How is the disease or condition
be
treated?
How well will the treatment work?
How would the treatment help?
newsletter

At the time of a new diagnosis, you may receive a lot of information at once and it is normal to not understand everything right away. Medical information can be complicated and you should feel comfortable asking your doctor to repeat any answers during the visit, or later by phone or email. You may also request for the information in a different way. The doctor may be able to provide other resources, brochures, or materials, or point you to credible sources of information online.7

Before you leave the doctor’s office, ask these 2 things6,8:

next
What do I need to do next?

calender

When will I talk to you about this again?
  • Will I need additional testing?
  • Do I need to go see a specialist?
  • Do I need to change my daily routine?
  • Schedule a follow-up visit before you leave the office, or
  • Mark on your calendar to call the doctor’s office to follow-up on results

It is important to understand your doctor’s recommendation for next steps in your care and make a note of these.8-9 You should follow up with your doctor:9

telephone
  • If you experience any side effects or other problems with your medicines.
  • If your symptoms get worse after seeing the doctor.
  • If you receive any new prescriptions or start any over-the-counter medicines.
  • To get results of the tests you have taken.
  • To ask about test results that you do not understand.

References

  1. Talking with your doctor: A guide for older people—what can I ask? Getting information. | Initiative on multiple chronic conditions | National institute on aging [Internet]. 2016 [Cited 20 June 2019]. Available at https://order.nia.nih.gov/sites/default/files/2017-07/TWYD_508.pdf
  2. Before your appointment. | Agency for healthcare research and quality website. [Internet]. 2012 [Cited 20 June 2019]. Available at https://www.ahrq.gov/patients-consumers/patient-involvement/ask-your-doctor/questions-before-appointment.html
  3. Questions to ask your doctor. | MedicineNet website. [Internet]. 2018 [Cited 20 June 2019]. Available at https://www.medicinenet.com/questions_to_ask_your_doctor_-_general/views.htm
  4. Questions to ask your health care team | American society of clinical oncology website. [Internet]. 2018 [Cited 20 June 2019]. Available at https://www.cancer.net/navigating-cancer-care/diagnosing-cancer/questions-ask-your-health-care-team
  5. Type 2 diabetes – what to ask your doctor | MedlinePlus website. [Internet]. 2018 [Cited 20 June 2019]. Available at https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000217.htm
  6. Ashkenazy R. What to Ask a Doctor about a New Treatment or Diagnosis. | Get healthy Stay healthy website. [Internet]. 2016 [Cited 19 August 2019]. Available at https://www.gethealthystayhealthy.com/articles/new-diagnosis-medical-advice
  7. Talking with your doctor: What Should I Ask My Doctor During a Checkup? | National Institute on Aging: Health information [Internet]. 2017 [Cited 20 June 2019]. Available at https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/what-should-i-ask-my-doctor-during-checkup
  8. During your appointment. | Agency for healthcare research and quality website. [Internet]. 2012 [Cited 20 June 2019]. Available at https://www.ahrq.gov/patients-consumers/patient-involvement/ask-your-doctor/questions-during-appointment.html
  9. After your appointment. | Agency for healthcare research and quality website. [Internet]. 2012 [Cited 20 June 2019]. Available at https://www.ahrq.gov/patients-consumers/patient-involvement/ask-your-doctor/questions-after-appointment.html
NON-2022-4521-17March2022

Viatris Sdn. Bhd.

Reg. No: 201801018158 (1280174-H)

(formerly known as Upjohn (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd.)

15-03 & 15-04, Level 15, Imazium,

No. 8, Jalan SS 21/37, Damansara Uptown,

47400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia

Tel: 603-7733 8005

© 2023 Viatris Inc. All Rights Reserved

Privacy Policy Main Glossary About Us
VIATRIS Logo