Questions to ask the doctor
Tick what applies, print the sheet, and write the answers in the room. Free, no sign-up, and it works offline.
Getting the most out of a short appointment
Hand the list over at the start and say how many questions you have. It sets expectations, and it is the difference between being answered and being shown the door with two left. Put the one that matters most first — appointments overrun, and the last question is the one that routinely never gets asked.
Write the answers down as they are given. People remember a fraction of what is said in a medical appointment, and far less when they are frightened. If you can, bring someone else to listen; two people recall more than one, and they notice different things.
For a first visit after a hospital stay, bring the actual medication bottles rather than a list, and read our guide to follow-up appointments and what to ask before a discharge. The medication list tool prints a sheet you can hand over at the same time.
And when you get home. The answers only help if everyone has them. RelayNest keeps the medications, appointments and questions in one shared workspace, so the sibling who could not be at the appointment still knows what was said. Free, no subscription.
Create your family workspace → Get the free iPhone app →Common questions
What should I ask at a doctor's appointment?
The ones whose answers change what you do: which medications to keep taking, what should be better by now and what should not, which symptoms mean call versus go to the ER, what activity is allowed, and when to come back.
How do I remember what the doctor said?
Write it down in the room. Taking a printed list with space under each question turns the visit into filling in blanks rather than trying to hold it all in your head.
Where does my information go?
Nowhere. Selections stay in this browser on this device and are never transmitted. Clearing your browsing data erases them, so print before you close the tab.