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Questions to Ask Your Doctor About Wait Times
It’s your health. Before you act, be active. Ask questions.
Most operations are prioritized by the urgency of the treatment required. This means you may be placed on a waiting list for a specific procedure. You can use this time to:
- Ask your family doctor and the surgeon questions about the operation
- Understand more about your surgery – what would be done and why
- Decide whether to have the procedure, and if so, when and where
- Ask how long you’ll have to wait
- Find out if there are options available to reduce the wait time
It’s important to make informed decisions about your health care. This means:
- Discussing your treatment options with your doctor
- Making sure you understand what to expect from your surgery
- Understanding the risks involved
- Understanding how recovery will impact your life
Get the Basic Facts
Ask your family doctor:
- Why do I need a specialist?
- Why are you recommending this specialist?
- How much experience does he/she have in treating my type of problem?
- How necessary or urgent is this treatment or test?
- Will my condition change while I wait?
- What should I do if it does?
- How long can I wait to see a specialist without it affecting my health?
- When can I expect to have my treatment?
- If this specialist has a lengthy wait list, can you refer me to another specialist or hospital to have the procedure done sooner?
Ask the Specialist:
The Risks and Benefits
- Why do I need surgery?
- How urgent is this surgery?
- Which operation are you recommending?
- Are there medical alternatives to surgery?
- Where can I get a second opinion?
- What are the risks of the surgery?
- What are the risks of not having the surgery?
- What are the possible outcomes/benefits?
- How long will the benefits last?
- How long will it take me to recover?
- How will this procedure affect my daily life?
- What sort of care will I need at home after the surgery?
Get All the Information
- What are your qualifications?
- What’s your experience doing this operation?
- Which hospital will you use?
- How long can I wait for the surgery without it affecting my health?
- What specifically will you do in the surgery?
- How long will I be in hospital?
- What kind of anesthesia will I need?
- How long have other patients waited for this procedure?
- How many patients are currently on your wait list for the same procedure?
- How can I arrange to be contacted on short notice if a cancellation occurs?
- What should I do if I need to reschedule or I decide against it?
- How should I prepare to ensure there are no delays?
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