Tuesday | Preparing for Your Senior Years
The Conversations We Should Be Having in Our 50s

Be Prepared Before Dialing the Phone for Your Doctor’s Office

Dear Friends,

I just took a call from a patient who was driving. During our conversation, I needed to give them a phone number. They had to pull over so they could write it down.

That call made me think: we talk about being prepared for our doctor’s appointments, but are we prepared to call the doctor’s office?

It sounds like such a small thing. Pick up the phone, dial the number, and ask your question.

But then someone answers, and you’re searching for your doctor’s name. You can’t remember the medication you need. There’s no pen nearby. Somebody in the room is talking to you while the person on the phone is asking a question.

Now you’re trying to manage three things at once, and the reason you called gets lost in the shuffle.

I work on the receiving end of these calls. I also make these calls as a patient. I know how frustrating it can be to wait, get transferred, or finally reach someone after trying for days.

When you finally get someone on the phone, you want to be ready to use that conversation.

Here are a few things I want you to think about before dialing.

Be fully present.

Give the call your attention. Turn down the television. Pause the other conversation. If you’re driving, wait until you’re safely parked before making the call.

You may need to answer questions, write down instructions, or repeat information back. Give yourself the space to do that.

Have a pen and paper ready.

Have them beside you before you call. You may be given a phone number, an appointment time, or a next step.

And write down the name of the person you speak with. If you need to follow up, having that name and the date of your call can help you explain the previous conversation.

Know your doctor’s name.

“My doctor” makes sense to you. The person answering may work with several doctors, across different clinics.

Having your doctor’s name ready helps them get you to the right place. If you see several specialists, keep a list of their names and what you see each one for.

We shouldn’t have to hold all of that in our heads.

Know why you’re calling.

Are you scheduling an appointment? Following up on a referral? Asking about paperwork? Reporting a concern? Requesting a refill?

Start with the reason.

“I’m calling about my medication refill.”

“I’m following up on a letter I requested.”

“I need to leave a message for my doctor about a change in my symptoms.”

You don’t need a perfectly rehearsed speech. You need a clear starting point so the person answering can help direct the call.

Make a list of your questions.

Have you ever hung up and immediately thought, “Shoot! I forgot to ask”?

Write your questions down beforehand. Put your most pressing concern first, and check things off as you discuss them.

If the person answering cannot address a question, ask who can and what the next step is.

Have your medication information in front of you.

If you’re calling about medication, have the bottle or your current medication list ready.

Know:

• The medication’s name.
• The strength in milligrams, or mg.
• How much you take and how often.
• What you need or what concern you’re having.
• Which pharmacy you use, if you need a prescription sent.

“The little white pill” doesn’t give the person enough information to identify it.

And the strength of the tablet and the amount you take may be different. If you have a 50 mg tablet but take half, say that. Give the details you have rather than trying to remember them under pressure.

Before you hang up, make sure you understand what happens next.

Am I waiting for a call back? Is a message being sent? Do I need to contact another office? When should I follow up if I haven’t heard anything?

If something wasn’t clear, say so.

“Let me repeat that back to make sure I wrote it down correctly.”

There is nothing wrong with asking someone to slow down or explain again. This is your care. You need to understand the conversation.

As we prepare for our senior years, these everyday habits deserve attention. A notebook, a medication list, and a few minutes of preparation can give us something solid to work from when we’re tired, worried, or hurting.

Being prepared won’t fix every delay or communication problem. The office has a responsibility to communicate clearly, too.

But we can give ourselves a better chance of getting our questions across and leaving the call knowing what to do next.

Before you dial, pause. Gather what you need. Then make the call.

Do you have a routine when calling your doctor’s office—or do you find yourself looking for a pen after someone answers?

Lady Flava Wellness 🌻

From Flava in Her Tower 🌻