Filling out forms at the doctor's office.
My parents have limited eye sight, they are both in their 90's, I am the one who has to fill out the questionnaires at their doctor offices, usually 3 to 6 pages long for each person. I hope anyone who is a doctor or works at a doctor's office will read this.
My pet peeve is these are doctors my parents have been seeing for years on end, year after year, twice a year, four times a year, etc. Every time we have an appointment, new questionnaires have to be filled out.
Can't these forms be pre-filled from the last time we had an appointment and if there are any changes, then I can write those in instead of starting from scratch each time?
Ok, names and addresses are easy, but I don't know their Social Security numbers so Mom needs to rummage through her purse and Dad through his wallet for the numbers. Asking them about their current medications... Mom can rattle her's off but I can't spell them.... and Dad has no idea what he's taking. Then there are the routine lists of symptoms to check off... Mom is almost deaf so I have to speak LOUDLY and it's embarrassing, wish the doctor would ask these questions in the privacy of the exam room.
All in all, I am in such a rush that I am so flustered by the time we actually get to see the doctor I am too tired to pay attention.... [sigh]
I agree, it's a pain. For the routine stuff, I'd suggest noting their reference numbers in a diary or similar so that you've always got them with you. For the prescription meds, it's probably a good idea to go through the actual packets anyway and write it all down - if you ever find yourself in ER with either of them you'll be glad you did.
if you're the mischievous type you can have fun with the symptoms. Speak extra loudly, make a few contagious-sounding ones up, and see how fast you can clear the waiting room…
More seriously, one way to make sure you get what you came for is to write down beforehand what you want to know, and then check that you do know that before you leave the consulting room. And if the doctor burbles prescription brand names, ask for the spelling letter by letter, and also get the generic name of the drug. Also get specifics on how much, how many times each day, before, after or with food, etc. Feel free to take the trouble, it saves worse trouble later on. If/when the doctor looks patronising or tells you not to worry about it, just give him/her what Paddington Bear would call "a firm look." You need to know this stuff. Don't get fobbed off. Best of luck!
There has been talk for years about getting these things on computer so the paperwork wouldn't have to be replicated at the different places. My mother is in a university network now, so I thought the paperwork was over. Not so. She had to have an x-ray in another department and out came the paperwork to complete. Scream!!!
Sometimes it is time for an appointment and I'm still filling out paperwork. I go with my mother, of course, and have to sit in the exam room filling out the rest of the paperwork quiz. People are worried about putting all this information on a central computer, but apparently these people don't have to fill out the papers repeatedly. It would be wonderful if the doctors could just pull it up on the computer.