Current Patients

Talk to us! 

• Give us feedback on how the office works through surveys or the comment box. 

• Talk with your care team about your health problems and concerns. 

• Ask your team how you can best take care of yourself. Take charge of your health by assuming responsibility for aspects of your care. 

• Follow the Care Plan your team has developed with you, and let your team know when you can’t.  

• Call Duffy Health Center for advice before going to the Emergency Room in a non-emergent situation.  

Take care of yourself! 

• Set health goals that you feel you can reach. 

• Do things to reach your goals and lower your health risks. 

• Join support groups with people like you. 

Learn before you decide. 

• Look at different treatment options, their risks, and benefits. 

• Create an action plan with support from your care team. 

Be safe. 

• Tell us about any medicines, supplements, and herbal or holistic products you take. 

• Talk with us about any safety concerns you have. 

Identify solutions. Problem solving steps: 

• Identify the problem. What has changed? What is going to change? 

• Find solutions. Think of ways to correct the problem based on your experiences, tools, and the support you have available.  

• Check in with your care team if you have questions or want some support. Let them know what in your life has changed and share any issues you are experiencing. Ask them for ideas about new tools that could help you. 

• Take action. Choose how to solve the problem once you have options. Set a realistic action plan. Pick a solution you can handle; get help if you need it. Check to make sure your solution choice works. Try something different if one solution doesn’t work.

• Make a list and prioritize your concerns.  

• Put the most important topics first on the list so you will bring them up at the start of the appointment. 

• Write down anything you were confused about at the last visit. 

• Take information with you to the visit.  

• Bring a list of your medications and supplements (name, dose, frequency) or bring your medications with you.  

• If you are experiencing any side effects, write them down and bring to your appointment. 

• Keep your care team up to date. 

• Think about what has changed since your last appointment, or recently. Some examples are weight, sleep, appetite, or energy level. 

• If you have gone to the Emergency Room or Urgent Care, let the care team know when and why. If you had medication changes, it’s helpful to bring the discharge paperwork with you. 

• Request an interpreter if you need one. 

• Recording your family health history. 

• Questions to consider when choosing a new doctor. 

• Life changes to discuss with your doctor. 

• Prioritizing concerns to share with your doctor. 

• Tracking your medications. 

Talking with your care team: this website has worksheets that will help you bring information to the Duffy Health Center. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/medical-care-and-appointments/talking-your-doctor-worksheets