Be Ready for Your Next Doctor’s Visit

If you have recently changed physicians or use multiple providers, you may need help remembering all the details of past treatments.

Medical history checklist

Every time you go to a new doctor or specialist, they will need to know about your current symptoms and all about your past medical history. By sitting down before you go to your appointment and listing what you know about your medical history, you will be able to fill out any history or personal information forms your new provider may ask you to complete.

Try to be as complete and honest as possible as you list out:

• Your current symptoms
• Any serious illnesses you have had, the treatments you received and when
• Vaccinations and boosters with dates
• Surgeries, including dental procedures, whether requiring a stay in the hospital or outpatient
• Every prescription medication you have recently taken, which doctor prescribed it and why
• Each non-prescription medication and dietary supplement you have recently taken
• A list of your allergies to food, medications or any other items
• Your drinking and smoking frequency
• Your current exercise routine
• Recent changes in your lifestyle or personal habits that may also affect your health—a recent move, marriage, divorce, new job, etc.
• Your diet—has a doctor given you a specific diet to follow?
• Family history of illness or conditions, including the cause of death of your closest relatives

Family file

You can work to set up a family medical file for yourself and your family to help keep track of this important information. You can even put the information in a format that allows you to easily take it along with you to a doctor’s appointment.

Keep the information up-to-date with any notes you take during your appointments and the related paperwork will be accessible so you can quickly look up dates and providers.