Improving Your Office Visit

Our goal is to provide the best care and treatment and to make the most of your office visit. Optimal results can only occur when you, the patient, become a partner in your healthcare by asking questions, ensuring your understanding of your care and treatment, and agreeing with treatment plans offered by Dr. Lifton.

Before you are seen:

• Think about what you want to tell Dr. Lifton
• If this is a follow-up visit for the same medical condition, are you better? Worse? What works best? What doesn't work?
• What are your symptoms?
• What makes your symptoms better or worse?
• What questions do you have?
• What medications are you on?

During your visit:

• Share your thoughts with Dr. Lifton.
  • What have you learned about your condition from other sources?
  • What do you think the problem is?
  • What concerns you most?
• Answer the doctor's questions.
• What questions do you have? (There are no "stupid" questions, please ask.)
  • Have the doctor explain things you don't understand.
  • Do I need to tell my other doctors about this visit and care?
  • Are there other options for treatment? What's good and bad about each option?
  • How long will it take to get better or heal?
• Have you had any tests or x-rays? What are the results?
• What medications do I need?
• Tell the doctor if you have any important health condition you haven't discussed or been asked about.
• Tell the doctor if you can't follow the treatment plan.
• If you are considering surgery, ask the doctor to explain the procedure, the costs, and alternatives to surgery

What to Bring to Your Appointment

If you are a first-time patient, please plan on arriving early to complete a patient registration form (or download the Patient Forms from our website and complete them in advance). Please bring the following items to the appointment:

• Insurance card(s)
• Referral forms (if required)
• List of all prescription and over-the-counter medications that you are currently taking
• Any required co-payment
• Pertinent medical and surgical history information

Appointment Changes and Cancellations

We realize that our patients' time is valuable, and we make every effort to see patients at their scheduled appointment time. We ask that patients provide as much advance notice as possible when running late for an appointment or when cancelling. With this advance notice of cancellation, the time can be scheduled for another patient.