Asking Questions of Your HCP

Using the PACE System

Asking Questions

If your appointment is to discuss a specific concern, decide what information you want to walk away with. Form some questions before hand, and prioritize them. The three basic types of questions concern: 1.) diagnosis and prognosis, 2.) tests and procedures, and 3.) medications.

Diagnosis and Prognosis

Questions about diagnosis and prognosis are about what is happening in your body and how it will affect you over time. Ask these types of questions when you want to know what is wrong and what the course of your health problem will be. Here are some good sample questions about reproductive health and sexually transmitted diseases:

• What is this infection called?
• How long will it take for this to go away?
• Will it affect my normal activities? How?

Tests and Procedures

As you and your provider work together to manage your long-term and any short-term health issues, you may at some point consider having a test such as a pregnancy test or a screening test for sexually transmitted diseases. Questions you might ask about these tests or other types of testing may include:

• What is the purpose of this test?
• Are there any risks associated with the test or procedure?
• What is involved? Is it painful? How long will it take?

Medications

These types of questions are about medications your health care provider might prescribe. These questions are good to use when you want to understand:

• What is the medication?
• What does the medication do?
• What risks might be involved?

Click on the link below to see the full list of sample questions.

Questions to Ask: A Helpful List