Prepare for your next appointment
Going to the doctor is an important part of staying healthy. Whether you're going for a regular checkup or seeing the doctor because you're sick, preparing for your appointment can help ensure you get the help and information you need and feel confident about your care plan moving forward.
Before your visit
Whether you're having an in-person or virtual visit, experiencing symptoms, or completing an annual physical, it helps your appointment run smoothly if you do the following things beforehand:
- Make a list of everything you take. This can include prescriptions, over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Be sure to include how much you take each day.
- Think about including a family member or friend. They can help you think of questions for your doctor, review information with you after your appointment, or maybe even participate in a virtual visit.
- Write down questions you want to ask your doctor. You can include questions like:
- What can I do to prevent or delay health problems?
- Should I make any changes to improve my health?
- Are there tests or screenings I should have, based on my age or other risk factors?
- Do I need to come back for another visit?
If you need help finding a doctor, you can use the SydneySM Health mobile app or log in to anthem.com and search for doctors in your plan's network with the Find Care and Cost tool.
Preventive care vs. diagnostic care
- Preventive care can be scheduled when you're feeling well to help keep your health on track. Annual physicals and preventive screenings can help detect health problems early. Plus, they're covered by your health plan.
- Diagnostic care is used to determine the cause of any symptoms you're experiencing. This type of care may include appointments with your doctor and tests used to diagnose an issue so it can be treated.
Understanding a diagnosis
If you go to the doctor for diagnostic care, make sure you understand your condition and your doctor's plan of care before leaving. Asking your doctor the following questions may help you better understand your diagnosis:1
- What's the name of the condition?
- What may have caused this condition?
- How long is this condition expected to last?
- How will this problem affect me long-term?
- How can this issue be treated or managed?
- Where can I learn more about this condition?
Don't leave until you feel confident
If your appointment is ending and you're still unsure about your condition or what you're supposed to do next, don't leave without knowing the answers to these questions:2
- What is the main issue?
- What do I need to do?
- Why is it important that I do this?
Visit anthem.com/preventive-care to learn what preventive care you should get and when before talking to your doctor.
In addition to using a telehealth service, you can receive in-person or virtual care from your own doctor or another healthcare provider in your plan's network. If you receive care from a doctor or healthcare provider not in your plan's network, your share of the costs may be higher. You may also receive a bill for any charges not covered by your health plan.
Sydney Health is offered through an arrangement with Carelon Digital Platforms, a separate company offering mobile application services on behalf of your health plan.
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is the trade name of: In Colorado: Rocky Mountain Hospital and Medical Service, Inc. HMO products underwritten by HMO Colorado, Inc. Copies of Colorado network access plans are available on request from member services or can be obtained by going to anthem.com/co/networkaccess. In Connecticut: Anthem Health Plans, Inc. In Indiana: Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc. In Georgia: Blue Cross Blue Shield Healthcare Plan of Georgia, Inc. and Community Care Health Plan of Georgia, Inc. In Kentucky: Anthem Health Plans of Kentucky, Inc. In Maine: Anthem Health Plans of Maine, Inc. In Missouri (excluding 30 counties in the Kansas City area): RightCHOICE® Managed Care, Inc. (RIT), Healthy Alliance® Life Insurance Company (HALIC), and HMO Missouri, Inc. RIT and certain affiliates administer non-HMO benefits underwritten by HALIC and HMO benefits underwritten by HMO Missouri, Inc. RIT and certain affiliates only provide administrative services for self-funded plans and do not underwrite benefits. In Nevada: Rocky Mountain Hospital and Medical Service, Inc. HMO products underwritten by HMO Colorado, Inc., dba HMO Nevada. In New Hampshire: Anthem Health Plans of New Hampshire, Inc. HMO plans are administered by Anthem Health Plans of New Hampshire, Inc. and underwritten by Matthew Thornton Health Plan, Inc. In 17 southeastern counties of New York: Anthem Healthchoice Assurance, Inc., and Anthem Healthchoice HMO, Inc. In these same counties Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield HP is the tradename of Anthem HP, LLC. In Ohio: Community Insurance Company. In Virginia: Anthem Health Plans of Virginia, Inc. trades as Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, and its affiliate HealthKeepers, Inc. trades as Anthem HealthKeepers providing HMO coverage, and their service area is all of Virginia except for the City of Fairfax, the Town of Vienna, and the area east of State Route 123. In Wisconsin: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wisconsin (BCBSWI), underwrites or administers PPO and indemnity policies and underwrites the out of network benefits in POS policies offered by Compcare Health Services Insurance Corporation (Compcare) or Wisconsin Collaborative Insurance Corporation (WCIC). Compcare underwrites or administers HMO or POS policies; WCIC underwrites or administers Well Priority HMO or POS policies. Independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Anthem is a registered trademark of Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc.
1 National Institute on Aging website, What Should I Ask My Doctor During a Checkup? (accessed July 2022): nia.nih.gov. 2 Institute for Healthcare Improvement website, Ask Me 3: Good Questions for Your Good Health (accessed July 2022): ihi.org.
1033802MUMENABS VPOD Rev. 08/23