Wouldn’t it be wonderful if talking to your doctor was as easy as actors make it look in drug commercials? In reality, effectively conversing with your doctor and then following through on recommended advice is a skill for both doctors and patients, and as human beings, it’s not our strongest suit. Research suggests patients forget 80% of what they hear during a routine medical visit, while 81% of patients actually conceal information from their physician.

But are we really surprised? Discussing medical issues with a doctor can be uncomfortable and confusing. As we age, doctor visits may become routine, but remembering all that information becomes increasingly difficult. Hearing, memory and cognitive processing are not as sharp as they used to be, making longwinded explanations and emotionally provoking diagnoses even more difficult to retain.

Fear and stubbornness also motivate older patients to resist prescribed treatments or refuse to visit the doctor altogether. It may become necessary for the senior’s adult children to persuade aging parents to see the doctor and it might be helpful to attend appointments with them to be a second set of ears.

Doctors have noticed communication problems from both sides and have responded by hiring scribes and recording sessions in an effort to capture all the information. If your doctor doesn’t record sessions, it may be appropriate (in consultation with your physician) to record the session yourself using a smartphone or recording device. Recording sessions are helpful for reviewing the information at your own pace. It may also be helpful to share the recording with loved ones or nurses who may take care of you.  

So, whether you choose to bring a loved one along or record visits yourself, listen up: improving communication between you and your doctor could save you grief down the road and lead to better health outcomes.