Questions to Ask the Doctor About Your Procedure
When you meet with the doctor prior to your surgery, you will have an opportunity to ask any and all questions you have regarding the procedure itself, your recovery after surgery, and what you can expect before, during, and after the surgery. The following questions are meant to be used as a guideline when coming up with your own list of questions for the doctor. They were formulated by the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR), in partnership with the American Medical Association and the American Association of Health Plans:
o Ask your doctor to explain the surgical procedure.
o Are there alternatives to surgery? Sometimes nonsurgical treatments, such as diet changes, certain exercises, or non-invasive procedures may be an alternative to surgery.
o Ask your doctor what you can expect the results of the surgery to be.
o Ask your doctor about the possible complications and side effects of the surgery.
o Ask your doctor what you will gain -- or lose -- by not having the surgery now.
o You can ask your doctor how many surgeries he or she has performed and what complications he or she has encountered with this procedure.
o Find out where your surgery will be performed and how many days, if any, you will need to stay in the hospital.
o Ask what kind of anesthesia will be used for the procedure.
o Ask your doctor how you might feel after surgery and what you will be able to do or not do the first few days, weeks, or months after surgery.
