Scheduling doctor’s appointments can be a real hassle, and it can be even harder to motivate others (or even yourself!) to make them. But a few easy tricks can make the entire process easier, whether you are scheduling the appointment for yourself, your partner, or your kiddos. Women may need a few other appointments annually as well. Dr. Brahmbhatt, a urologist and robotic surgeon at Orlando Health, came onto a recent podcast episode to discuss what you can do to make scheduling appointments go smoother, as well as covering other men’s health topics. 

Schedule the First Appointment Block

One of Dr. Brahmbhatt’s top tips is to schedule the earliest appointment in either the morning or the afternoon. Usually, there are two blocks: the morning clinic and the afternoon clinic, with a break in between. Scheduling the first appointment in either the morning or afternoon block means that your appointment typically won’t run behind because there is no one else ahead of you.

Compile any Medical Records

Another important thing to do is to start a collection of all of your medical records if you don’t have one already. Collecting any medical history papers and any new papers you get and keeping them in a file can keep you organized and help you figure out what appointment needs to be scheduled, when, what symptoms or conditions you had and when you had them, and more. Having a list that only you can access saves a lot of headaches, so if you haven’t started, start now!

Engage with Your Patient Portal

Many medical centers and doctors give patients a “portal,” which gives them 24/7 access to any of their personal health information, as well as the ability to communicate with healthcare professionals. Dr. Brahmbhatt says that it is extremely important to stay engaged with your portal and check it often. The same idea goes for if you are scheduling an appointment for someone else and you have permission to look in their portal to stay on top of things. Simply engaging with your own medical information can keep you informed on your health and help you figure out any questions or concerns you have for your doctor and which appointment needs to be scheduled, and when.