How to prepare for a health appointment
Fifteen minutes is not long. A little preparation makes them yours.
Why it is worth doing
Appointments are short, and they are often months in the making. Most of us walk in with everything in our heads, answer the questions we are asked, and remember the thing we meant to raise somewhere in the car park.
Preparing is not about knowing more than the person you are seeing. It is about arriving with your side of the conversation ready: what has happened, what you take, and what you want to know.
Before the appointment
- Write down why you are going, in one sentence. “My knee has been getting worse since March.” If you can say it in one sentence, you can open with it.
- Note what has changed since last time. New results, something started or stopped, a change in weight, sleep or how you feel. Dates help more than adjectives.
- Describe what you have noticed. When it started, how often it happens, what makes it better or worse, and what it stops you doing.
- Write your questions, most important first. Three is a good number. If time runs short, the first one has still been asked.
What to take with you
- Your list of medication and supplements, with doses.
- Recent results, or your own record of them.
- Any readings you keep at home, such as blood pressure or weight.
- Your questions, on paper or on your phone.
- Something to write with.
In the room
- Start with your one sentence. It sets the direction for the time you have.
- Ask your first question early. Do not save it for the end.
- Write down what you are told. Or ask whether you may. Names of tests, changes to what you take, and what happens next are the things that fade first.
- Say it back. “So the plan is…” takes ten seconds and catches misunderstandings while you are still in the room.
Afterwards
- Write your notes the same day. What was said, what changes, what you agreed to do.
- Update your record. Anything started, stopped or changed goes on your list that day.
- Note what comes next. A test to book, a result to wait for, the date of the next visit.
How Sanomi does this
Sanomi keeps appointments as part of your record, and can help you get ready for one.
- The appointment is on your calendar. The date and time, who you are seeing, where, and your own notes.
- A preparation report, written for this visit. Choose the kind of practitioner you are seeing, including physiotherapists, dietitians, dentists and others, and say in your own words why you are going. Sanomi uses AI to write the report from your own record.
- You choose what goes in it. For example: what to bring, a review of your medication and supplements, how to describe what you have noticed, questions to ask, and questions you may be asked.
- Take it with you. The report is saved in your library and can be shared as a PDF.
- Notes after the visit. Add what was said to the appointment afterwards, so it is there the next time you prepare.
- For tests and procedures too. A separate preparation covers what to expect on the day and what to bring.
Questions users ask
How many questions should I take?
As many as you have, in order of importance. Expect to get through two or three. Putting the most important first matters more than the number.
Should someone come with me?
If you would like them to. A second person hears things you miss and can take notes while you talk. Tell them beforehand what you want to ask.
What if I forget something?
Write it down as soon as you remember, and add it to your notes for the next visit. If it cannot wait, call the practice.
Does the report tell me what is wrong, or what to do?
No. It organises your own record and helps you get ready for the conversation. It does not diagnose medical conditions and it does not give medical advice. That conversation belongs with the health professional you are seeing.
Last reviewed: October 2026. More on this: Your health record · AI Insight Reports.
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