Last year, there was a study done by the Royal Society of Medicine that suggested that patients forget up to 80 percent of what a physician tells them during an office visit:

“While you might not recall everything your doctor tells you, you’re pretty confident you remember most of the information. Right?

Probably not, new research contends. Most patients forget as much as 80 percent of what their doctor tells them as soon as they leave the clinic, says a study in the May issue of the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine .

And nearly half the information they say they do remember, they remember incorrectly, says the Utrecht University study. With the trend towards shorter hospital stays and more outpatient care, it’s essential that patients remember this information so they fully understand their treatment options. “

Compounding this study with today’s problem with physician access makes it imperative to be prepared before visiting a physician. I have so many patients who come in not even knowing their medications nor why they take them. Doing a little research beforehand and knowing the right questions to ask would make your visit that much more useful.