Keeping up with doctor’s appointments is essential to managing health and staying informed, but it can often feel overwhelming. From scheduling and transportation to understanding medical advice and ensuring proper follow-up, there are many details to manage. This is where Understood Care can help. Our advocates serve as trusted guides, working alongside you or your loved one to make the process easier, more organized, and more comfortable.
Personalized Support Before and After Every Appointment
Understood Care advocates provide hands-on help with all aspects of medical visits. We help you schedule appointments, confirm provider information, and prepare for the visit itself. This might include reviewing your questions ahead of time, making sure prescriptions are current, or gathering any medical records needed. After the appointment, we help you understand the doctor’s recommendations and take the right steps to follow through on care instructions, referrals, or additional tests.
A Partner to Help You Understand Your Care
Medical visits can involve unfamiliar language, new diagnoses, or complex treatment plans. Your advocate is there to help translate this information into clear, understandable terms. We make sure you feel confident about what was discussed during the visit and that you know what actions to take next. If something is unclear or left unanswered, your advocate can follow up with your provider to get the information you need.
Coordination Across Your Care Team
Many people receive care from more than one doctor. Your advocate helps ensure that your care is well coordinated across primary care providers, specialists, and other professionals. We help share information between offices, keep records consistent, and make sure appointments align with your overall care goals. This reduces confusion and helps prevent important details from being overlooked.
Support for Getting to and From the Appointment
Transportation should never be the reason you miss a doctor’s visit. Your advocate helps you arrange reliable ways to get to and from appointments. Whether that means booking a ride service, coordinating with a caregiver, or finding community transportation resources, we make sure you have safe and timely access to care. We also consider mobility needs, language assistance, and other accessibility factors to support your comfort and safety.
Emotional and Practical Support Throughout
Doctor’s visits can bring up feelings of stress, uncertainty, or fatigue, especially when managing long-term conditions or complex health needs. Understood Care advocates are here to offer steady support throughout the experience. We are here to listen, provide encouragement, and help you make informed decisions without feeling overwhelmed.
Confidence in Every Step of the Journey
With Understood Care, you are never alone in managing your medical appointments. From the moment you schedule your visit to the follow-up that comes afterward, your advocate is there to help you stay organized, prepared, and empowered. We make it easier to stay connected to the care you need and to move forward with confidence.
Why finding the underlying cause matters
When you or someone you care for has ongoing symptoms, finding the root cause can improve treatment choices and outcomes. Many symptoms such as fatigue, pain, or shortness of breath can come from different conditions. A clear plan that combines history, exam, and the right tests helps your care team narrow the possibilities and guide next steps.
What to share at your appointment
Track symptoms clearly
Keep a simple diary that notes
- What the symptom feels like and where it is
- When it started, how often it happens, and how long it lasts
- What makes it better or worse
- Any impact on sleep, mood, or daily activities
Bring this record to each visit. Clear timelines help your clinician connect patterns and choose the most useful tests.
List all medicines and supplements
Write down every prescription, over the counter medicine, vitamin, and herbal product you take. Include doses and how often you use them. Some symptoms are caused or worsened by side effects or interactions. If you notice a new symptom after starting a medicine, record the date and tell your clinician.
Document personal and family history
Include prior conditions, surgeries, allergies, and exposures at work or home. Add a family tree with major diagnoses and ages at diagnosis when known. Family health history can reveal patterns that raise or lower the chance of specific conditions and can guide screening and referrals.
What your clinician may do
History and physical exam
Your clinician will ask detailed questions and perform a head to toe exam. Findings from this step point to likely causes and help avoid unnecessary testing. Expect questions about onset, severity, triggers, travel, infections, sleep, mood, and daily function.
Common initial tests
Your plan may include one or more of the following
- Blood tests such as complete blood count to check red and white blood cells and platelets, metabolic panel to assess kidney, liver, and electrolyte status, thyroid tests such as TSH and related hormones, and A1C to screen for diabetes
- Urinalysis to look for infection, blood, or protein
- Electrocardiogram for heart rhythm when symptoms suggest a cardiac cause
- Stool tests or other targeted labs based on your history and exam
Results are interpreted together with your story and exam. One test rarely explains everything. Your clinician may repeat a test or use a different method to confirm a finding.
Imaging and other tests
Imaging is ordered when it is likely to change care, based on symptoms and exam. Options include X ray, ultrasound, CT, MRI, and others. Some conditions require nerve testing, sleep studies, or endoscopy. Your team should explain why a test is needed, what it can and cannot show, and what the next steps will be after the result.
When urgent symptoms need emergency care
Call 911 now if you notice any of the following
- Signs of possible stroke such as sudden weakness or numbness on one side, sudden trouble speaking or understanding, sudden trouble seeing, sudden trouble walking, or a sudden severe headache with no known cause
- Signs of possible heart attack such as chest pressure or pain that may spread to the arm, back, neck, or jaw, shortness of breath, breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea, or lightheadedness
Do not drive yourself. Fast action saves brain and heart tissue and improves outcomes.
Working with specialists and getting a second opinion
If your condition is complex, rare, or not improving, your primary clinician may refer you to a specialist such as a cardiologist, neurologist, endocrinologist, or gastroenterologist. A second opinion can confirm a diagnosis, offer additional options, or change the plan when needed. Ask your current clinician for help sharing records and images so the second opinion is efficient and useful.
When to consider genetic counseling
Consider genetic counseling when a condition runs in the family, when you or your child has features that suggest a genetic condition, or when you are planning a pregnancy and have questions about inherited risks. A genetics professional can review your family history, explain testing options, and support informed choices.
Navigating common scenarios
Fatigue
Fatigue can come from anemia, thyroid disease, sleep disorders, infections, mood disorders, medication effects, or chronic conditions. Clues include heavy menstrual bleeding, snoring or witnessed apneas, weight change, heat or cold intolerance, sadness or loss of interest, and recent medication changes. Your clinician may order blood counts, iron studies, thyroid tests, A1C, and sleep evaluation when indicated.
Numbness or tingling
Numbness or tingling can result from diabetes, vitamin deficiencies, nerve compression, autoimmune disease, or medication effects. Your evaluation may include blood sugar testing, vitamin B12 and related labs, a neurologic exam, and nerve studies when appropriate. Report any sudden weakness, severe back pain with new bladder or bowel problems, or numbness spreading quickly, which needs urgent care.
Sleep problems
Loud snoring, pauses in breathing during sleep, and daytime sleepiness can signal sleep apnea. Diagnosis usually requires a sleep study at home or in a lab. Treating sleep apnea can improve blood pressure, mood, and energy, and reduces risks for the heart and brain.
How caregivers can help
Caregivers play a vital role in preparing information, sharing observations the patient may not notice, and supporting follow through on testing and treatment plans.Bring a short list of top questions, take notes during visits, and ask for a clear summary of the plan before you leave.If instructions are not clear, ask for plain language and written steps.
For personalized help from an Understood Care advocate, call (646) 904-4027or book at https://app.understoodcare.com/
Prepare and partner for safer diagnosis
You can improve diagnostic safety by preparing for visits, asking questions, and confirming next steps
- Before the visit, gather your symptom diary, medicine list, and family history
- During the visit, ask what the most likely causes are, what the clinician is ruling out, which test is first and why, and when to follow up
- After the visit, review results in your portal, ask about any unexpected or concerning results, and confirm how you will be contacted and what to do if symptoms change
If you experience a serious side effect from a medicine or device, tell your clinician and report it through the appropriate safety program. You can also ask your pharmacist for help understanding side effects and interactions.
Related Understood Care support
If you want hands on help gathering records, preparing questions, coordinating referrals, or seeking a second opinion, Understood Care advocates can support you. See the related Understood Care resources listed in the References.
FAQ
- What is this guide about and who is it for?
This guide is for anyone dealing with ongoing symptoms or caring for someone who is. It explains why finding the underlying cause matters, what to bring to appointments, which tests are commonly used, when urgent symptoms need emergency care, and how caregivers and advocates can support safer, clearer diagnosis. - Why does finding the underlying cause matter?
Many symptoms like fatigue, pain, or shortness of breath can come from several different conditions. When your clinician has a clear picture of your history, exam findings, and test results, they can narrow down the possibilities, avoid unnecessary tests, and choose treatments that are more likely to help. - What information should I track before my appointment?
A simple symptom diary can be very helpful. Write down what the symptom feels like and where it is, when it started, how often it happens, how long it lasts, what makes it better or worse, and how it affects sleep, mood, or daily activities. Bringing this record to each visit gives your clinician a timeline and pattern to work with. - What should I include in my medication list?
List every prescription medicine, over the counter drug, vitamin, and herbal supplement you take. Include the dose and how often you use it. Some symptoms are caused or worsened by side effects or interactions. If symptoms started after a new medicine, note the date and tell your clinician. - Why is personal and family history important?
Prior conditions, surgeries, allergies, and exposures at work or home can all point toward or away from certain diagnoses. A simple family tree with major diagnoses and ages at diagnosis (when known) can reveal patterns that raise or lower the chance of specific conditions and guide screening or referrals. - What will my clinician usually do at the visit?
Your clinician will take a detailed history and perform a physical exam from head to toe. They will ask about when the symptom started, how severe it is, what triggers or eases it, any recent infections or travel, sleep and mood, and how it affects your daily life. These findings guide which tests are most useful. - What are common first tests for many symptoms?
Depending on your situation, your clinician may order blood tests such as a complete blood count, metabolic panel, thyroid tests, or A1C, a urinalysis, an electrocardiogram, or other targeted labs. These results are interpreted together with your story and exam findings. Often, one test alone does not give the full answer. - When are imaging tests or special studies needed?
Imaging such as X ray, ultrasound, CT, or MRI is usually ordered when it is likely to change your care based on your symptoms and exam. Some conditions also require nerve testing, sleep studies, or endoscopy. Your team should explain why a test is needed, what it can and cannot show, and what the next steps will be after the results. - Which symptoms mean I should go to the emergency room right away?
Call 911 if you notice signs of a possible stroke, such as sudden weakness or numbness on one side, sudden trouble speaking or understanding, sudden trouble seeing, sudden trouble walking, or a sudden severe headache with no known cause. Call 911 for signs of a possible heart attack, such as chest pressure or pain that may spread to the arm, back, neck, or jaw, shortness of breath, cold sweat, nausea, or lightheadedness. Do not drive yourself. - When should I see a specialist or get a second opinion?
If your condition is complex, rare, or not improving, your primary clinician may refer you to a specialist such as a cardiologist, neurologist, endocrinologist, or gastroenterologist. A second opinion can confirm the diagnosis, suggest new options, or change the plan if needed. Sharing your records and images ahead of time makes that visit more effective. - When is genetic counseling worth considering?
Genetic counseling is helpful when a condition clearly runs in your family, when you or your child has features that suggest a genetic condition, or when you are planning a pregnancy and want to understand inherited risks. A genetics professional can review your family history, explain testing options, and help you make informed choices. - What are common causes of fatigue and how is it evaluated?
Fatigue can stem from anemia, thyroid disease, sleep disorders, infections, mood disorders, medication side effects, or chronic conditions. Clues include heavy menstrual bleeding, snoring or pauses in breathing at night, weight changes, heat or cold intolerance, sadness or loss of interest, and recent new medicines. Your clinician may order blood counts, iron tests, thyroid labs, A1C, and sometimes sleep evaluation. - What can cause numbness or tingling and what tests are used?
Numbness or tingling may come from diabetes, vitamin deficiencies, nerve compression, autoimmune disease, or medicines. Evaluation often includes blood sugar testing, vitamin B12 and related labs, a detailed neurologic exam, and sometimes nerve studies. Sudden weakness, severe back pain with new bladder or bowel trouble, or rapidly spreading numbness needs urgent care. - How are sleep problems explored as a cause of symptoms?
Loud snoring, witnessed pauses in breathing, and daytime sleepiness can signal sleep apnea. Diagnosis typically requires a sleep study at home or in a lab. Treating sleep apnea can improve blood pressure, mood, and energy, and reduce risks to the heart and brain. - How can caregivers support safer diagnosis?
Caregivers can help by tracking symptoms, bringing a short list of top questions, sharing observations the patient may not notice, and taking notes during visits. They can also ask for plain language instructions and written steps before leaving the appointment to support follow through on tests and treatments. - What can I do before, during, and after a visit to improve diagnostic safety?
Before the visit, gather your symptom diary, medication list, and family history. During the visit, ask what the most likely causes are, what conditions are being ruled out, which test comes first and why, and when to follow up. After the visit, review results in your portal, ask about anything unexpected, confirm how you will be contacted, and ask what to do if symptoms worsen or change. - What should I do if I suspect a serious side effect from a medicine or device?
Tell your clinician as soon as possible and describe when the side effect started, how it feels, and how it has changed over time. You can also ask your pharmacist to help you understand possible side effects and interactions. Your clinician may adjust the dose, switch medicines, or report the event through a formal safety program. - How can an Understood Care advocate help with this process?
An advocate can help you gather records, organize a symptom diary and medication list, prepare clear questions for visits, coordinate referrals, and seek a second opinion when needed. They can also help track results and follow up steps so you do not have to manage everything alone while dealing with symptoms.
References
- Authoritative guidance and evidence
AHRQ Toolkit for engaging patients to improve diagnostic safety
https://www.ahrq.gov/diagnostic-safety/tools/engaging-patients-improve.html - AHRQ tools to improve diagnostic safety and question prompts for patients
https://www.ahrq.gov/diagnostic-safety/tools/index.html - AHRQ Be More Engaged in Your Healthcare tips for patients PDF
https://www.ahrq.gov/sites/default/files/wysiwyg/questions/be-engaged.pdf - AHRQ Question Builder online tool
https://www.ahrq.gov/es/questions/question-builder/online.html - CDC Family Health History overview
https://www.cdc.gov/family-health-history/index.html - CDC Family Health History key points
https://www.cdc.gov/family-health-history/about/index.html - MedlinePlus Physical examination
https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002274.htm - MedlinePlus How to understand your lab results
https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/how-to-understand-your-lab-results - MedlinePlus Diagnostic imaging overview
https://medlineplus.gov/diagnosticimaging.html - Cleveland Clinic Blood tests overview
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/24508-blood-tests - NIDDK A1C test
https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diagnostic-tests/a1c-test - NIDDK Diabetes tests and diagnosis
https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/tests-diagnosis - NIDDK Thyroid tests
https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diagnostic-tests/thyroid - NHLBI Anemia diagnosis
https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/anemia/diagnosis - Mayo Clinic Anemia diagnosis and treatment
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/anemia/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20351366 - CDC Stroke signs and symptoms
https://www.cdc.gov/stroke/signs-symptoms/index.html - National Institute on Aging What is a heart attack
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/heart-health/what-heart-attack - Mayo Clinic Heart attack symptoms
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-attack/in-depth/heart-attack-symptoms/art-20047744 - Mayo Clinic Stroke symptoms and causes
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/stroke/symptoms-causes/syc-20350113 - NHLBI Sleep apnea overview
https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/sleep-apnea - Mayo Clinic Sleep apnea diagnosis and treatment
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sleep-apnea/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20377636 - NIDDK Hypothyroidism overview
https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/endocrine-diseases/hypothyroidism - MedlinePlus Drug reactions
https://medlineplus.gov/drugreactions.html - FDA MedWatch safety information and reporting
https://www.fda.gov/safety/medwatch-fda-safety-information-and-adverse-event-reporting-program - FDA Reporting serious problems to FDA
https://www.fda.gov/safety/medwatch-fda-safety-information-and-adverse-event-reporting-program/reporting-serious-problems-fda - Cleveland Clinic Differential diagnosis explainer
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/22327-differential-diagnosis - USPSTF recommendation topics and A and B services
https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation-topics
https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation-topics/uspstf-a-and-b-recommendations - NCI Finding cancer care and getting a second opinion
https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/managing-care/finding-cancer-care - MedlinePlus Genetic counseling and consultation
https://medlineplus.gov/geneticcounseling.html
https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/understanding/consult/consultation
This content is for education only and does not replace professional medical advice. If you have new weakness, severe pain, fever with confusion, chest pain, or trouble breathing, call emergency services.
Deborah Hall
- About: Deborah Hall’s primary specialty is other healthcare benefits access. She helps people apply for coverage, clears questions, and connects them to programs fast.
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