Ask your doctor
Ask your doctor
This is not a consultation or a form for questions. Here you will find questions worth asking your own doctor at different stages: before an appointment, when a test is ordered and after you receive a report. Each comes with a short general explanation of why it matters. Only the doctor who examines you can answer questions about your health.
There are no stupid questions about your own health. There are only questions you didn’t ask and later searched the internet for.
How this section works: these are questions worth asking your own doctor, with general answers. The site has no specialists and no form for sending in questions.
Before the appointment
Which doctor should I see if I don’t know what’s wrong?
You usually start with a general practitioner at the clinic you are registered with. They will assess the situation and, if needed, refer you to another specialist.
Can I choose a different doctor or clinic?
In Russia, yes: Law No. 323-FZ gives the right to choose a healthcare provider and a doctor. Your primary care clinic under OMS can be changed no more than once a year, except when you move. Check the procedure with the clinic you choose. Rules differ in other countries.
What should I say at the start of the appointment?
State the main reason for your visit in one or two sentences: what bothers you and since when. Then you can move on to details and your list of medicines.
Will a remote consultation do?
For follow-up questions and discussing results, often yes. If the problem is new and there is no diagnosis yet, a remote consultation does not replace an in-person appointment.
When a test is ordered
Why do I need this test?
Ask the doctor to explain what question it should answer and how the result will affect further decisions. This helps you understand why you are going and what to expect.
How should I prepare?
Preparation rules depend on the type of test and where it is done. Check them with your doctor or when booking so you don’t have to reschedule.
Is it covered by OMS?
In Russia, many tests ordered by a doctor are free under the OMS policy as part of the state guarantee programme. If you are offered a paid option, ask whether there is a free one and how long the wait is. In a dispute, you can contact your health insurance company.
When and how will I get the result?
Ask where the result will appear, who will explain it and whether you need to book a separate appointment to discuss it.
After the appointment and report
What does this word in my report mean?
Ask for an explanation in plain words — you have the right to information about your health. Our glossary also has short definitions of common terms.
Can I get a copy of my documents?
Yes. Under Russian law, patients can review their medical records and obtain copies and extracts. Check with the healthcare provider how to submit a request.
What happens if I refuse an intervention?
Refusing is your right. Ask your doctor to explain the possible consequences of refusing and the alternatives, so that your decision is an informed one.
Should I get a second opinion?
Before a serious or irreversible decision, it is sensible. Take your reports, discharge summaries and result forms with you so the other doctor sees the whole picture.
Related sections
- Prevention
A follow-up plan between appointments, preventive check-ups and dispanserizatsiya under Russia’s OMS, a day off work.
- Glossary
Words from the doctor’s office, referrals, discharge summaries and science news — brief, with no reference values.
- Methods
What makes a prescription well-founded, what kinds of tests exist and how to check a method or medicine.
Sources
- Federal Law No. 323-FZ “On the Fundamentals of Health Protection of Citizens in the Russian Federation”, Art. 20–22
- Single emergency number 112; ambulance service 103 (Russia)
Information is current as of the date of preparation. In Russia, the rules of compulsory medical insurance (OMS), the procedure for preventive check-ups and dispanserizatsiya, and the requirements for medical records and remote consultations may change — check the current documents and confirm details with your clinic or your health insurance company. Healthcare systems in other countries work differently.