Preparing for Your First Medical Appointment Without a Parent or Guardian

Have a copy of your insurance card

If you have insurance, you’ll need to provide your insurance company information before or at your appointment. You’ll need to fill out a form that asks for things like:

• your full, legal name
• date of birth
• Social Security number
• information about your insurance coverage (from your insurance card):
  • policy number
  • group number
  • their phone number for claims
  • the main insurance policy holder (If you are younger than 26 years old, you may be on your parents’ insurance, and one of them will likely be the main policy holder.)

You will likely need to provide the doctor’s office with your insurance card or a copy of it (front and back), your state-issued ID or driver’s license, and a payment method.

Be prepared to pay the healthcare professional’s office. They may take payment when you sign in or at checkout.

If you don’t have insurance, ask how much your appointment will cost when you schedule it. If you have insurance, ask if they accept your insurance, if they are in-network, and how much your copay will be.

If you don’t have your insurance card, your insurance company can typically email or text a copy to you, or you may be able to access it from their website or app.

The doctor’s office will also want to know if you have a pharmacy you prefer and its address and phone number.

Collect your medical history

One or more forms will likely ask for information about your health and past medical history. Before your appointment, you may want to speak with a parent or caregiver who knows your medical history to get a complete picture.

You may need to answer questions like these:

• the name of your previous (or current) doctor if you have one, such as the pediatrician you saw when you were younger than 21 years old
• any medical conditions your blood (direct) relatives — parents, grandparents, and any siblings — have and what those conditions are
• all medications and supplements you’re currently taking
• surgeries you have had (if any)

There may be a checklist of 20+ medical conditions, and you will need to check any you have or have had. This list includes conditions like heart disease, diabetes, allergies, mental health disorders, and many others. There is usually a space at the end to add any conditions that are not on the list.

Be ready to answer questions about your ‘social history’ (or choose not to)

“Social history” typically includes questions about alcohol consumption, use of tobacco products, drug use, and sexual activity.

While you can always choose not to answer these questions, the answers are confidential, and the healthcare professional uses them to help evaluate your health, assess the condition you are seeing them for that day, and decide on the best treatment options for you.

These questions may include things like:

• Do you consume alcohol? Yes or No. How many drinks per day or week?
• Do you smoke? Yes or No. What do you smoke: tobacco, cannabis (marijuana), or other? How many cigarettes do you smoke per day?
• Do you currently take other drugs? If so, which ones and how often?
• Are you sexually active?
• Do you want to be tested for sexually transmitted infections (STIs)?
• Do you use contraception? Which type?
• Are you currently pregnant? (If you are unsure or do not answer this question, depending on the reason for your medical visit, you may be asked to take a pregnancy test. This information is often significant when being prescribed medication or when the doctor is making a diagnosis.)

Be ready to explain exactly why you are at the appointment

You will likely be asked about your current illness or injury, with questions like:

• Why do you need to see a healthcare professional today?
• What are your symptoms, and when did they start?
• If you have an injury, what happened, and when did it happen?
• If you have pain, what level is your pain? (Usually, it is a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the worst. Sometimes it’s a set of faces with expressions that indicate how bad the pain is.)

Be ready to sign consent forms and understand why

Consent forms you may be presented with include:

• Cancellation policy: You may be asked to sign a form stating you are aware of the appointment cancellation policy. Most doctors will charge a fee, sometimes as high as the full cost of their average appointment, if you miss an appointment without notice. Most healthcare professionals require at least a 48-hour notice, OR MORE, if you are going to miss a scheduled appointment. Missing an appointment without notice is not only rude, but it can cost you money — possibly $100 or more, depending on the healthcare professional.

• Consent to treatment: You must grant your consent for any healthcare professional to administer care, except in emergency situations, if you are physically unable to consent.

• Consent to communication from the healthcare professional and their office: You will have to grant consent for them to leave a message about your care, treatment, or test results. Typically, they will ask you how you would prefer they communicate with you, usually by phone, text, or email.

• Release of medical information: In most states and most situations, your parents can no longer consent to treatment or discuss your medical information with your doctors unless you grant the healthcare professional permission to speak with them individually and specifically. You will be asked if you grant the medical practice consent to release medical information to another person. That may be your partner, a parent, or other trusted people you choose. You may also be asked to consent for them to share your information with another healthcare professional.

Check out the doctor’s website

Typically, you can fill out most forms before your appointment and in the comfort of your own home. Many practices have online patient portals that allow you to communicate with the practice for things like:

• asking questions
• reviewing your records
• getting test results
• paying fees
• scheduling follow-up appointments or sick appointments

Typically, once you schedule an appointment, the medical office will email you a temporary password to register for their patient portal.

You may also be able to assess how comfortable you may be with this medical practice. Does it appear that the facility has many people as patients who are similar to you – your age, gender identification, or cultural background? Does the medical office have staff who speak your preferred language or understand your culture?

Other tips for feeling more comfortable

• Ask for an interpreter or someone who speaks your language if English is not your primary language: When you call to schedule an appointment, ask whether the office has staff who speak the language you’re most comfortable speaking. Medical appointments may be stressful, so it’s important that your care team can clearly communicate important information in a way that benefits you.

• Bring a few notes about how you’re feeling and why you’re at the office that day: You’ll need to be able to discuss it with the doctor or other healthcare professional you see. You may have to ask questions about your condition, health, treatment, or anything they say that is at all unclear to you.

• If you think it might help you feel more comfortable, it’s OK to bring a friend: Often, having another person with you can help ease anxiety and help you remember what the doctor says about your illness, injury, or health, and any instructions they have for you. Since you may be nervous and not feeling well, it may be helpful to have a second set of ears there. You may need to sign a consent form for them to be in the exam room with you.

• Ask about telehealth: Depending on why you want to see a doctor, you may be able to have a telehealth appointment.

What to expect during your medical appointment

Your appointment may begin with a nurse or health technician taking your vital signs — temperature, blood pressure, and heart rate. Depending on why you are seeing a healthcare professional, you may or may not need to remove any clothing.

You will likely be taken to an exam room. If you need to remove clothing, a staff member, typically the practice nurse, will leave you a gown, paper top, or paper sheet to cover up with. They will leave the room while you take your clothing off and cover up with the gown or paper items they gave you.

You will typically either sit in a chair or climb up on an exam table to sit while you wait for the doctor or healthcare professional to knock on the door. They will ask if you’re ready for them to enter the room.

You may see the healthcare professional alone in the room, or they may have an assistant or nurse with them. Typically, if you are undressed, the doctor or other healthcare professional will be accompanied by another staff member.

If you have concerns or are unsure if you will need to remove clothing or wear specific types of clothing, ask when you make the appointment. They can typically tell you or direct you to their website for more information about what to expect based on your illness or injury.

How to choose a doctor or healthcare professional

• Check with your insurance company: If you have insurance, check the list of healthcare professionals in your area who take it. Usually, the insurance company website will note if the doctor or their practice is taking new patients. (You may not need to see a doctor; you may also see a physician assistant or a nurse practitioner. Both healthcare professionals have extra education and can diagnose and plan treatment for many conditions.)
• Ask your previous doctor: For example, your pediatrician may have a list of doctors they recommend to patients who age out of their practice.
• Ask your friends and family: Do they have a doctor they like (or one to avoid)?
• Check the internet: Check sites that review doctors, such as Healthgrades or Find Care.

Takeaway

While your first medical appointment without a parent or guardian can be a stressful experience, a little preparation can help relieve some of your anxiety and help your appointment go smoothly.

Collecting information like your insurance card, medical history, and details about your current health can help you prepare. Checking out the doctor’s website and reviews may also help you feel more comfortable.