So, you've decided to see a general practitioner in Tbilisi. Perhaps something is bothering you, or maybe you just want to have a routine check-up. But what should you expect from your appointment? What questions will the doctor ask? Do you need to prepare somehow? I'll try to answer these questions so you can feel calmer and more confident during your visit.
Meeting Your Doctor
At A Clinic, a GP appointment takes about half an hour. If it's your first time seeing the doctor, everything begins with introductions. The doctor will introduce themselves, and you can introduce yourself however you feel comfortable: by first name only, by first and last name, or by a shortened form of your name. If you feel more at ease coming to the appointment with someone close to you, that's absolutely fine—you're welcome to bring a companion.
Medical History of Your Current Concern
After introductions, the doctor will ask you to talk about what brought you to the appointment. This is called taking a "medical history." Answer in whatever way is comfortable for you—there's no right or wrong answer to this question. The main advice: tell the doctor what's bothering you and everything that seems related. It's especially important to tell the doctor what you're feeling—pain, discomfort, anxiety. However, using medical terms, diagnoses, and jargon can actually create confusion, so it's better to try to avoid them.
After you've shared your story, the doctor will ask you additional questions to help better understand your situation and symptoms. Sometimes the questions may touch on quite sensitive topics, such as sexual health, alcohol consumption, or drug use. Such questions are a normal part of a medical consultation. But if something seems inappropriate to you, feel free to ask why the doctor needs this information.
What to Bring to Your Appointment
If you have results from tests or examinations you've had done previously, bring them with you—they may be useful to the doctor. The same goes for hospital discharge summaries, reports from other specialists, or your medical records. If you regularly take any medications, write down their names and dosages in advance or take photos of the packages.
General Medical History
After gathering information about your current concern, the doctor will typically begin collecting your general medical history. This is a series of short questions that help assess your overall health as well as risk factors for certain diseases. You can prepare for this part of the visit in advance: recall whether you've ever had an allergic reaction to anything; whether you've had any surgeries; write down all medications you take daily; ask your immediate family members (parents, siblings) if they have any chronic conditions (for example, heart and vascular diseases, diabetes, cancer).
Physical Examination
The next stage is the examination. The scope of the examination can vary greatly depending on the problem you came in with, but typically during the exam the doctor will measure your pulse and oxygen saturation, blood pressure and body temperature, and will also listen to your lungs and heart. During auscultation (listening to heart and lung sounds), the doctor will ask you to remove clothing from your chest area. Usually, removing a bra is not required, but in some cases this may also be necessary.
Also during the examination, the doctor may touch you—this is often necessary to assess the condition of your abdominal organs, neck, lymph nodes, and more. If you feel uncomfortable, don't be afraid to say so. In that case, we'll try to find alternative ways to assess your condition.
Conclusions and Recommendations
After the examination, the doctor will be able to summarize the consultation. At this stage, the likely diagnosis is discussed, a plan for investigations is made, and treatment recommendations are given. Remember, what's most important at this stage is that you understand what the doctor is telling you. Don't hesitate to ask questions—the doctor will try to explain in simple terms what's happening with you and what steps to take next.
If you disagree with the doctor's recommendations, you should also discuss alternative options in your case. However, don't expect that the doctor will necessarily order the test you want to have done—investigations and treatment are prescribed by the doctor based on medical indications and the clinical situation.
Follow-up Communication
At the very end of the appointment, you should discuss convenient ways to stay in touch going forward: by email, by phone, via messenger, or at a scheduled follow-up appointment at the clinic. At the end of the appointment, the doctor will give you or send you recommendations in text so you don't get confused about what was prescribed. If anything remains unclear, don't hesitate to ask.
Whatever brought you to the doctor, now you know that the doctor is on your team and their goal is to help you and explain in understandable language what's happening with you. We wish you good health!