Doc Talk

Patients enrolled with the Dingwall Medical Clinic Family Health Network can email your doctor with messages or queries. For more information on how to enroll visit the FAQ page.

Email communications that you send to us via the email links on our site may be shared with a Customer Service representative, employee, medical staff or agent that is most able to address your inquiry. We make every effort to respond in a timely fashion once communications are received. Once we have responded to your communication, it is discarded or archived, depending on the nature of the inquiry. Communications from patients not enrolled will not be responded to and will be discarded unread.

The email functionality on our site does not provide a completely secure and confidential means of communication. It’s possible that your email communication may be accessed or viewed by another internet user while in transit to us. If you wish to keep your communication private, do not use the “doctalk” email.

Research has shown that patients who have good relationships with their doctors tend to be more satisfied with their care–and to have better results. Here are some tips to help you and your doctor become partners in improving your health care.

Give Information. Don’t Wait to Be Asked!

• • You know important things about your symptoms and your health history. Tell your doctor what you think he or she needs to know.
• • Bring a “health history” list with you, and keep it up to date. You might want to make a copy of the form for each member of your family.
• • Always bring any medicines you are taking, or a list of those medicines (include when and how often you take them) and what strength.
• • Talk about any allergies or reactions you have had to your medicines.
• • Tell your doctor about any herbal products you use or alternative medicines or treatments you receive.

Get Information

• • Ask questions. If you don’t, your doctor may think you understand everything that was said.
• • Write down your questions before your visit. List the most important ones first to make sure they get asked and answered.
• • You might want to bring someone along to help you ask questions. This person can also help you understand and/or remember the answers.

Take Information Home

• • Ask for written instructions.
• • Your doctor also may have brochures and audio tapes and videotapes that can help you. If not, ask how you can get such materials.

Resource: Quick Tips–When Talking with Your Doctor. AHRQ Publication No. 01-0040a, May 2002. Agency for Health care Research and Quality, Rockville, MD.