A QUESTION TO ASK YOUR DOCTOR

Imagine that you are in your doctor's office and the doctor proposes to send you for an expensive high technology test. or even a series of blood or urine tests at the laboratory.  What questions should you ask, and of those questions, where should you start?

The first question that I suggest you ask is: "doctor, how will the results of this test affect the recommendations you will make or treatment you will offer?"  If the doctor can't answer that question, the test should not be done.  Your high technology test, or blood specimen, should be critical to the physician's decision-making process and the outcome of the test should be an important treatment issue.  Technology tests often involve radiation or other potentially toxic exposures and there are small, but real risks associated even with what seem to be"simple" blood tests, not the least of which is an erroneous result which results in more and riskier testing.


If your physicians seems to be offended by your question, find another doctor.  You have a right to know the answer before you expose yourself to the expense, inconvenience and risk of what may be an unnecessary testing procedure.