All the more reason to be prepared prior to a doctor's visit, and to not leave until every question is answered:

Researchers report in the current issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings that more than one-half of their study patients were unable to list their medications, diagnoses, treatment plan (names and purposes of medications) and common side effects of prescribed medications.

The findings are concerning to physicians because failure of patients to follow treatment plans or understand the requirements after leaving their care could result in readmission to the hospital with compounding health problems and additional health care costs.

Patients are responsible to follow treatment plans, but communication from physicians and health care teams needs to improve to meet the patient's needs, say the study's authors.

("Many Discharged Patients Do Not Know Diagnoses, Medications, Side Effects", Science Daily, Aug.16; via GruntDoc)