The reality is any medical facility worth visiting has more demand than resources to satisfy demand. So the time doctors have to spend with any individual patient is necessarily constrained. Given that reality, my concept is the patient should view an appointment as a final exam. At least that is my concept as I prepare for the appointment to discuss a treatment for advanced prostrate cancer. Study, do not just read, books, watch and re-watch videos, and visit forums regularly to learn enough to "speak the language", to diagnose, as best you can, the stage of your disease and, in particular, the treatment pathways for your stage.

For my visit I are preparing a list of possible treatment pathways with as much detail as I can. Given I am fortunate enough to have a care team at Mayo PHX, I fully expect the doctor will be appreciative of my efforts. Together we can quickly "get down to brass tacks" and consider the pros and cons of the doctor's suggested pathway. If I have questions, they are the most pertinent to the discussion.

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