Have you ever left a doctor's appointment feeling frustrated? Like you didn't get answers to your questions, or even worse like the doctor wasn't really listening to you? It's a common problem for patients to walk away from an appointment feeling passed over and unheard.

At Orchard Hospital we want our patients to have the best experience possible and leave feeling understood and empowered. Our fantastic staff help make that happen every day. There are also steps a patient can take to make their experience better. Below are some tips on how to turn a potentially frustrating experience into a successful one and get the answers you're looking for.

Another year has gone by and you get that call from your doctor’s office, it is time for your annual check-up. However, you feel fine and start to think, “Why every year?” When we are currently healthy we tend to neglect going to the doctor, but a proactive mindset is the key to long-term health. Here are four reasons why regularly scheduled check-ups are important. 

More and more, people today are getting the healthcare that they need at walk-in clinics. In order to see your regular doctor when you are sick, you need an appointment. This is not the case at a walk-in clinic. People also use walk-in clinics so often because of the convenient hours. Most walk-in clinics have evening and weekend hours which are very convenient if you work or if you happen to get sick when your primary care physician's office is closed. While there are many great things about walk-in clinics, there are a few myths that keep people away. If you have been avoiding using a walk-in clinic because of things that you have heard, you should know that some of thing things that you have heard are not true.

An accident happens, you or a loved one begin to feel ill, or an illness you have seems to take a turn for the worse. What do you do? Many people have become accustomed to calling an ambulance or rushing to an emergency room, only to discover that their situation is rated as minor or non-urgent, and they end up spending hours waiting in the lobby to be seen.

When you feel rather dreadful and have the sniffles, runny nose, watery eyes, sneezing, and maybe a sore throat, how do you know if you have a cold, the flue, or allergies? It can be hard to tell them apart because many times they follow the same course and similar symptoms. However, understanding them individually can lead to better decisions, choice of treatment, and whether or not you need to visit a health care clinic.

Visiting a clinic can be confusing. You’re going to a new place looking for help, you hear several medical terms that sounds confusing, and you don’t feel well. At our Medical Specialty Centers – Your Everyday Health Care Clinic, we want to help you in any way we can. We’ve put together a small list of medical terms you might hear while at the clinic in hopes it will better your understanding of what they mean in regards to your health.

Most people have a preference about their health care. Some prefer a doctor they can see regularly, some prefer a facility they can visit regularly, and some prefer to avoid doctors unless they need to visit the emergency room. We decided to round up the 3 excuses people might make for not visiting a health care clinic, and debunk them.

As you’re sitting there in a clinic, after you’ve been seen and are wrapping up the visit to leave, there comes a point when the doctor or nurse will ask if there is anything else they can do for you. This is an opportunity missed by many! In that moment, you have the chance to gain clarification, better understand any news you just received, and prepare for recovery from whatever it is you’re suffering from. Don’t worry, we’ve got your back! Check out this list of 10 questions you should ask before leaving the clinic, and why they’re in your best interest.