Preparing your records for a review

The quality of a second look depends, more than anything, on what you share. You don't need to be a doctor to assemble useful records — you just need to be reasonably complete.

Aim to share: the most recent doctor's notes and prescriptions; your current list of medications and dosages; the most recent lab and pathology reports; imaging (X-ray, CT, MRI, ultrasound) — ideally the images themselves, not only the report; discharge summaries from any hospital stay in the last few years; and a one-paragraph summary of your concern in your own words.

If you're not sure whether something is relevant, share it. We would rather read and set aside than miss something important. And if you don't have access to a report, tell us — we may be able to ask the right questions to get it.

One last thing: write down the questions you actually want answered. 'What is going on with me?' is a real question. So is 'Do I really need this surgery?' or 'Is this medication safe long-term given my other conditions?'. The clearer your questions, the more useful our opinion will be.