3 steps to building a relationship with doctor

Given the brevity of most doctors' appointments, being ready to give — and get — information should be your top priority. Having a good relationship with your doctor is important and you should be ready to discuss your lifestyle when talking with your doctor. Here are some tips on building a relationship with the right doctor.

• Is she too bossy? Is he too deferential? Does your doctor interrupt or not take your views as seriously as you'd like? Try discussing your concerns first, and make a good-faith effort to build a relationship of trust and respect with your physician.
• If it's not working out, don't feel obligated to stay. Patients who don't trust their doctors simply don't get well as quickly, studies show, probably because they're less motivated to follow their advice and treatments.
• Ask to see another doctor in the same practice, or ask friends and family for recommendations for a new doctor.

Yes, you should schedule an annual checkup even if you're in tip-top shape. Be sure to talk with your doctor about these important health risks every year.

• Your blood sugar levels. A high reading could suggest insulin resistance or metabolic syndrome, which are risk factors for diabetes, heart disease, stroke and even some forms of cancer.
• Screenings for chronic diseases. This includes diabetes, cancers (such as breast cancer, skin cancer, prostate cancer, and more) and heart disease.
• Your mental health. It's important to open up to your doctor about issues like anxiety, depression and sources of stress in your life.
• The quality of your sleep. The amount of sleep you are getting can affect other health issues, and don't forget to mention snoring or other signs of sleep apnea to your doctor.

• If you haven't done so already, give your doctor your past health history, your family's health history and your own lifestyle history at your next annual checkup.
• When discussing your own past, include major illnesses, allergies and drug reactions.
• Family history? Summarize major illnesses your first-degree relatives (parents, aunts and uncles, grandparents) have had, and pay special attention to medical conditions such as diabetes that seem to run in the family.

Clue your doctor into your own lifestyle — tell her how much you exercise, how you eat, whether you have a pet you enjoy, how stressed you are, whether you smoke tobacco or drink alcohol, any over-the-counter or prescription drugs (from another doctor) that you take regularly. This way, your doctor will be armed with all the information they need to help you.