What to bring so a new doctor can pick up your chronic care
Bring medical records, current medication bottles, your condition timeline, and key health details to your first appointment with a new chronic care doctor.
Walking into a new doctor's office without your medical history feels like starting a book halfway through. Many people show up hoping the receptionist or practice manager will somehow know what they need, or they bring scraps of paper and vague memories of past diagnoses. A few minutes in, the appointment stalls while staff search for records or you struggle to remember medication names and doses. That delay costs you and your new doctor time—time that should go toward building a care plan.
The smoother handover happens when you arrive prepared. Your new doctor needs certain information to pick up your chronic care safely and continue it without reinventing the wheel. Knowing what to gather before your first appointment means the doctor can focus on you, not detective work.
Medical records and test results
Contact your previous doctor's practice and ask them to print or email your full medical file. Specifically request the last 12 months of visit notes, any hospital discharge summaries, and all recent blood tests, scans, or imaging. Don't rely on memory—paper or PDF copies matter because they show patterns over time. Your new doctor will want to see blood pressure readings, cholesterol levels, blood sugar readings, kidney function, and liver function tests. If you've had imaging (X-rays, ultrasounds, CT scans), ask for the reports and images themselves if possible. These let your new doctor see what previous ones saw and avoid unnecessary repeats.
If records are incomplete or lost, don't panic; just tell the doctor upfront and start fresh from this appointment onward. But always try to retrieve them first—they save time and money.
Current medications and supplements
Bring the actual bottles or packaging of every medicine and supplement you take, not a handwritten list. Include over-the-counter painkillers, vitamins, herbal remedies, and anything else you ingest. This prevents mix-ups with spelling, dose, or brand name. If a medicine comes in different strengths, the bottle shows exactly which one you take. Write down the dates you started each one if you know them, and note any side effects or allergies you've experienced—even old reactions matter because they guide what your new doctor can safely prescribe.
A summary of your condition history
Write a short timeline of your diagnoses: when you were diagnosed, what symptoms led to diagnosis, and any major changes in your condition since then. Example: "Diagnosed Type 2 diabetes in 2019, controlled on metformin until 2023 when fasting glucose rose despite diet changes; added gliclazide in July 2023." Include hospitalizations, surgeries, or serious infections. Note which conditions run in your family. This narrative context helps your doctor understand the trajectory and gravity of your health, not just the current snapshot.
Practical details your doctor will ask
Have these answers ready:
- Your previous doctor's name and practice details
- The name and contact of any specialists you see (cardiologist, endocrinologist, etc.) and when you last saw them
- Your medical aid details and chronic benefits status if you have cover
- Any devices you use (blood pressure monitor, glucose meter) and how often you check at home
- A list of any tests you're due for (annual blood work, eye checks, etc.)
- Your pharmacy details and whether you've set up a repeat script system
Bring your ID document too—the practice needs it for their records.
Making the handover stick
Don't assume the new practice will contact your old one. You're the bridge. If there's a gap in records or if you move between provinces, explicitly ask your new doctor to request files directly. At the end of your first appointment, confirm in writing (email or message) what you've discussed and what comes next—the next appointment date, which tests are booked, and any new prescriptions. This clarity prevents dropped threads.
When you're ready to find a doctor experienced in your specific chronic condition, search Strove for a private practice or GP with that expertise in your area. Strove's profiles show their qualifications and allow you to read reviews from people managing similar conditions, so you can book someone who's already familiar with exactly what you need.
Common questions
- Should I bring printouts or can my old doctor's office send records directly?
- Both work, but bringing copies yourself ensures nothing gets lost in transit and you have them if the practices don't communicate quickly. Ask the old practice to send records directly to the new one as well—that creates a backup trail and ensures the new doctor has full documentation in their system.
- What if my previous doctor's records are incomplete or missing?
- Don't let it stop you. Tell your new doctor upfront what's missing, bring everything you have (medication bottles, old prescriptions, test results you kept), and start fresh from that appointment onward. Your new doctor can order tests to get a current baseline and build forward from there.
- Do I need to write down my condition history or can I just explain it verbally?
- Bring it written down. A timeline on paper or your phone ensures you don't forget details under the stress of a first appointment, and it gives the doctor something concrete to add to your file. Even a rough paragraph helps them understand the sequence of events.
- What if I see multiple specialists—who gets copied what?
- Tell your new GP which specialists you see and provide their contact details. A good practice will coordinate with them, but always give the specialist your GP's details too so they can share relevant updates. You're responsible for mentioning the specialist to your GP and vice versa until you confirm the practices are connected.
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