Raleigh care guide · Visit questions
Take clear questions into the visit
If a visit is coming up, put the problem you hope to discuss on paper before naming a treatment.
Bring the story of the problem
Write what you want help with, when it began and how it affects your day. List the medicines and supplements you use. Note any care or tests already discussed.
Leave room for the answer. Ask what the health professional thinks is happening, what else could explain it and which choices are worth discussing.
Ask about the proposed medicine
- What is the drug’s full name? Which form does it come in: pill, shot or something else?
- Why offer it for my health problem?
- Which evidence supports this use?
- What is still uncertain?
- Who makes the medicine? Which pharmacy fills my prescription and gives or sends it to me?
- What would follow-up involve?
Ask what happens before payment
- Does the visit fee include later questions?
- Is the medicine charged separately?
- Are tests included or billed elsewhere?
- What does the next bill look like?
- How do cancellation and refunds work?
Answers about the visit
Can care start online rather than with a visit in person?
As of September 2026, North Carolina’s Medical Board allowed care to start online if it could provide the same level of care expected for a visit in person.
Is answering a fixed list of questions on a form enough by itself?
As of September 2026, the state medical board said answers to a set list of questions alone were not enough to decide on a prescription.
Can I ask more questions after the visit?
The group representing state medical boards recommended in May 2026 that patients have a way to ask their health professional more questions after a visit.