By Chakara Bennett, Guardian Summer Intern

It's time for your annual checkup. Just the thought of this strikes terror in the hearts of many a Bahamian. They dread visiting the doctor, because to them it means a plethora of often embarrassing questions, poking, prodding, weighing, testing and sometimes even the feared blood withdrawal. Then there's the fear of what the doctor may find wrong with them. So instead of running to the doctor, many people find themselves running away from their doctor's office — sometimes for years at a time.

But when they do finally strike up the courage, they are too preoccupied with gauging the right moment to get out of "Dodge" than actually getting the most out of their visit. If you're one of these people that avoid the doctor's office like the plague, then choosing the right person to treat you will make all the difference in the world.

Dr. Patrick Whitfield, a general practitioner who has been practicing for 30 years says when choosing a doctor, you should have expectations that you want your medical professional to fulfill, which should make you more comfortable when it's time to go.

"You should want your doctor to be efficient in terms of time. You should not have to be waiting for God-knows-how-long to be seen, and the doctor should respect your time, and schedule his patients accordingly," says Dr. Whitfield, who practices at the Oxford Medical Centre, 4th Terrace Centreville.

"Secondly, your doctor should be competent. He should be able to answer all the questions that you may have and also have the technical skills to solve your problems.

Next he should be able to communicate. Your doctor should be able to speak to you in a language you can understand and make it a point to let you know exactly what is going on with you. He should be able to adapt to patients of all educational levels.

"Lastly, your doctor should be effective. When you leave his/her office you should be able to say 'I feel better,' or at least be confident that the medication that may have been subscribed will make you feel better because you are convinced that he was thorough and understood your problem."

Even with a good doctor, some patients still don't get the full potential out of a visit because they allow the doctor to do whatever he/she wants without asking a question.

But Dr. Whitfield says before you even enter your doctor's office, you should have prepared a list of things that are bothering you, and have at hand once the examination starts. This he says allows the doctor to make an assessment about what is the most important problem to address and then what is next in line.

"For example, if you go in and say you have migraines, your left toe hurts and you have a pain in your chest that won't go away, the good doctor would be more concerned about the chest pain, then migraine then maybe the toe problem and deal with them in that order. Don't rely on memory to remember your problems because if you forget, it will cause a delay in your visit that would not have been necessary.

There is nothing like going through an entire check-up and just as the patient is leaving he or she turns and says they just remembered something else" says Dr. Whitfield. "This means we have to start over again in assessing the patient and writing their files. So it is best to have a list of your problems beforehand so everything goes more smoothly and efficiently."

Dr. Whitfield further said that patients should never allow their doctor to name a condition they may have, and not explain why he/she is having the side-effects.

"You need to be active in your visits. Ask questions. Don't be scared. You may also want your doctor to tell you specifically what your ailment is. For instance, too often doctors may say something general like 'You have a heart condition or problem'. You as a patient need to know exactly what the doctor believes the condition is because in this age of technology if you want to, you should be able to go online to research it for yourself. Or if you have the name of your illness you can visit another doctor and tell him what your doctor believes so he can provide a second opinion if you are not satisfied."

Dr. Whitfield further said that patients should pay attention to the tests the doctor advises they do and why. "Find out what he/she is looking for, and what it could mean. Also, if you have no insurance and your doctor announces that you will need certain tests find out how much they [tests] will cost, and if the price is 'steep' find out which test is the most important and take it then if you can and schedule to take the other tests later when you can afford it.

"You can also ask what other steps you can take to alleviate the problem your doctor would've tested for. This way you can take the cost-efficient steps he advises and by the time you go back, he/she may feel that the problem wasn't as serious as he thought, or it may be worse and you can feel assured you need the test and by then you may have the money to do it."

Despite all this Dr. Whitfield stresses that doctor/patient communication is still the most important part of your visit because what you tell him can save your life.

"At the end of your session when your doctor is prescribing your medication, if it is needed, it is very important to remind him again if you are allergic to any drugs like penicillin so that he can prescribe you accordingly. Also, inform your doctor of any other drugs you may be on so that you can find out if there are any potential negative complications that may arise if they mix."

Dr. Whitfield says it's good to ask your doctor about medication side effects that may occur, how to take the proper dosage, and for how long you'll need to take the medication. "Get the doctor to write it down as well so that you remember," he encourages.

For those people who do not have any phobias about visiting their doctor, and make it a point to receive an annual physical, Dr. Whitfield says their questions should be geared toward what your doctor reveals about your current health condition.

"Don't just sit back and take what he/she has said for granted. Find out why you must do certain exercises or why you have to follow a certain diet — if it is recommended. It is good to listen to your doctor but it's better to understand his reasoning, that way you don't take his suggestions for granted or view them as dictatorial.

"And even if he says that there is nothing wrong with you, take the initiative to ask what you can do to maintain a healthy lifestyle or have a healthier one. If you follow what your doctor suggests then the dreaded annual appointment will not be as scary as it normally would be, because when you go, you'll know that you are healthy and there will be less to fear. In fact, you may be surprised to hear the positive comments the doctor may have when comparing old annual results to your new one if you were making a concerted effort to do better," he said.

If you are now trying to work up the nerve to visit your medical professional Dr. Whitfield advises those with a low risk factor for hereditary illnesses like cancer or diabetes, who are fit and don't smoke or drink to start an annual check up every year after age 40. But, he says, if you have any of the risk factors it may be best to start between the age of 30-35.

Because of the high level of child obesity in today's society, he advises that children be checked for high cholesterol and diabetes every five years, especially if they are overweight, and that persons 18 and older have their annuals every five years and check their cholesterol at the same time.

Dr. Whitfield says men should check for prostate cancer every year after age 40, and women should get checked for cancers after 35 because of the high level of breast and other cancers developing in young women in our country. And he says once a young lady becomes sexually active no matter the age she should start her annual pap-smear as well.