Who is actually making the decisions?

Ask who does each part

• Who will carry out my assessment?

  Ask whether the doctor sees you personally or reviews an assessment made by someone else.

• Who decides whether to prescribe?

  Ask for the decision-maker's name and professional role.

• Who can change the care plan?

  Find out who handles a question that needs a fresh decision.

• How do I reach that person after the visit?

  Ask for the process, including what happens when they are away.

Different roles, different state rules

Nurse practitioners are nurses whose licence can allow them to examine patients and prescribe medicine. Physician assistants are medical professionals who can examine patients and may prescribe medicine. State rules decide what each can do and when they must work with a doctor.

Ask how the state rules affect the people providing your medical care.

Look beyond the title

Health care offices receive no approval from the US drug agency, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

A physician's presence does not give a medicine made to order, called a compounded medicine, FDA approval.

A state medical board keeps the doctor's licence record and any public punishment for breaking its rules. Look for headings such as “disciplinary action” or “formal disciplinary charges”. Ask the board what a listed action means for the doctor's permission to treat you. The record is a useful check, rather than a measure of bedside care.