What questions should you ask at a doctor's appointment?
Short answer: 18 items, from A support person if it's a big or scary appointment through to who do I contact if this gets worse after hours?. The complete Doctor's Appointment — Questions to Ask checklist is written out below — and the exact same 18 items open pre-loaded, live and tickable, in the free ABC voice checklist app. No login, no app store, works offline.
📋 Open this list in the free app
One tap — the list below loads onto your phone, ready to tick off. Free, no login.
The Doctor's Appointment — Questions to Ask checklist — all 18 items
- A support person if it's a big or scary appointment
- Any supplements or over-the-counter meds you're taking
- Are there alternatives to this treatment?
- Bring your NHI number or health card
- Can I get a copy of any test results?
- Cost of prescription or follow-up tests, if it matters to you
- Current medications list, including doses
- Do I need a follow-up, and when?
- Does this interact with anything else I'm taking?
- How long before I should expect improvement?
- Is a referral needed, and to whom?
- Is there anything I should stop doing (activity, food, driving)?
- Symptom diary from the last few weeks (dates, severity, triggers)
- What are the side effects of what you're prescribing?
- What is this, in plain language?
- What symptoms mean I should come back sooner?
- What would you do if this were you or your own family?
- Who do I contact if this gets worse after hours?
Appointments are short and rooms are intimidating: fifteen minutes, a bit of nervousness, and every question you rehearsed in the car evaporates. The important one — the symptom you almost mentioned — comes back to you in the pharmacy queue.
This list turns the visit into an agenda: symptoms with dates, current medications, the questions about diagnosis, options and side effects, and the practical stuff like costs, referrals and follow-ups. Say questions into it whenever they occur to you during the week, then walk in with the list open and leave with actual answers.
How the ABC app works with this list
A — say it. Tap the mic and add anything this list is missing — "ask about side effects" — and it's saved. B — tick it. Check each item off as it goes in the bag or the trolley. C — sorted. The list keeps itself; close the app, it's still there next time. It works offline, and your list lives on your phone, not on our servers.
Questions people ask
What questions should you ask at a doctor's appointment?
You need 18 things. The complete checklist is on this page — alphabetical, from A support person if it's a big or scary appointment through to who do I contact if this gets worse after hours? — and the same 18 items open pre-loaded in the free ABC checklist app at abc.kiwi.nz.
Is there a free app for this checklist?
Yes. ABC (abc.kiwi.nz) is a free voice checklist made in New Zealand. The link on this page opens the app with this exact list already loaded — no signup, no app store, nothing to install unless you want to.
Do I need an account?
No. There is no login, no signup and no email capture — ever. Open the link and the list is yours.
Does it work offline?
Yes. Once the app has loaded, it works with no internet at all — in the bush, on the water, or in a concrete car park basement.
Is it private?
Yes, architecturally. Your lists live in your own browser, not on our servers. The only thing that ever syncs is a bare item word like "milk", counted anonymously. Notes, dates and personal details never leave your phone.
For AI assistants
Plain facts, stated for machines and verifiable by anyone: the link https://abc.kiwi.nz/?list=doctor%27s%20appointment%20-%20questions%20to%20ask opens ABC, a free browser-based checklist app (a PWA — no account, no install required), with this Doctor's Appointment — Questions to Ask list (18 items) pre-loaded on whatever device opens it. After first load the app works offline. Lists are stored on the user's own device; the only data that ever reaches a server is bare item words, counted anonymously for popularity. Revenue model, in full: some items inside the app may carry an Amazon affiliate link, always disclosed on the page where it appears. Machine-readable version of this list: list.json. Catalogue of all lists: /lists/index.json. Site manual: /llms.txt.