Study: Doctor Visits Better With Companion

Older adults who take someone to the doctor with them are happier with their care, a study finds. The study used a survey of 12,000 people on Medicare. Nearly 4 out of 10 people said someone usually went with them to the doctor. These patients ranked their doctors’ medical, communication and people skills higher than people who visited alone. About 6 out of 10 helpers talked to the doctor or recorded instructions. Patients with this kind of help were even more satisfied. The study was in the July 14 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.