Jack Der-Sarkissian, MD, answers question on personal wellness in U.S. News & World Report

What should you be asking your doctor during a routine visit or appointment? That’s what U.S. News & World Report wanted to know in a recent story, “17 Questions Doctors Wish Their Patients Would Ask.”

The news organization asked physicians across the country for their responses, and one of the 17 questions came from Jack Der-Sarkissian, MD, a family medicine physician with Southern California Permanente Medical Group and assistant area medical director at Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center.

Dr. Der-Sarkissian suggested that patients should ask their doctors about their personal health habits. “A physician who practices a healthy lifestyle is more successful in getting their patients to adopt healthy living,” he told U.S. News. “A patient should be able to ask their physician about how he or she practices wellness, and a physician should be honest and open to the discussion.”

When talking about how patients can practice healthy routines, doctors should be willing to share their personal experiences, Dr. Der-Sarkissian said. But if patients sense some hesitation from their doctor, they can shift the focus back to themselves by asking, “Do you practice any personal wellness tips that I could apply to my lifestyle?”

Note: To read the other questions, visit the U.S. News & World Report site.