If a clinician recommends a test and you are not sure why, you can ask. Two of the questions the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality AHRQ) lists as questions patients should know are “What is the test for?” and “When will I get the results?” Starting with purpose and timing helps you understand the plan before you decide how to move forward with your care team.
Asking questions is not the same as refusing a test. It is a way to take part in the decision. This guide gives you a short set of questions, a clear line between what the sources say and what we suggest, and a checklist you can bring to your next conversation.
By Better Health Questions Editorial Team. Updated September 23, 2026.
First: When Not to Wait
This guide is for planning questions, not emergencies. If you have symptoms that feel severe, sudden, or frightening, contact your local emergency services right away. Do not delay urgent care to prepare questions.
If a clinician has told you a test is urgent, ask your questions right then, in the same conversation, instead of putting the test off to research it later.
The Evidence Ladder: What the Sources Say and What We Add
This guide builds from the most direct source guidance to our own practical suggestions. Each step is labeled so you can see where it comes from.
Step 1: Questions AHRQ Names Directly
AHRQ publishes a list of 10 questions patients should know. It says that “answers to simple questions can help you feel better, take better care of yourself, or even save your life.” Two of those questions are about tests:
- “What is the test for?”
- “When will I get the results?”
The same AHRQ list also includes “Are there any alternatives?” and “What are the possible complications?” AHRQ does not tie these two questions to tests only, but many people find them useful when a test is recommended.
Step 2: Tools NIA Offers for Getting Organized
The National Institute on Aging (NIA) offers “Talking With Your Doctor” worksheets to help people “organize your questions, family and medical history, and information when talking with your doctor.” NIA says you can download, print, and copy them. None of them is about tests, but three can help you get ready for the conversation:
- Concerns: helps you “organize your thoughts about any health or other concerns you want to discuss with your doctor.” You can use it to write down what worries you about the test.
- Changes to Discuss: helps you “record what you want to discuss with your doctor during your next visit.”
- Medications: helps you “keep track of different medicines, including vitamins, over-the-counter drugs, and prescriptions.” Having a current list with you can be useful when you talk through a test plan.
Step 3: Follow-Up Questions From Our Editorial Team
The questions below are our own practical suggestions for building on AHRQ’s two test questions. They are not quoted from AHRQ or NIA.
On purpose:
- What question is this test trying to answer?
- How might the results change what happens next?
- What happens if we wait, or if I choose not to have it?
- Is there another way to get the same information?
On timing:
- Does this need to happen soon, or is there time for me to think it over?
- Do I need to do anything to prepare beforehand?
- When will I get the results, and how will I get them?
- Who do I contact if I have not heard anything by then?
What You Know and What You Still Need to Find Out
When you feel unsure, it can help to sort what you know from what you still need to learn. These two lists are our editorial team’s suggested format. Before your next conversation, fill in both.
What I already know:
- The name of the test, spelled correctly
- Who recommended it
- What I was told about why it was recommended
- Any date or deadline I was given
What I still need to find out:
- What the test is for, in plain words
- When and how I will get the results
- Whether there are alternatives
- What the possible complications are
- Whether the timing is flexible
Your clinician is the right person to answer the second list, because the answers depend on your situation. This guide cannot answer them for you.
Your Next-Step Checklist
Our editorial team put this checklist together from the AHRQ questions and NIA worksheets above. Use it to get ready to talk with your care team about a test you are unsure about.
- Write down the test name. If you are not sure how it is spelled, ask.
- Write your main worry in one sentence. NIA’s Concerns worksheet can help.
- Pick your top questions. Start with AHRQ’s “What is the test for?” and “When will I get the results?”, then add two or three from the lists above.
- Bring your medicine list. NIA’s Medications worksheet can help you keep it current.
- Decide how you will take notes. Write the answers down, or ask whether someone you trust can come with you.
- Ask about next steps before the conversation ends. Make sure you know when results are expected and who to contact.
- Follow up if results are late. Use the contact information you were given.
What This Guide Cannot Do
This guide cannot tell you whether a specific test is right for you, whether it is needed, or when to have it. Those decisions depend on your health history and should be made with a qualified clinician who knows your situation. Our goal is to help you understand the recommendation well enough to take part in that decision.
Sources
- Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The 10 Questions You Should Know. Page last reviewed November 2020.
- National Institute on Aging. Talking With Your Doctor Worksheets. Content last reviewed June 10, 2021.
Better Health Questions is an independent educational publication. It is not affiliated with any clinic, medical practice, or organization that previously used this domain. This article does not promote products, services, or appointments.
Medical Information Disclaimer
This article is general educational information only. It is not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and it does not replace a conversation with a qualified health professional. Do not delay or avoid care because of anything you read here. In an emergency, contact your local emergency services.