Articles on bringing a support person or caregiver, asking for interpreters, accommodations, and chaperones, and sharing feedback or getting involved with patient groups. This page lists all 11 Better Health Questions guides on the topic, each with its opening lines so you can pick the one that matches your question.
Better Health Questions is an independent publication. These guides are for education and do not replace care from a qualified professional.
Guides in this section
A Support Person Joins by Phone: Clarifying Consent and Roles
In most cases, a clinician can talk with a support person by phone — a spouse, friend, or family member — as long as the patient is present and doesn't object. No special form is required. The patient can also tell the office in advance who's allowed to join and what they can hear.
Asking for an Interpreter Without Putting a Relative in the Middle
If you or a family member has limited English proficiency, or is Deaf or hard of hearing, federal civil rights protections give you the right to a qualified interpreter arranged by your health care provider — at no cost to you.
Asking About Accessibility Needs Before an Appointment
If getting into the building, hearing the intake questions, filling out paperwork, or sitting through a long visit is a real concern for you or the person you're bringing, that concern is worth raising before appointment day — not worked around once you're already in the waiting room.
When Your Support Person Can’t Be There in Person: Joining a Medical Visit by Phone
Sometimes the person you'd normally bring to an appointment — an adult child who lives out of town, a spouse who can't get off work, a friend without childcare — can't be there in person, but you'd still like their help.
Asking for an Examination Chaperone: Privacy Questions Before a Visit
You've scheduled a physical exam, and somewhere between booking the appointment and sitting in the waiting room, a question crosses your mind: can someone else be in the room during the exam itself? Not a friend or family member for support, but a staff member present specifically to observe the exam — often called a chaperone.
How to Make a Caregiver Handoff Note With the Person’s Permission
A caregiver handoff note is a short written summary, created with a person's permission, that tells a new caregiver who to contact, what is happening right now, and what to watch for.
How to Share a Constructive Care Experience With Patient Relations
Constructive feedback for patient relations is a short, factual account of what happened during your care, its effect on you, and the change you hope to see. Patient relations teams use accounts like this, alongside formal surveys, to spot and fix patterns in care.
What Patient and Family Advisory Councils Do—and How to Ask About Joining One
A patient and family advisory council, often shortened to PFAC, is a group of patients, family members, and caregivers who meet regularly with hospital or clinic staff to give feedback on how care is organized.
How to Ask for Healthcare Communication Accommodations
A communication accommodation is any aid or adjustment — a sign language interpreter, large-print forms, real-time captioning, or extra time to process spoken information — that helps you understand your healthcare provider and be understood in return.
How to Prepare for a Healthcare Visit With an Interpreter
Preparing for a healthcare visit with an interpreter comes down to three things: request language support before the appointment, organize the same short list of facts you'd bring to any visit, and confirm understanding through the interpreter during the visit itself. Many U.S.
How to Bring a Support Person to a Healthcare Visit Respectfully
By Better Health Questions Editorial Team · Last updated September 8, 2026 You can bring a support person to almost any healthcare visit.