New York metropolitan area

Getting ready from anywhere in the New York metropolitan area

Wikipedia describes the New York metropolitan area, also called the Tri-State area, as the largest metropolitan economy in the world.

That is a lot of ground, so start with the part that matters before a first visit: what depends on where you live and what you can settle before the day arrives. If you are in Bloomfield or nearby, the same steps apply.

Questions to settle about getting to the visit

Take these in order and write each answer down.

1. Where is the appointment, and how long will the trip take on the day and time you were given?
2. Who is coming with you, and who can drive you home if the office tells you to expect a procedure?
3. What did the office say to do the day before, and what did it say to avoid?
4. What should you bring? Ask the office whether it wants identification, an insurance card, a medication list or past imaging.

Your own questions for the clinician belong on the same sheet. If you are unsure which ones to ask, the Pain page at MedlinePlus gives plain background to read first.

Checking local requirements ahead of time

Rules and office details differ by place, so confirm them at the source before you travel. Readers in Bloomfield can start with the state health department for the state's own health information. Readers near Clifton can use the official Clifton, NJ website for town information.

For a view of how pain medicine is described by the people who practice it, the American Academy of Pain Medicine is a professional society whose site you can read before you call.

When you do call, ask the same three things each time: what happens first, what happens next and what to do afterward.