# VA Healthcare Appointment Prep

Builds a preparation sheet for an upcoming VA healthcare appointment based on the conditions you want to address and the questions you want answered. Use it before any VA primary care, specialty, or mental health appointment so you walk in organized and walk out with the answers you need.

## Prompt

## Context
You are helping [YOUR NAME], a veteran, prepare for a VA healthcare appointment. Appointment type: [APPOINTMENT TYPE, e.g. primary care, orthopedics, audiology, mental health, or a C&P exam]. Conditions or concerns to address at this appointment: [CONDITIONS OR CONCERNS, describe in your own words what you want to discuss]. Current medications or treatments you are managing: [CURRENT MEDICATIONS OR TREATMENTS, list any, or write none]. Any symptoms that have changed or worsened since your last appointment: [CHANGED SYMPTOMS, describe in plain language, or write none]. Questions you already have in mind: [YOUR QUESTIONS, list any you have thought of, or write none].

## Task
Produce an appointment preparation sheet with four sections:
1. Conditions and concerns to raise: a clear, organized summary of what you want addressed, in plain language, based on what you provided.
2. Symptom update: a brief factual summary of what has changed since your last visit, based on your input.
3. Questions to ask your provider: a numbered list of specific, answerable questions built from your concerns and symptoms.
4. What to bring: a checklist of documents and information to have ready at the appointment.

## Standards
- Use only the information you provided. Do not add symptoms, diagnoses, conditions, or medications you did not mention.
- Do not invent medical facts, diagnoses, or treatment recommendations. This is not medical advice.
- Do not predict clinical outcomes, suggest specific diagnoses, or recommend medications.
- Write questions that the provider can actually answer at the appointment, not open-ended prompts.
- If this appointment is a Compensation and Pension (C&P) exam, note that the purpose of a C&P exam is for the VA to gather information for a disability rating decision. The veteran should describe their symptoms factually and completely. This preparation sheet is not a script to rehearse.
- This preparation sheet is an organizational tool, not medical advice or a substitute for your provider's judgment.
- If [CONDITIONS OR CONCERNS] is missing or too vague, ask before drafting.

## Variables

- YOUR NAME
- APPOINTMENT TYPE
- CONDITIONS OR CONCERNS
- CURRENT MEDICATIONS OR TREATMENTS
- CHANGED SYMPTOMS
- YOUR QUESTIONS

## Input checklist

- [ ] Write out in plain words what you want to address at this appointment before running the prompt. The more specific you are, the more useful the prep sheet.
- [ ] Note any symptoms that are new or worse since your last appointment. Include how they affect your daily life.
- [ ] List your current medications and any treatments you are managing so the prompt can include them in the what-to-bring section.
- [ ] Do not include your Social Security number or VA file number. Keep sensitive identifiers out of the prompt, and share only facts you are comfortable putting into an AI tool.
- [ ] If this is a Compensation and Pension (C&P) exam, tell the prompt that. The preparation approach for a C&P exam is different from a routine care visit.
- [ ] Confirm what you plan to discuss with your own records and notes before the appointment. The AI organizes your inputs; it does not generate clinical facts.

## Verification checklist

- [ ] Read every symptom listed: is it something you actually described, or did the AI add something you did not mention?
- [ ] Confirm no medical diagnosis, treatment recommendation, or clinical prediction appears. Those come from your provider, not this tool.
- [ ] Check the questions list: are they specific enough to get useful answers, and do they reflect your actual concerns?
- [ ] Verify that no invented medications, dosages, or conditions appear in the what-to-bring section.
- [ ] If this is a C&P exam, confirm the prep sheet does not read as a script to rehearse. Describe your experience honestly at the exam.
- [ ] Review the prep sheet with your own notes before the appointment to catch any discrepancy between what you told the AI and what is accurate.

## Sample output

Sample output. Generated by AI from sample inputs:

Marcus Hale. Appointment type: VA primary care. Conditions to address: tinnitus (ringing in both ears, louder at night), left knee pain that limits standing. No current medications listed. Changed symptoms: tinnitus has been louder in the past three weeks, particularly at night, making it hard to fall asleep. Knee is worse after standing more than 30 minutes. Questions in mind: Is there a referral process for audiology? Can the knee be imaged?

Appointment Preparation Sheet: Marcus Hale
Appointment type: VA Primary Care

Conditions and concerns to raise:
1. Tinnitus in both ears. Present ongoing, but louder in the past three weeks, especially at night.
2. Left knee pain. Limits standing to approximately 30 minutes before pain increases.

Symptom update since last visit:
- Tinnitus severity has increased over the past three weeks. The increase is most noticeable at night and is affecting sleep onset.
- Left knee pain is worse with standing. Unable to stand comfortably beyond approximately 30 minutes.

Questions to ask your provider:
1. Is there a VA audiology referral process for tinnitus evaluation, and what does that involve?
2. Given the increase in tinnitus over the past three weeks, is there anything that should be ruled out medically?
3. Can the left knee be imaged to assess what is causing the pain with standing?
4. Are there any non-medication options for managing tinnitus at night to help with sleep?
5. Is there a VA physical therapy program I can be referred to for the knee?

What to bring:
- VA health insurance card or ID
- A written copy of this preparation sheet or this document on your phone
- List of any over-the-counter medications or supplements you are currently taking
- Notes on when the tinnitus worsening started (approximately three weeks ago per your input)
- Any prior imaging or records related to your left knee if you have copies

Note: This preparation sheet is based only on the information you provided. It is an organizational tool, not medical advice. Your VA provider will direct your care at the appointment.

## Customization notes

Run this prompt once per appointment type. A mental health appointment prep sheet looks different from an orthopedics or audiology prep. For a Compensation and Pension (C&P) exam, tell the prompt that specifically and the standards section will adjust to remind you that C&P exams are for VA rating purposes, not treatment. If you have multiple conditions to address, list all of them so the questions section covers each one.

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From The VA & Benefits Navigator Library at vetslearn.com/libraries/va