Meeting with a general or colorectal surgeon for the first time can feel overwhelming — especially when it involves complex decisions about your health. Whether you’re seeking care for colorectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, or another digestive condition, the conversation you have at your first consultation lays the foundation for your treatment journey.
At Colorectal Clinic of Tampa Bay, we believe that informed patients make the best decisions. Knowing the right questions to ask helps you understand your diagnosis, surgical options, and what to expect during recovery.
Why Asking Questions Matters
Open communication between patients and surgeons leads to better outcomes and less anxiety. Studies show that patients who ask questions during surgical consultations feel more confident, better informed, and more satisfied with their care (Ting et al., 2022).
Structured “Question Prompt Lists (QPLs)” — short lists of suggested questions to ask your surgeon — have been proven to improve patient engagement and shared decision-making, particularly before major surgeries (Schwarze et al., 2019).
Top Questions to Ask Your Colorectal Surgeon
1. What exactly is my diagnosis, and how severe is it?
Ask your surgeon to explain your diagnosis in simple, clear terms. Understanding your condition — such as whether it’s cancerous, inflammatory, or structural — helps guide your treatment decisions.
Tip: Bring a friend or notebook to jot down key details during your visit.
2. What are my treatment options?
Many colorectal conditions can be treated with different approaches. Studies highlight that shared decision-making (SDM) — where you and your surgeon decide together — leads to better satisfaction and outcomes (Hughes et al., 2024).
Ask:
Are there non-surgical options?
What are the benefits and risks of each approach?
How urgent is surgery?
3. How experienced are you with this specific surgery?
Surgical outcomes often improve with surgeon experience. Research shows that high-volume colorectal surgeons tend to collaborate more effectively with care teams and achieve better postoperative results (Rogers et al., 2009).
Ask:
How many of these procedures do you perform each year?
What are your complication and success rates?
4. What should I expect during recovery?
Understanding recovery time, pain management, and dietary changes helps you plan ahead. Good communication around recovery expectations is associated with smoother healing and fewer hospital readmissions (Lumpkin et al., 2021).
Ask:
How long will I stay in the hospital?
When can I return to work or exercise?
What symptoms should I report?
5. How will this surgery affect my daily life?
Colorectal surgeries can sometimes affect bowel habits, diet, or continence. It’s important to discuss quality-of-life outcomes before surgery. A framework known as Best Case/Worst Case helps surgeons and patients explore realistic outcomes and expectations together (Taylor et al., 2017).
How Colorectal Clinic of Tampa Bay Supports You
At Colorectal Clinic of Tampa Bay, our expert surgeons prioritize clear, compassionate communication. We encourage patients to ask questions, understand every option, and participate in decisions about their care.
Our team offers:
Personalized, evidence-based surgical plans
Minimally invasive options when appropriate
Thorough explanations of risks and recovery
Postoperative support tailored to your needs
We’re here to ensure every patient feels informed, respected, and confident throughout their journey.
Your first colorectal surgery consultation is the perfect time to ask questions, express concerns, and understand your options. Great surgeons welcome dialogue — and at Colorectal Clinic of Tampa Bay, we see every consultation as a partnership.
Schedule your first visit today and take the first step toward informed, confident care.
Works Cited
Hughes, G., Stephens, T., Seuren, L., Pearse, R., & Shaw, S. E. (2024). Clinical context and communication in shared decision-making about major surgery. Health. (link)
Lumpkin, S. T., Harvey, E., Mihas, P., Carey, T., Fichera, A., & Stitzenberg, K. (2021). Understanding patients’ decisions to obtain unplanned, high-resource health care after colorectal surgery. Qualitative Health Research, 31(12), 1582–1595. (link)
Rogers, S., Ayanian, J., Ko, C., Kahn, K., Zaslavsky, A., Sandler, R., & Keating, N. (2009). Surgeons’ volume of colorectal cancer procedures and collaborative decision-making about adjuvant therapies. Annals of Surgery, 250(6), 895–900. (link)
Taylor, L., Nabozny, M., Steffens, N., et al. (2017). A framework to improve surgeon communication in high-stakes surgical decisions. JAMA Surgery, 152(6), 531–538. (link)
Ting, Y. Y., Reid, J., Treloar, E. C., et al. (2022). Do you have any questions? An analysis of question-asking patterns in surgical outpatient consultations.ANZ Journal of Surgery, 92, 1388–1393. (link)