Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, nor am I your doctor. The information in this article is not to be construed as medical advice. See your own medical professional for medical advice.
The Average Doctor Appointment Lasts Less Than 15 Minutes
Did you know that the length of an average doctor office visit is only 15 minutes long? (Health Research and Educational Trust)
During the average doctor visit SIX topics are covered. If you do the math, that’s 2.5 minutes per topic.
My dermatologist has a sign in her office that sets a limit of 3 problems to discuss at one visit. If you have more, you have to make another appointment. Knowing that she only has a few minutes per patient forces her to put a cap on the number of complaints she will see per visit.
Your health is important. A doctor’s time is limited. Can you really have a good doctor appointment in 15 minutes?
In this article, we’re going to show you exactly what can YOU do to make the most out of the time you have at your doctor appointment.
Know Your Goal for the Doctor Appointment
Start by knowing your goal for the doctor appointment.
Identify exactly what you want to talk to the doctor about. Are you establishing yourself as a new patient? Do you have hip pain? Or is this a routine checkup to make sure your health is being maintained?
Think about your reasons for the visit. You may have more than one point for discussion.
What outcome you want from the doctor visit? Do you need a diagnosis? A prescription refill? A referral to a specialist? Or do you ‘just want to feel better’?
Make sure you have a clear goal and write it down.
Write Down All Your Questions
Based on your goal for the doctor appointment, write down every question you can think of about your visit.
When the question list is complete, prioritize the list with the most important questions first.
TAKE THE LIST OF QUESTIONS WITH YOU TO THE DOCTOR APPOINTMENT.
Remember, you want to get the most important questions to the doctor while you are together. Since appointment times are short, be clear and to the point when preparing your questions. If you don’t get to all of your questions, don’t worry. You can follow up later with the staff or through the physician office patient portal.
Below are some of the most commonly asked questions at a doctor appointment to help get your own list started:
- What does [insert mysterious medical term here] mean?
- What do I need to know about this medical test?
- What may have caused this condition? Will it be permanent?
- Tell me more about the drug you prescribed, what it does, how to take it, and what side effects it may have.
- Does my insurance plan cover this?
Know Your Patient Rights
Did you know that you can have someone come with you to your appointment?
This could be a friend or family member who will support you and help advocate for your health.
The Joint Commission, the organization that accredits hospitals, encourages patients to bring an advocate to doctor appointments. Their Speak Up campaign states that advocates can support patients in the following ways:
- Give advice and support — but they should respect your decisions about the care you want.
- Ask questions, and write down important information and instructions for you.
- Make sure you get the correct medicines and treatments.
- Go over the consent form, so you all understand it.
- Get instructions for follow-up care, and find out who to call if your condition gets worse.
“The goal of Speak Up™ is to help patients and their advocates become active in their care.”
– Source: The Joint Commission
The American Medical Association created a list of patient rights.
Included in the list is the right “To courtesy, respect, dignity, and timely, responsive attention to his or her needs.” If you ever feel disrespected or ignored by a doctor, you have the right to go to a different doctor who treats you with respect.
A coworker of mine was at a doctor appointment for his wife. The doctor, who was the head of a large practice, typed on a computer keyboard throughout the entire appointment. He never looked at nor spoke directly to the patient during the entire appointment. When he spoke, the doctor referred to the patient in the third person while conducting the consultation.
The patient, his wife, felt completely ignored. Shortly thereafter, the coworker and his wife found a new physician who treated her with dignity and courtesy.
Make Your Appointment Right Away
Once you have decided on the goal for the doctor appointment, created a written list of questions, and arranged for an advocate (if you choose), make the appointment.
According to data published in 2020 by the Association of American Medical Colleges, the U.S. could see a shortage of physicians by 2033.
In my area of the United States, I am witnessing long wait times for appointments, even if a patient is referred by one physician to another or from an emergency room visit. Many patients are waiting 6-8 weeks to see a doctor. Any delay making an appointment just takes that much longer, so make the appointment right away.
If you have the flexibility, some physician offices will offer to put you on a ‘cancellation wait list’. If a patient with an earlier appointment than you cancels their appointment, you can move up the queue and take their appointment time.
Use Doctor Exam Time Wisely
Having a good relationship with your doctor is important. That said, it’s pretty difficult to establish a cozy friendship within a 15-minute time slot.
You may need to consider mentally reframing a doctor visit from ‘a visit with a friend’ to ‘a professional visit with someone I respect and trust’.
It’s perfectly fine to begin a doctor visit with a few pleasantries, but remember the goal for the visit and the questions you created. Think of it as ‘keeping to the agenda’. Doctors genuinely want to address all of your concerns, but if the first half of the visit is spent in nonessential chatter you are shortchanging yourself and not allowing the doctor to do their job properly – for you.
There are multiple ways to make the most of your time with the doctor.
As mentioned before, consider asking a friend or family member to go to the doctor visit with you. They can be there for silent support, as another pair of listening ears, or to help keep the appointment on track with your goals and questions.
Always be honest with your physician. They can’t help you if they don’t have the right information. Even if it is something that embarrasses you, being truthful will ultimately give you the best outcome.
Use your goals and questions to help guide the appointment and keep it on track. This is a way to collaborate with the doctor.
You can ‘extend’ your exam time by leveraging the help of the physician’s patient portal and nursing staff. If you didn’t get to ask all of your questions or questions arise after the appointment, use the physician practice staff and online options to clarify as needed.
Follow Up
What was the result of your doctor appointment? Did the doctor give you a referral to therapy or to another doctor? Did you adopt a ‘wait and see’ approach? Were you asked to let the doctor know how a new prescription was working out for you?
Regardless of the circumstances, follow up on every doctor appointment. If you have questions, call the physician office or connect online through the patient portal.
Always monitor the result of your doctor visit. You know your body best – listen to how it responds and act accordingly.
Your healthcare is only as good as your own follow up.
Conclusion
Do you have more questions? Check out our article How Can You Feel More Comfortable and in Control at a Doctor Appointment ? to learn how to feel more confident and less anxious at a doctor appointment.
Find more information and resources at Patient Advocate Info.
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