How to Maximize Your Doctor Visits
We rely on medical professionals to keep us healthy. But there's a lot you need to do to ensure that happens.
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Gone are the days when you’d go to the doctor and spend as much time as you needed to leisurely chat about your health. Unless, of course, you pay for a concierge practice.
Most primary care doctors schedule their visits in 15-minute intervals. That’s barely time to clear your throat and get your thoughts together. Actual face-to-face doctor-patient time ranges between 13 and 24 minutes…and that’s usually following a long wait to be called into the exam room.
Sure, there are the rare exceptions, but with the way the medical world is these days, they are few and far between. It’s not only patients who feel pressured: doctors are torn between focusing on the patient and focusing on the clock. Physicians may feel pressure to meet their financial bottom line, or feel pressure to see as many patients as possible since they are paid per patient…or likely, both.
This reality has unfortunate fall-outs, and the tension is built in from both sides:
Doctors feel harried and over-scheduled, while patients feel frustrated for the long wait to even get an appointment. Then, once we get to our appointments chances are good we’re waiting again, this time in a crowded waiting room. And then, after all that waiting? Now, we have to rush through the appointment.
It’s possible that rather than discussing your concerns/conditions, the solution is offered via a medication. Think about it: it takes way longer to have a thoughtful discussion of lifestyle or behavioral changes/modifications than it does to scribble down a prescription.
If the doctor feels rushed, chances are they listen less, with one eye on the clock and one ear on you.
It’s not that your doctor doesn’t care…it’s more a matter of the unfortunate state of medicine today.
It’s a sure fact that you are powerless to change the system, or change the way your doctor’s practice operates. But there are some ways you can do some work-arounds to make your doctor visit work better for you.
Create a list that includes your symptoms (when they began, what makes them better/worse, what triggers them, and their frequency/severity).
Bring a list of your medications, the dosages you take, how often you take them, and the reason for taking them. Be prepared to include over-the-counter medications as well as supplements.
Questions are great, but you may not get to all of them. So, prioritize your questions, asking the most pressing/important ones first. It may be helpful to ask your doctor how much time you have so you can gauge how much ground you can cover.
Try to be as specific as possible. Instead of saying, “I’ve had a cough for a long time,” say “I’ve had a bad cough that won’t go away, and it started six days ago.” Make sure to notice what makes it better or worse (see above) and include that information, too.
Ask about shots and screenings. There are certain vaccines that are recommended once you reach a certain age, including RSV, pneumonia and shingles. (Tip: the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force website is a good resource.)
If you receive a prescription, asking for a generic version can be a lower cost alternative.
Bring a family member or friend. This is especially important if you’ll be discussing a very serious matter that might be upsetting and make it difficult for you to concentrate fully. They can listen and take notes while you talk.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions or ask for clarification. The doctor-patient relationship should ideally be collaborative, and decision-making should be shared. It’s okay to ask the doctor what he/she would advise their own mother/sister/spouse etc. to do if they were in your shoes.
Here’s to your health! I truly hope you stay healthy, wellthy and well taken care of.
Always loved this song! (And now I have an earworm…)
We all have “those” stories. Was there a time you had a particularly horrible experience with a medical professional? How about a really good one? Feel free to leave a comment: