Too bad medicine in the primary care arena has come to this - an average primary care physician covers six topics in 15.7 minutes, one of which covers 5 minutes and the others about 1.1 minutes. This leaves 5.2 minutes for the physical exam, formulation of a plan, prescription writing or lab ordering, documentation, and billing.
If true, the average patient would be well-advised to prepare for their visit ahead of time: bring your medication list with dosages, allergies and prioritize your concerns. That way, your short time is well spent.
-Wes
Time is tight all over! And patient care can really put me behind in my paperwork!
ReplyDeletejust joking...sort of...
Probably have to churn them through fast to make a reasonable income, poor things. The doctors that is, well maybe the patients too, sometimes.
ReplyDeleteOnce I went to my PCP with a lump on the base my neck which I couldn't even see but could feel. He said it's an infected sebaceous gland. I said, so are you going to lance it? He said, can I? Usually the patients with this want me to give them antibiotics and when that doesn't work, they come back and I lance it. I said, let's do it. So he did and I was out the door, with a gauze drain in it, in four minutes flat. I looked at my watch and was amazed at how quick the visit was.
He's a very good doctor, but then I'm a very good patient. And healthy thank God, even though I'm "long in the tooth".
jmb
To JMB:
ReplyDeleteDoctors like us good patients! I'd be embarassed to be anything else. Makes for good and interesting visits for both the patient and the doctor, I think. (and this is only based on the feedback I get from my own docs). That's one of the reasons I enjoy Dr. Wes' website. I learn a bit, and enhance my knowledge.