Question: “Every time I leave my doctor I have all of these questions. He talks so fast and I feel like I am being pushed out the door. What can I do?”

Answer: Unfortunately, this problem is becoming more and more common (details below).

Why it happens:

• There are many reasons why this happens and detailing all of the issues would take many volumes. However, for the most part it comes down to economics.
• Health insurance companies and the government (Medicare/Medicaid) continue to cut reimbursements and malpractice insurance premiums are always increasing.
• As a result, doctors are taking an economic hit on both ends; less money coming in and more money going out. As with any business, this squeeze means less money to keep the lights on, pay employees, etc.
• The problem has gotten so bad that some doctors have found that it is more economical not to work.
• The other alternative for a physician is to work more efficiently. That means a physician needs to see more patients in a shorter amount of time to get the same or less reimbursement.

What can you do?

• Learn more about the problem and become politically active… Ok, so no one seems to have time for that.

What can you do to help yourself?

• Knowing that your doctor only has a limited amount of time to see you, make the best of it. Be efficient yourself. Be clear about all of your concerns and problems.

How can I be more efficient?

• Be ready to answer questions about the what, where, why and when of your problem/illness. What makes it better or worse?
• Everyone does a better job at remembering things in a relaxed environment. Therefore, make a written list of your symptoms at home and bring it with you. Keep a medical diary of symptoms if it is an ongoing problem. In addition, the more time you prepare before your visit, the more accurate and complete you will be.
• More accurate patient information = more accurate medical diagnosis.
• Don’t rush in the doctor’s office, just be prepared.

“I never seem to get all my questions answered”

• Being more efficient/prepared will leave more time for you to ask questions at the end of your doctor’s visit.
• However, if you are like me, you often leave a situation such as this and think, ‘Ahh, I forgot to ask about XYZ.’ The solution is simple, bring a list of your questions with you and go through them one by one.
• Do some research beforehand so you can make the most of the time you have with your physician-medical expert. However, be warned, the internet is filled with all kinds of misinformation. Therefore, doing this type of research before your visit will give you an opportunity to have things confirmed/clarified by your physician.

I strongly believe that patient care should be a team approach between physician and patient. The older model of a passive patient with a dictatorial physician telling the patient what to do is becoming less viable, and was probably not the best approach to begin with. Do your part, be organized and educate yourself. Understanding a problem will lessen the fear/anxiety of uncertainty and will allow yourself to make more intelligent-informed decisions.