Get the most out of your 15.7 minutes with the doctor

A study published a few years ago by Texas A&M University found that the median face time with a doctor was 15.7 minutes, so if you’re able to spend 20 or even 30 minutes with your primary care provider, consider yourself fortunate.

Add to that the time it takes to even get an appointment, and you definitely want to make the most of the opportunity.

Why do many doctors seem so harried? They’re under increasing pressure from our fractured health care system (if you can even call it a system these days). They’re expected to see more patients and complete more administrative tasks in a shorter amount of time. The health care industry still is recovering from staffing losses as a result of COVID-19, the pandemic that keeps on giving.

Many doctors, especially those in private practice, also face financial stresses due to the costs of maintaining their practices and paying off student loans.

Following a few guidelines will help you squeeze the most value out of even a brief appointment with a pressed-for-time practitioner.

1. Decide what you most want to discuss.

Before your appointment, pick three or four questions or concerns that you most want to talk about with the doctor, physician assistant or nurse practitioner. You can list them at the start of the appointment, then discuss each in turn. If you have time, you can then go on to other questions.

The National Institute on Aging (www.nia.nih.gov) actually offers a worksheet to help you prepare (www.nia.nih.gov/sites/default/files/2021-06/worksheet-concerns.pdf).

2. Bring a list of your medications.

It’s likely that time will be spent reviewing your prescription and over-the-counter meds. In this age of electronic health records, these will be available for review, but very often a new medication is added by another doctor, or an old one is discontinued.

By bringing the current list, you can quickly provide the updates the doctor needs.

3. Find out in advance if blood work will be needed.

This is especially important if they will want to draw blood after you’ve fasted. Otherwise, you will need to come back another time.

Also, it’s fine to drink water before a blood test, whether or not you’re fasting. In fact, drinking plenty of water can help plump your veins, making it easier for the technician to draw blood. Water does not affect the results of most blood tests.

3. Don’t hold back.

A doctor can’t help you with a problem if they don’t know about it. Don’t worry — they’ve seen and heard it all, and nothing you can say will shock them.

This should include how you’re feeling emotionally and whether you’re concerned about your mental well-being. Many practices these days have behavioral health specialists right there in the office.

4. Write stuff down.

If you’ve been experiencing symptoms, bring a journal or notes about what you’re feeling, when it tends to happen and what the aftereffects are. This kind of specificity can help with a diagnosis.

During the appointment, the health care provider or a scribe will likely be typing notes into the electronic health record. But you should also take your own notes; that way, you can later compare what you wrote down to the doctor’s notes to make sure you’re both on the same page.

It usually helps to have someone with you to take notes and help you think of questions.

Speaking of...

5. Ask questions.

Don’t understand something? Ask for clarification. Getting a new prescription medication? Ask what it’s for (and if it’s generally covered by insurance). Need more information about a medication or health condition? Ask them to recommend a reputable website or publication.

6. Stay focused.

Keep in mind why you’re there by referring to your list of concerns. Unless the doctor specifically asks you, this is not the time to chat about your family, job, pets, etc.

7. Say thank you.

Keep in mind that doctors are people, too, and they like to be appreciated. Thank them for their time and their care, and thank the medical assistants, nurses and receptionist on the way out. There’s no guarantee that being “nice” will lead to better health care, but research suggests that patients who are respectful, cooperative and engaging may have a better experience.

Finally, whatever your doctor recommends or prescribes, follow up. Otherwise, you’ve not only wasted the doctor’s time, you’ve also wasted yours.

• Teri (Dreher) Frykenberg, a registered nurse, board-certified patient advocate, is the founder of www.NurseAdvocateEntrepreneur.com, which trains medical professionals to become successful private patient advocates. She is the author of “How to Be a Healthcare Advocate for Yourself & Your Loved Ones,” available on Amazon. Frykenberg offers a free phone consultation to readers. Contact her at Teri@NurseAdvocateEntrepreneur.com.