In this ever changing world of new technology conversations with your doctor face to face are becoming less frequent. Prior to modern technological advances, most talking to your doctor was done in person during the office or home visit. Any talk after the visit was by phone, fax, and/or postal mail. Today this has expanded to e-mail, electronic health records (EHRs), and telemedicine. Many patients feel that face doctor time is too short and often overshadowed by intense study of the chart and other distractions. Many doctors overlook the fact that what you have to say will help them diagnose you.
Studies have shown that missed diagnoses are more likely if the doctor has failed to listen to the patient. Distractions like patient chart review, interruptions during the office visit, leaving the room to take care of something else, and more decreases the patient’s time. This unprofessional, unmannerable behavior leaves the patient at a disadvantage. After getting ready for the appointment and being transported and possibly waiting over one hour to see the doctor, the patient gets an average of less than five minutes of fifteen minute visit to talk. This is a major faux pas. Patients are able to help lead the doctor to correct diagnoses and treatment over 90% of the time if they listen to the patient. Less listening invites more unnecessary tests, procedures, and incorrect diagnoses than one can imagine as the doctor tries to rule out what is wrong.
Listening to patients’ history and doing a comprehensive physical exam contributes more to getting the correct diagnosis. Blood and diagnostic tests add to this; however, if the patient doctor communication is unclear, these could be the wrong tests. For the patients’ best interest (and less misdiagnosis for patients, malpractice for doctors) communication must be a priority. The following suggestions for doctors will help:
- Avoid distractions when you are with a patient.
- Give more time for those that need it like hearing impaired, elderly, illiterate. If hearing impaired, write down conversation to each other.
- Listen intently to patients without interruption when they are talking. More important information and more information will be obtained that way.
- Take more time to answer questions. Use patient information handouts as applicable (include books, CDs, websites, etc.on pages)) for more reliable factual information
- Review patients’ medical record before you see them. The more you see them the better you will get to know them requiring less chart review before each visit.
