Doorknob diagnosis

October 13, 2008

Dr. Wes talks about a “Just one more thing” story, where patients talk about their real concerns as the doctor is leaving the room. It often adds a good 15 to 30 minutes to the visit.

One reason this happens is that physicians cut off the initial patient interview after 18 seconds, and some studies suggest that simply letting the patient talk more in the beginning can mitigate the issue.

That’s hard to do as doctors are increasingly pressured for time and incentivized for volume.

Rearranging the payment system where doctors can bill for time spent would help.





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