Wellness

[Dusty1]

Of course, it's okay to ask about whatever you want to at your dr appointment, but I think it's very thoughtful of you to consider the dr's time & the patients that will be after you. I would hope your dr wouldn't rush you or make you feel bad about bringing up several issues, but they do usually schedule fairly tightly based on what you told them you needed the appointment for.

[Colonel Meow]

On 3/9/2015 shaggygirl said:

I don't understand why you would even hesitate to address all 4 issues with her while you're there.

Folks who don't often see medical professionals (and specifically, specialists) might be intimidated by the experience and unsure about realistic expectations.

[DCShopper]

Funny I am a nurse in a Primary Care office and we had a meeting about this very topic.

It is extremely important that you let the receptionist who scheduled your appointment know that you have several issues to discuss. We only schedule 10 miniute appointments for small things but you would need 20 minutes or more if there is more than one issue. My Docs want to know what the patient is scheduling for---and sometimes they will schedule for one thing and then tell the Doctor another thing at the actual visit.This is extremely inconsiderate. Let the office know what you really need to see the Doctor for. Many times if too involved you will be asked to schedule another appointment. It is important to respect other patients who also have scheduled the Doctors time after you, but also for the staff and the doctor who may have to take time to make preparations for a procedure. It can and does through off the schedule for the whole day.

[ellaphant]

On 3/9/2015 DCShopper said:

Funny I am a nurse in a Primary Care office and we had a meeting about this very topic.

It is extremely important that you let the receptionist who scheduled your appointment know that you have several issues to discuss. We only schedule 10 miniute appointments for small things but you would need 20 minutes or more if there is more than one issue. My Docs want to know what the patient is scheduling for---and sometimes they will schedule for one thing and then tell the Doctor another thing at the actual visit.This is extremely inconsiderate. Let the office know what you really need to see the Doctor for. Many times if too involved you will be asked to schedule another appointment. It is important to respect other patients who also have scheduled the Doctors time after you, but also for the staff and the doctor who may have to take time to make preparations for a procedure. It can and does through off the schedule for the whole day.

10 minutes for an appt with a primary care DR? WOW. No wonder health care is so bad.

My doctor is the old-fashion type. Takes as long as he needs.

[Stray]

Most good dermatologists will do a full and thorough full body exam, upon request or in my case twice a year as routine.....when you go into the examination room, tell the assistant that is what you want and he/she will tell you to undress accordingly....during the exam, the dermatologist will ask you if you have any particular areas of concern and he/she will examine them more closely, possibly with a lens.

[Colonel Meow]

On 3/9/2015 ellaphant said:

On 3/9/2015 DCShopper said:

Funny I am a nurse in a Primary Care office and we had a meeting about this very topic.

It is <em>extremely important</em> that you let the receptionist who scheduled your appointment know that you have several issues to discuss. We only schedule 10 miniute appointments for small things but you would need 20 minutes or more if there is more than one issue. My Docs want to know what the patient is scheduling for---and sometimes they will schedule for one thing and then tell the Doctor another thing at the actual visit.This is extremely inconsiderate. Let the office know what you really need to see the Doctor for. Many times if too involved you will be asked to schedule another appointment. It is important to respect other patients who also have scheduled the Doctors time after you, but also for the staff and the doctor who may have to take time to make preparations for a procedure. It can and does through off the schedule for the whole day.

10 minutes for an appt with a primary care DR? WOW. No wonder health care is so bad.

My doctor is the old-fashion type. Takes as long as he needs.

Maybe I'm an anomaly (lol) but I can't think of a time when I have spent more than 10 minutes face to face with a Dr for a routine check-up. Most of the care and face time I receive is given by the RNs, Techs, or other support personnel either prior to or after I see the Dr.

[HappyDaze]

Yes, as long as you let them know upfront that you had several things you want to discuss. Definitely make sure to do the full body check once a year!!

[GCR18]

I would call and add all the issues.

[DCShopper]

The Days of Marcus Welby, MD are over. With managed care, time is a very important factor in how you and your insurance will be charges as well as how the Doctor keeps on time. He may be rated by how on time he is with the patients particularly if he is part of a large practice or owned by a corporation like Johns Hopkins. It is necessary to stay on time to not get penalized. These days no doctor can afford to take his time with every patient they see or they may end up out of business.

[CalMom]

On 3/9/2015 DCShopper said:

The Days of Marcus Welby, MD are over. With managed care, time is a very important factor in how you and your insurance will be charges as well as how the Doctor keeps on time. He may be rated by how on time he is with the patients particularly if he is part of a large practice or owned by a corporation like Johns Hopkins. It is necessary to stay on time to not get penalized. These days no doctor can afford to take his time with every patient they see or they may end up out of business.

Write down all 4 issues on a piece of paper and have them in your hand when your doctor walks in. Usually, the doctor will talk to you before your examination. This is when you bring the 4 issues up.

If you are organized and have the issues written down, you can bring them up quickly without having to think about what you want to say if you had not written them down.