Valuing Patient Time as Much as Clinician Time

1 December 2023 Valuing Patient Time as Much as Clinician Time Chronically The Patient Empowerment Newsletter Roi Shternin Valuing Patient Time

1 December 2023 Valuing Patient Time as Much as Clinician Time Chronically The Patient Empowerment Newsletter

Roi Shternin

Valuing Patient Time as Much as Clinician Time

In healthcare, we’ve got it backward. The doctor’s time is seen as infinitely more valuable than the patient’s time.

Patients wait weeks to get an appointment, hours in the waiting room once they arrive, and mere minutes with the doctor. Yet clinicians are expected to run tightly packed schedules seeing patient after patient.

Why does the doctor’s time matter so much more? Certainly, their expertise deserves respect. But patients’ time is precious too. They’ve taken time off work, arranged childcare, and traveled to get to that appointment.

This power imbalance devalues patients’ investment and overwhelms providers with impossible schedules. Rushed visits leave little room for questions. Patients struggle to absorb information dumped in a short visit. Poor communication driven by the time crunch fuels anxiety and mistrust.

The truth is, prioritizing the doctor’s time above all else is a relic of outdated medicine. Today’s patients expect a partnership – and their time commitment merits equal respect. We need a culture shift.

Let’s reimagine care delivery where both the physician’s knowledge and the patient’s lived experience are honored. Where patients get the time they need without providers being rushed.

This requires lifting the burden off of the clinician's shoulders. Reasonable schedules, team-based care, and virtual visits can help. We also need care customized to patient needs – evening hours, fast online access, and resources to reduce basic questions.

Most importantly, we need to listen to patients and make the relationship a priority, not just tasks. Great healthcare requires listening to both clinicians and patients.

Valuing patients' time as much as clinicians’ time will lead to engaged patients and less burnt-out providers. An empowering culture shift focused on partnershi