If you are like most people in Ohio, then there are likely few things you look forward to less than a visit to the doctor. Yet you know that such visits are vital to not only maintaining good health, but also in avoiding having any potential health issues deteriorate due to a lack of needed treatment.
Your expectation is that when you seek treatment for a condition from the doctor, you will get an answer as to what is ailing you. Yet as many of our past clients here at The Keefe Law Firm, LLC can attest to, misdiagnoses remain a constant concern when seeking health care. Could the amount of time a doctor spends with you contribute to the potential of experiencing such an issue?
How long do doctors typically spend with patients?
A visit to the doctor’s office may seem to drag on forever, yet if you truly evaluate what happens during such a visit, you likely find that you spend much of your time waiting. When you do receive direct care, it often comes from the nursing staff or a medical assistant. In fact, actual face-to-face time with your doctor is likely to be brief.
Indeed, statistics back this up. Per information compiled in the 2016 Physician Compensation Report (and shared by Business Insider), doctors only spend an average of 13-16 minutes with each patient. The question then becomes is than an appropriate amount of time.
Is your doctor giving you enough attention?
The answer to that question depends on a number of different factors. Yet if you do not receive enough attention to address your concerns (and worse yet, subsequently suffer from a misdiagnosis), then the lack of that attention may give you cause to seek compensation. You can learn more about identifying potential medical malpractice by continuing to explore our site.
