To physician Larry Shore of My Health Medical Group in San Francisco, it’s no surprise that patients give doctors low marks for time and attention.
“There’s some data to suggest that the average patient gets to speak for between 12 and 15 seconds before the physician interrupts them,” Shore says. “And that makes you feel like the person is not listening.”
A doctor’s impatience, though, is often driven more by economics than ego. Reimbursement rates for a primary care visit are notoriously low, and Shore laments the need to hustle patients in and out.
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