Why Do Doctors Take So Long? Wait Less at Raleigh Adult Medicine
Your appointment was at 3 p.m. It’s now 3:30 and you’re still in the lobby.
Waiting.
You’ve checked your email. You’ve caught up on text messages. You may even be listening to your favorite podcast to pass the time.
And you’re still waiting.
Why do doctors take so long? And why is Raleigh Adult Medicine different? We’ll unravel some of the mysteries why many doctors’ offices have long wait times, and what we’ve done to minimize your wait at Raleigh Adult Medicine.
Why Do Doctors Take So Long? 4 Factors That Affect Your Appointment
You thought that seeing a doctor was a simple action: You get an appointment, then you show up on time, and you see the doctor. But more and more patients are becoming frustrated when more time is spent in the waiting room than actually seeing their doctor.
1. Physician Shortage
We’ll be frank: There are some things we can’t change, and that starts with the nationwide physician shortage.
There is a long wait at many doctors’ offices because there are simply not enough physicians to manage the load of patients.
At Raleigh Adult Medicine, we retain enough board-certified physicians, physician assistant and nurse practitioners to ensure you get both the outstanding care you need and deserve and a minimal waiting time.
2. Time Involved In Documenting Medical Records
Sometimes, documentation takes an inordinate amount of time, and failure to work seamlessly with the electronic medical record can be awkward and cause extensive waits.
At Raleigh Adult Medicine, we’ve implemented Phreesia. This is the leading patient intake management solution in the country. What does it mean for you? It means that you don’t have to shuffle through paperwork, all you have to do is use a touchscreen PhreesiaPad. This makes the whole check-in and payment process much easier than what you’ll typically find in many doctors’ offices—which means you’ll wait less.
3. The Number of Scheduled Appointments vs. Walk-Ins
It’s easy for some practices to become overwhelmed with walk-ins, whether it’s someone who is acutely ill or a patient needing more immediate attention.
We realize that your illness doesn’t always occur on our schedule, and we take that into account. We also offer a Saturday Sick Clinic and can accommodate walk-ins.
4. Doctors Are Double-Booked
Sometimes, medical practices schedule as many patients as possible within the given time. By “double booking,” they can increase the volume of patients they see. It also helps fill their schedule if they have “no-shows.”
While we recognize that any medical practice is busy, we don’t believe in over-scheduling our healthcare professionals. We believe that if we did so, you wouldn’t receive the quality care for which we are known.
How We Minimize Your Wait Times
As mentioned earlier, we use advanced scheduling and medical records systems to streamline your visit. In addition, we also offer telemedicine visits, which provide additional convenience without having extended times in the waiting room.
In addition, we focus on preventative care. That means by providing solid treatment strategies for chronic illnesses, we reduce the likelihood that you’ll need to have multiple office visits to deal with a more serious situation later.
Raleigh Adult Medicine: Where You Won’t Have to Wait for Quality Care
We know that it’s a balancing act: We don’t want you to wait for a long time to see a doctor, but when you do see a doctor, we do not want you to feel rushed.
At Raleigh Adult Medicine, our board-certified internal medicine doctors in Raleigh have perfected that balance.
We don’t overload our schedule. We believe that quality care begins with giving you the attention you deserve. That means allowing time to answer all your questions. You’ll never feel like we’re rushing you out the door.
We’re also accepting new patients! Scheduling an appointment is easy. Just complete this form.
