In an ideal world everybody would have convenient, timely access and time devoted to his or her care and questions when they visit their doctors.
But There is A Problem:
The average patient waits around 24 days for a doctor appointment. In addition to this wait, that same patient usually spends 2-3 hours driving to the appointment, waiting for the doctor to enter the exam room, experiencing an 8-12 minute exam, checking out and returning home or back to work.
Considering that there were 920 million doctor office visits last year in the U.S., the lost opportunity time totals 1.84 billion hours (or 767 million 24-hour days). Of that time only 12% was used for actual doctor-patient interaction in an exam room!
In the doctor’s defense, he or she is saddled with so much bureaucratic paperwork that only 27% of a doctor’s day is spent interacting with patients. This translates into the average physician spending over two hours of paperwork for every hour of patient interaction. This paperwork, in large part, has nothing to do with patient care. (Source: Journal of General Internal Medicine)
People Don’t Want Profit-Centered Care:
It isn’t surprising that with these facts individuals and families have become increasingly less satisfied with their healthcare. According to a study conducted by the National Institutes of Health, patients most want:
- Timely appointments –
- Not having to wait weeks to get in to see their doctor
- Time with the doctor –
- Less time generally means lower quality of care
- Eye contact –
- Instead of looking at a computer screen, patients want the doctor’s full attention
- A doctor who listens to them –
- According to a Harvard study of physicians, doctors allowed the patient to speak an average of 23 seconds, and most of that was responding verbally “yes” or “no” to questions as the doctor checked boxes on a computer screen.
- Access by telephone or virtual visit –
- Patients want to talk with their doctor without having to schedule an in-office appointment. Why don’t doctors take phone calls from patients? Because they do not receive reimbursement from insurance companies for those calls.
People Want Patient-Centered Care:
Christian Healthcare Centers’ medical model addresses each of these issues and effectively resolves them.
- Most appointments scheduled same-day or next-day…less waiting!
- Appointments are scheduled in 30-min and 60-min segments…more time!
- Our doctors talk to patients when they call (What?!?! Real doctors? Yes!)
- Our doctors are salaried so patients get the time they need and deserve.
- Although we use technology to document office visits, our doctors know their patients and interact about much more than medical concerns. They want to know about your life, your family, your work, and your spiritual wellness.
- In short, they place a priority on knowing each patient.
It is time to raise the standard of the Healthcare System. It truly is a New Day for Healthcare and Christian Healthcare Centers is at the forefront of the movement.
