How long do you get ...

[Icey]

... with your doctor?

On average, it's about 10 minutes over here, and patients're asked to be specific about one ailment, not a whole list of them. This's not only dangerous, but asking a bit much of someone who might have a nasty complaint lurking beneath a host of symptoms which could hide the real cause.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-37211590

[yogi]

Healthcare isn't what it used to be and I think future changes will come even more rapidly. Back in the day when I saw my first doctor, all his patients were walk-ins. The doctor personally greeted new arrivals and called them into the exam room. Time with the doctor could have been short or very lengthy because sometimes simple procedures were performed ad hoc. Well, now doctors have nurses, physician assistants, receptionists, office managers, and a suite of offices that can only be accessed by appointment. As the article points out, there are today more patients than a doctor can consult with properly and it's getting to a crisis point.

There are a number of things in the works to address the problem. One is that some local pharmacies now have immediate care offices on the premises. One can see a registered nurse and have about 80% of your problems tended to by him/her on the spot without a doctor. Serious or long term illnesses, of course, get referred to the proper doctors. As artificial intelligence and big data take over, a high percentage of diagnostics will be performed by computers, not people. Treatment recommendations will be made and these reports are what you can carry with you to your ten minutes of illness with the doctor.

To answer r your question, I have been seeing three doctors on a regular basis. The two specialists will give me my 15 minutes of review and cursory exam, which is the minimum time you can expect. My general practitioner sends in technicians, nurses and possibly med students in training before he takes time to see me. I'd say I only get ten minutes with the doctor but at least twenty minutes with trained medical people in total. I'm guessing that's how it is with most folks around here, but I could be wrong.

[Icey]

That's not bad then Yogi, because if you add the time spent with trained medical people, plus how long you're allowed with your GP, that takes it up to about half an hour in total, which's better than many patients over here get. As with where you are, we can also ask to speak to a pharmacist, and if one isn't too busy, they'll give you as much time as they can, particularly if you want to question medication dosages or interactions with other things you might be taking. In that respect, a pharmacist often knows far better than a doctor might.

I don't like the idea of a diagnosis being given by AI though. Symptoms can be so diverse and so many, that forgetting to mention just one thing could give a false answer. A doctor who knows his patient may be able to spot this, or to know if that patient's holding back on something. The human touch does, to my mind, take some beating.

[pilvikki]

The human touch does, to my mind, take some beating.

I can't complain, I usually get at least 30-40 mins with monsieur doctor. he's his own receptionist, nurse and answering machine. so I can call him any time he's in the office, and so can everybody else, so sometimes he ends up answering 3 calls in between checking my ears and lungs.

he also will hear all about everything and will ask if he thinks I've forgotten something.

in the mornings it's free for all, first come, first served - unless i see someone who really needs to go ahead of me. you do end up waiting for ever! or - there's nobody there. pot luck.

in the evenings (m - t - w) he takes appointments, so you don't need to wait so long.

as for ultrasounds, MRI's, x-rays, etc., you have your test, then sit and wait. the specialist will explain your results, print out a copy of the findings for you and you gp. you take home the films. blood test results you can either pick up the next day, or have them delivered - usually by the next day delivery. copies to your doctor.

what a difference from Canada where you waited for results 2-3 weeks. and then had to hound the doctor to find out if he'd gotten them.

[Icey]

Yes, it's the same over here, although obviously some test results come through more quickly than others.

I'm amazed that MRI or CT scans come back while you wait. Studying them can take some time, and your consultant has to be on hand to discuss the findings with colleagues, to determine possible treatment or outcomes.

Our docotrs' surgeries don't have these expensive machines in place, which means that you either have to go to hospital or a private clinic to get the scan done, but the larger health centres provide more for their patients.

[pilvikki]

there is a place called Polyclinic in Carcassonne, which does the testing. there also is a brand new hospital there, or one in Limoux, 20 mins the opposite way, so no shortage of equipment.

the doctor's office is in a small town, some 10 mins from here. very handy.

[Icey]

I've been told that French medical facilities're good.