Are you a victim of the 20 second problem? Does your doctor listen to your whole story or does she interrupt you before you are done?

When the doctor says, “What brought you here today?” Does the doctor listen or does she interrupt as you begin to tell your story? If the doctor interrupts you, you are the victim of the 20 second problem. This is a common problem that has been researched over the years. Now, the doctor isn’t being rude, she is only asking clarifying questions such as: what kind of pain and how much pain and how long have you had this pain? These are important questions, but asking them too soon gets in the way of the doctor hearing the whole story. Once the doctor begins asking her questions, she may forget to come back and listen to the rest of your concerns. Without hearing the whole story, she may misdiagnose or may start heading down the wrong path because she has missed some important details.

Doctors don’t realize that this behavior will lead to the thing they hate that patients do. That is when the patient says the, “Oh by the way” question or the “One more thing doctor” question. This is the last question you ask before the doctor walks out the door. This drives the doctor crazy because they’ve already spent their time with you and are ready to move onto the next patient. But many times, the reason you have the “One more thing doctor” question is, because you weren’t allowed to ask everything at the beginning of the appointment.

So what can you do? Tell the doctor that you won’t ask one more question at the end of the appointment if she’ll take the time to listen to your whole story at the beginning of the appointment. Let her know that it will only take a minute or so for you to explain why you’ve come to the doctor’s office that day. Research has shown that all it takes is one to two minutes for the patient to get their whole story out. Now this may feel like an eternity to the doctor, but it really works to decrease medical errors, improve medical outcomes and to increase patient satisfaction.

I also recommend that you bring in a prioritized list of questions so the doctor will know what you’re there to talk about. Make sure you mention the most important items first. The doctor doesn’t have forever with you so make it easier for the doctor to help you by being prepared and getting right to the point. You can also print out the sister blog piece under the healthcare professionals category to take to your doctor’s office. It is titled, “Overcoming the 20 second problem or How I learned to save time.”

Have a kind and respectful day.

Overcoming the 20 second problem or How I learned to save time and improve the PT/MD relationship.”

Recently, I gave a lecture in Las Vegas and a few weeks later I heard back from a physician, who did one simple thing I taught her and changed her entire practice. She overcame the 20 second problem. What is the 20 second problem? Research has shown that when you sit down to talk to a patient and ask, “What brought you here today?” you will interrupt within 20 seconds of them beginning to tell you their story. Now, you’re not interrupting to be rude, you’re interrupting to ask clarifying questions. How much pain? What kind of pain? How long have you had this pain? But unfortunately, once you begin asking questions, you may not allow the patient to get back to telling you the rest of their story. Without hearing the whole story, you may misdiagnose or may start heading down the wrong path because you have missed some important details. This wrong direction will waste your valuable time.

The other thing that happens is that the patient will then say as they’re walking out the door the, “Oh by the way” question or the “One more thing doctor” question. I know this drives you crazy because you have already spent your time with this patient and are ready to move onto the next person. But the reason you have the “One more thing doctor” question is because you didn’t listen to everything at the beginning of the appointment.

So what can you do? Sit quietly and listen for one to two minutes. Research has shown that all it takes is one to two minutes for the patient to get their whole story out. Now this may feel like an eternity to you but if you can do it, you will decrease medical errors, improve medical outcomes and increase patient satisfaction. The time will be well spent. You will actually become more efficient and effective when you allow the patient to be heard at the beginning of the appointment. This may seem counterintuitive, but it really works. The doctor in Las Vegas discovered how much this communication technique worked for her.

I also recommend that you have the patients write out a prioritized list of questions so you will know what they’re there to talk about. Tell them to mention the most important items first. Explain to the patient that it will make it easier for you to help them by being prepared and getting right to the point. Patients can be taught to be better patients and to help us to help them.

Have a kind and respectful day.