disgruntled doctors

Have your papers, and your symptoms, in order when you step into a doctor’s office.

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RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—Nearly half of the doctors in this country want to quit or cut back on the number of patients they see in the next three years, according to a recent survey conducted by the Physicians’ Foundation.

THE DETAILS: The survey, conducted between May and July 2008, was mailed to nearly every active physician in the country: 270,000 primary care physicians and 50,000 specialists. The questions examined what makes doctors unhappy, the state of their practices, and their thoughts on the future of medicine. Among the nearly 12,000 physicians who responded, the foundation found that nearly 80% believe there aren’t enough primary care physicians in the country, and about half the respondents want to quit altogether or stop seeing some patients in the next three years. Their physicians’ biggest aggravations were declining reimbursement rates and the amount of time devoted to nonclinical paperwork. Less than 20% of the doctors said their practices were healthy and profitable.

“Going into this project, we generally knew about the shortage of physicians. What we didn’t know is how much worse it could get over the next few years,” says Lou Goodman, PhD, president of The Physicians’ Foundation. “The bottom line is that the person you’ve known as your family doctor could be getting ready to disappear—and there might not be a replacement.”

WHAT IT MEANS: You’re not the only one fed up with complicated insurance regulations. Chances are, they’re driving your MD mad, too. So make the most of the few minutes you get with your increasingly time-pressured doctor.

Here are some ways to maximize the face time with your doc:

• Be a regular. If you don’t have a primary care physician at the moment, find one now so you’ll have one later. Don’t wait until you have a health problem; get regular checkups and discuss preventive care. The sooner you establish a relationship with a doctor, the less likely it will be that you’ll be dropped if he decides to cut back on patients.

• Get your papers in order. Before an appointment, have pertinent records from other doctors faxed or sent to the doctor you’ll be seeing. Write down all the medications and supplements you’re taking, along with a list of your symptoms and other medical conditions and take them with you to your appointment.

• Look for a lady. Studies suggest women doctors tend to have longer visits with patients than male physicians, so you might want to consider scheduling with a female MD.

• Talk through your weigh-in. While a nurse checks your weight, blood pressure, and pulse, start telling her about your ailment and symptoms.