Sometimes doctors run behind because they are dealing with an emergency, or because they find that 15 minutes isn’t enough time to deal with a patient.
Other times, practices are poorly managed. Whatever the cause, waiting in a stiff chair in a room full of sick people (who are probably just as frustrated over waiting as you are) is nobody’s idea of a good time. Here are 5 ways to save time on your doctor visits.
1. Choose a Practice That Lets You Submit Paperwork Securely Online
When you choose a practice that lets you submit registration and insurance information securely online in advance of your appointment, you’re helping them run a more efficient practice. Not only does nobody have to transcribe handwritten forms (an error-prone task), your information is already at the office when you arrive. While this doesn’t guarantee a shorter wait, it generally indicates the practice is at least making an effort to be efficient.
2. Have Your Health History at Your Fingertips
Today, you can find secure smartphone apps that let you enter your medical history so you have it with you at all times. These apps store information about chronic health conditions, drug allergies, and other information that could be useful during your appointment. You’ll have to invest time up front in filling in the information, but afterward it’s right there for you to refer to. Seeing a doctor for a cut that looks infected? When she asks about your last tetanus booster, you can look it up then and there so she’ll know whether to administer one.
3. Find a Tech-Savvy Practice
Doctors are increasingly adopting technological solutions that improve office efficiency. Online scheduling apps help prevent overbooking, and some practices even offer pagers so you can go around the corner and grab a coffee or newspaper without worrying about missing your name being called. Doctors who have adopted electronic information entry ultimately save time because everything is legible and it’s easy to share relevant information with practice personnel who need it.
4. Take a Look in the Mirror
Are you chronically late? Do you skip appointments and not give them another thought? Then you’re part of the problem. Late patients and no-shows can seriously throw off scheduling. A practice may have repeated no-shows, so they start overbooking. But some days, overbooking backfires because everyone shows up. Cancel appointments you have no intention of keeping and be on time to those you do. If everyone did this, wait times would improve.
5. Schedule Strategically and Consider Alternatives
While there are no guarantees, booking the first appointment of the morning, or the first appointment after lunch can mean a shorter wait because the doctor hasn’t had time to get behind schedule. Another choice to consider for minor problems is using a walk-in clinic like the ones found in many pharmacies and grocery stores. If you know, for example, that you have yet another sinus infection like you always get after a cold, you can usually get in and out of one of these clinics faster than you can a traditional practice.
6. Use an Online Medical Facilitator
This is another alternative to the traditional office visit that increasing numbers of people are using. Online facilitators generally address “lifestyle” issues, like erectile dysfunction, hair loss, and acne. They contract with licensed physicians and pharmacists to prescribe and dispense prescription medications securely, privately, and quickly, which is far better than spending the entire afternoon on an office visit that was supposed to take an hour.
eDrugstore.com is an online facilitator that contracts with US-licensed physicians and pharmacists to empower patients to address certain medical concerns efficiently and effectively. We dispense brand name medications for a variety of lifestyle concerns and are completely committed to patient privacy and security.
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