In today’s healthcare world, where a primary care provider has less than 10 minutes with a patient, there is often little time for casual conversation and niceties. In fact, communication with a physician, his/her office and other healthcare related service providers is usually concise, direct and without a lot of discussion, debate or time for questions. Lack of or poor communication is one of the top complaints from patients across the healthcare spectrum. They feel like they are just a number and another task that must be checked off a list by their doctor.
The other side of the story is that doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals are expected to keep their practices running efficiently to maximize the number of patients they can see in a day. They are pressured by practice management and health insurance to spend a limited amount of time with patients in order to keep the line moving and maximize revenue. Most doctors want to take the time to talk with their patients and discuss their care in more depth. However, they are not given that opportunity in larger, corporate-run healthcare practices.
This conundrum is not lost on the team at Connected Health, most of whom came from a traditional healthcare background. That’s why they have found their home at Connected Health. There are no time limits on patient visits, and you have time to talk to your doctor about whatever is on your mind related to your health and well-being.
Our physician, Dr. Andy DeMarco, is passionate about taking the right amount of time with each patient he sees daily to ensure they feel comfortable about what he’s recommending and that they leave with no question unanswered. The same goes for Connected Health’s pharmacist, dietitian, fitness instructors and other staff. They are committed to taking the time to listen to members’ concerns, goals, ideas, questions and thoughts.
Check out what Dr. Andy has to say about how he and the Connected Health team approaches Patient Communication in this video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVn0fwMP9r0