Patients' views on optimal visit length in primary care

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Patient Experience
• Clinical Operations

Background:

• Declining visit lengths (VL) over recent decades raise concerns about patient care quality and the patient-doctor relationship.
• Patient and physician perspectives suggest potential adverse effects of reduced VL on healthcare delivery.
• Understanding patient expectations regarding VL is crucial for optimizing healthcare interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the optimal visit length (VL) from the patient's perspective.
• To identify factors associated with patient satisfaction related to VL, including demographics.
• To explore the relationship between expected VL and actual visit duration and its impact on satisfaction.

Main Methods:

• Utilized patient surveys to gather data on perceived optimal VL and satisfaction.
• Correlated patient satisfaction with actual VL and satisfaction derived from VL.
• Analyzed demographic parameters and their influence on VL expectations and satisfaction.

Main Results:

• Patient satisfaction demonstrated a strong correlation with both VL and satisfaction from VL.
• The average optimal VL, as perceived by patients, was 15.4 minutes, with significant individual variation.
• Patient satisfaction significantly decreased when the optimal VL exceeded the actual visit duration.
• Younger adults showed a particularly strong correlation between satisfaction and VL.
• Patients generally expect attainable VLs, only slightly longer than the scheduled duration.

Conclusions:

• Patient satisfaction is closely linked to visit length (VL) and meeting patient expectations for duration.
• Incorporating patient input into visit scheduling decisions may enhance satisfaction and optimize physician time.
• Individualized approaches to visit scheduling, considering patient expectations, could improve cost-effectiveness and patient care.