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[The time used by the patient when he/she talks without interruptions]
Objective:
To measure the time used by a patient to explain the reason for his/her visit to the general practitioner, when he/she is permitted to talk freely and without interruption.
Design:
A descriptive study where only previously known patients, who had a new reason for a consultation, were considered.
Settings:
Visits to general practitioners' offices in Slovenia and Croatia.
Participants:
Six general practitioners (two Slovenes and four Croatians) who recorded the time spent on 480 consultations.
Measurements And Main Results:
The period of time measured was that used by the patients, at the beginning of the consultation, to reply to the doctor's question: "What can I do for you today?" Average time used by the patients was 28.6 seconds. There was a link between the older age group and a longer time period. There were no gender differences.
Conclusions:
Patients are able to explain calmly and without interruptions the reason for their visit. Interruptions by the doctor are probably unnecessary and do not save time.