Providers’ demeanor impacts patient perceptions of visit length

Published in: Journal of General Internal Medicine - February 2019

Written by

Lauren Howe, Emerson Hardebeck, Kari Leibowitz and Alia Crum

Summary

What we found: Patients want to spend more time with doctors, but doctors are usually on time. We find that patients of more attentive and caring doctors think that their doctor spend more minutes with them in the office.  

Why it matters: Time is a critical resource, especially in the healthcare industry. We show that what matters is not only how much time actually passes – doctors can also take steps to shape how patients experience time.  

What next: How much time doctors spend with their patients shapes meaningful outcomes like health – and though time is scare, it is key across many other industries. When thinking about ways to spend time wisely, organizations should think about not only how to give people more time in minutes, but how they might change people’s feelings about the time they get.