Shorter visits

[justwondering]

As a first year resident, we don't have a lot of patients scheduled per half day, but I find myself taking a LOT of time with each one. I've tried looking at their records the night before, wearing a watch, timing myself, cutting pts off. Nothing really seems to help make my visits shorter. Any suggestions? This will be impossible to deal with once I start getting more pts per half day.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[deleted87716]

We had another thread on this not too long ago: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=410417&highlight=precepting

Some of the posts in there might be helpful.

 

[sophiejane]

As a first year resident, we don't have a lot of patients scheduled per half day, but I find myself taking a LOT of time with each one. I've tried looking at their records the night before, wearing a watch, timing myself, cutting pts off. Nothing really seems to help make my visits shorter. Any suggestions? This will be impossible to deal with once I start getting more pts per half day.

I'm seeing 7-8/half day, which is more than I thought I'd be seeing. I'm getting faster because I have to...not to mention the charting afterwards. It's hard when they are all new to you, but I'm finding I have to limit to one or two issues/visit. I simply can't do a total engine overhaul on every patient at every visit. I'll reschedule them to come back in a week and we can adress other (less acute) issues at that time.

EMR helps, as does dictation...though I'm not very good at dictation yet, and typing is usually faster.

I feel your pain!