Do you find yourself spending twice as long in your doctor’s waiting room as you do in the exam room? When your doctor finally sees you, does he or she rush through the appointment like you’re a cog on an assembly line that she has to check quickly before moving on to the next patient? Some wait times are inevitable, especially when a doctor has to fit in a sick patient, and this can be a good sign: it’s much easier to wait when you’re well than when you’re feeling ill. And you’re less likely to come in contact with lurking illnesses in waiting rooms when sick patients are taken back quickly. However, some doctors are habitually late for appointments, and then don’t take the time to address our concerns or treat patients as individuals. That’s yet another sign that it’s time to move on. If you’re evaluating a prospect, check out his or her timeliness by checking out the Ideal Medical Practices Organization website at http://impcenter.org.

Doctor Do’s:

Good doctors minimize wait times and take the time to speak with you, answer questions, and make you feel like they understand you. Their bedside manner clearly sends a message that you are being heard and that you count.

Doctor Don’ts:

Doctors who are chronically late and then spend only a few minutes meeting with you are a cause for concern. The same goes for doctors who cut you off mid-conversation or wrap up your questions before you’re ready and make it clear that they’re anxious to leave.

He or She Keeps You in the Dark.