Going to the doctor is a whole thing. From making the appointment, often weeks (or months) in advance, to sitting in the waiting room, to finally being seen (and maybe not feeling fully seen once you’re in), the experience can be taxing.
Whether or not you’ve had that experience, a quick CivicScience study shows that, at their last doctor visit, the majority of patients felt their doctor took their time and was fully attentive. One-fourth, however, don’t agree.
Who is not seen or heard? Younger people were more likely to answer that they didn’t get the best attention at their last doctor visit.
Interestingly, the CivicScience study found no difference between the sexes. Men and women were just as likely to be happy or unhappy with their last trip to the doctor.
However, there’s a noticeable difference with doctor satisfaction and income.
Another insight that surfaced showed people who do not identify as heterosexual are slightly less likely to be satisfied with their last doctor visit.
Lastly, when looking at African Americans vs. non-African Americans, the study found that the African American community is less likely to be satisfied with their last doctor visit. This is not news in the industry.
Concierge Medicine, a Potential Solution
Concierge medicine, or the direct primary care model of health care, is an offering that gives patients more access to (and more time with) their doctor for an annual or monthly fee. The fact of the matter is, only 4% of the U.S. adult population has used a service like this, and only another 5% plan to.
According to CivicScience data, people who felt they had their doctor’s full attention at their most recent visit were more likely to have tried concierge medicine, to no surprise.
But assumptions that cost is a barrier to entry aren’t entirely true. Those who have tried it span across income brackets, although those in the $100k+ bucket are more likely to have intent to try concierge medicine.
Though the study shows that a large portion of Americans felt their last doctor visit was truly theirs, it also tells us that people want more from their doctors. Offerings like the direct primary care model address this desire, but it may not be a feasible option for the average American.