If you feel like your doctor tends to interrupt you during appointments, you are not alone. This happens very frequently, and patients often are not given much time to talk. For instance, one study published in the National Library of Medicine claims that doctors interrupt after an average of just 18 seconds.
The implication of this being the average is also concerning. For every doctor who allows their patient to talk for an entire 60 seconds without interruption, there are others who interrupt after just a few seconds, bringing the average down to 18.
Why does this happen?
Interruptions are not necessarily always negative. For instance, a patient may say something important, prompting the doctor to quickly interrupt to ask a clarifying question and gather more information for an accurate diagnosis.
However, the problem is that many doctors are not truly listening to what their patients are saying. They may simply cut them off and interject their own thoughts or ideas. This can prevent patients from fully explaining their symptoms, leading to issues such as missed or delayed diagnoses. In some cases, this failure to listen could even contribute to medical malpractice.
What options do you have?
You cannot force your doctor to pay closer attention to you, although it may help to bring notes or even have someone else accompany you to the appointment. However, if your doctor makes a mistake and you believe it constitutes malpractice—such as negligently failing to provide the appropriate treatment—you need to know what legal steps to take to seek compensation for the harm you have suffered.