Doctors interrupt patients after 11 seconds, on average

When a doctor and a patient first meet up, the doctor is supposed to perform a medical interview. This is where the doctor asks the patient about their symptoms and concerns, the first step in trying to make a diagnosis. They will likely want to hear the story of how these symptoms first occurred, what caused them, if they have changed and whether the patient has already tried anything to treat them on their own.

This interview can take a fair amount of time, especially in complex cases. But doctors are busy. As a result, they tend to interrupt their patients before the interview is over. One study claims that doctors interrupt on average after just 11 seconds.

Why can this lead to malpractice?

One of the potential problems here is that a doctor interrupting a patient could mean that that doctor doesn’t get all the information they need. They consequently will make a mistake, such as a misdiagnosis. This can have a detrimental impact on the patient’s health. For instance, the misdiagnosis could mean that they don’t get the prompt treatment that they need, that they are given the wrong medication or that the true nature of their ailment isn’t discovered for months or even years.

It is certainly true that doctors aren’t expected to be perfect, but they should always have their patients’ best interests in mind. If they rush and act negligently, they could still be responsible for a significant mistake that harms that patient. After something like this has occurred, patients need to know if they have a right to financial compensation and what legal steps they should take moving forward.