What do consumers really expect from their primary care provider?

Feb 2

by Christina Onolaja, MHA

Primary Care Providers (PCP) are problem solvers trained to learn as much as they can about the entire human body. As soon as the patient begins to describe their concern, the PCP is processing the information and evaluating possible solutions or treatments. It is often difficult to determine how much time is needed for a visit because they are trained to not just look at a single problem, but the whole person. Value-based contracting and pay-for-performance mandatory quality measures have made the primary care visit even more complex (or risk losing money). If a provider runs late, patients become irritated and upset but expect the provider to give them the amount of time they need, including whatever “oh by the ways” they mention outside the original reason for visit.

This leads to the question…what do consumers/patients, really expect from their primary care provider? When performing a random poll on social media for a diverse group of individuals asking this very question, the most common response was for the provider to listen to them. In some cases, respondents gave examples where they shared how their body responds negatively to certain medications or treatments but the provider insists on that treatment or medication being the best option. While it may be the best option, if the patient left feeling unheard, there may have been a communication breakdown.

In the age of instant gratification and an abundance of readily available information, if a patient doesn’t feel heard, they may resort to other sources of information which are not necessarily reliable. In some cases, patients can feel assumptions are made based on their age or physical appearance such as gender or weight. A good PCP is able to listen to the patient, understand their concern, offer treatments, and collaboratively develop a plan of care that works for the patient, all while helping the person feel cared for.

Ultimately, patients want to be heard and treated with dignity and respect. Some of the most successful stories of healing are those where the patient and provider worked together to come to a place of healing. William Osler said “A good physician treats the disease, a great physician treats the patient who has the disease”. In a world where there aren’t enough PCPs, and there is an abundance of patients needing care — how do primary care providers take the time to create a relationship with open and honest communication and mutual respect? PCPs are often rushed through each visit so they can treat as many patients as they possibly can. This can result in frustrated patients.

Concierge medicine is a type of practice where patients pay a subscription to have increased access to their PCP along with enhanced services included in the fees they pay. This is great, but the physicians have to limit the number of patients in their panel so they can provide this type of care. The end result is happier patients if they were lucky enough to get in with the doctor before their panel was full. As value-based care becomes more prominent and the administrative burden to providers increase, this model will likely become more common.

The bottom line is, we need more physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants engaged in primary care. We need updated laws to support Advanced Practice Providers (APP) and more team-based care where APPs and physicians collaborate to provide high quality care to a shared patient panel. We need physicians and providers who understand that helping a patient feel cared for (listened to) is as important as making the right diagnosis. Finally, we need to educate patients on what their role in their health is as well as the role of each person on their care team. By helping patients feel cared for and engaged in their care, they will be more likely to be adherent to treatments and have better outcomes.