So much to do, so little time: care for the socially disadvantaged and the 15-minute visit.
There is so much to do in primary care, and so little time to do it. During 15-minute visits, physicians are expected to form partnerships with patients and their families, address complex acute and chronic biomedical and psychosocial problems, provide preventive care, coordinate care with specialists, and ensure informed decision making that respects patients' needs and preferences. This is a challenging task during straightforward visits, and it is nearly impossible when caring for socially disadvantaged patients with complex biomedical and psychosocial problems and multiple barriers to care. Consider the following scenario.
Fiscella
Kevin
K
Department of Family Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry, 1381 South Ave, Rochester, NY 14620, USA. Kevin_Fiscella@urmc.rochester.edu
Epstein
Ronald M
RM
D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000193:education; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006801:Humans; D007857:Leadership; D008875:Middle Aged; D008913:Minority Groups; D009819:Office Visits; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States