Time Management in
GP
Dr Katherine Teare
GP Educator Fellow
Time management
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In consultations
OOH
For paperwork and admin
Spending more time with
patients….more stress?
Consultations
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Patients with a list
Doctors speed, patients problem and
patients age all have an effect
UK research shows trainees and new
partners spend average 1minute less with
each patient
Women seeing women = longer
consultations
Significant practice to practice variation
Who your allied health care professionals
are e.g. Nurse practitioners, specialist
nurses etc
The list…
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2 goals – keep patient and doctor
‘happy’
Explore after the initial presenting
complaint – avoid a surprise at the
end
E.g. anything else you came to see
me about today?
Prioritise red flags and acute
problems, then try to get patient to
prioritise with ICE
Explaining yourself
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Give it a positive spin
‘The tummy pain is clearly quite
upsetting to you. You have
mentioned a sore wrist and an itchy
ear as well but I wonder if it is okay if
we spend today focussing on the
tummy pain and then we arrange
another appointment for us to
discuss the other problems in order
that we can make sure we have
covered your tummy pain fully’
Strategies
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Double appointments when
needed
Break in surgery
Consider how surgeries
structured when applying for
jobs – is there flexibility?
Start as you mean to go on
Ending the consultation
Out of Hours
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Time pressures vary according
to role (telephone triage, visiting,
centre based)
More awareness of targets
More isolated working
Admin
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Referrals – when do you do
them?
Reviewing results
Dealing with letters
Medication reviews
Insurance reports, DWP reports
Extra bits – eportfolio, WPBA
References
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http://www.bradfordvts.co.uk/onli
ne-resources/0200consultation/consultation-time/
http://www.gponline.com/Educat
ion/article/972407/consultationskills-control-lengthconsultation/