Jump to content

  • Set Your Location
  • Sign in or Enroll
Set Your LocationSet Your Location
  • Sign in or Enroll
    • Open I want to choose my medical group or hospital
    • Clear my location
Change Location
Sutter Health
  • Video Visits
  • Find Doctors
  • Find Locations
  • Treatments & Services
    • Video Visits
    • Find Doctors
    • Find Locations
    • Treatments & Services
    • COVID-19 Resources
    • Pay a Bill
    • Symptom Checker
    • Get Care Today
    • Health & Wellness
    • Classes & Events
    • Research & Clinical Trials
    • For Patients
    • About Sutter Health
    • Giving
    • Volunteering
    • Careers
    • News
    • For Medical Professionals
    • Other Business Services
Close Search
  • Home
  • Research
  • Aging and Longevity
Content

Time allocation in primary care office visits.

Description

Tai-Seale M, McGuire TG, Zhang W., Health Serv Res. 42(5):1871-94., 2007 Oct 01

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To use an innovative videotape analysis method to examine how clinic time was spent during elderly patients' visits to primary care physicians. Secondary objectives were to identify the factors that influence time allocations.

DATA SOURCES: A convenience sample of 392 videotapes of routine office visits conducted between 1998 and 2000 from multiple primary care practices in the United States, supplemented by patient and physician surveys.

RESEARCH DESIGN: Videotaped visits were examined for visit length and time devoted to specific topics--a novel approach to study time allocation. A survival analysis model analyzed the effects of patient, physician, and physician practice setting on how clinic time was spent.

PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Very limited amount of time was dedicated to specific topics in office visits. The median visit length was 15.7 minutes covering a median of six topics. About 5 minutes were spent on the longest topic whereas the remaining topics each received 1.1 minutes. While time spent by patient and physician on a topic responded to many factors, length of the visit overall varied little even when contents of visits varied widely. Macro factors associated with each site had more influence on visit and topic length than the nature of the problem patients presented.

CONCLUSIONS: Many topics compete for visit time, resulting in small amount of time being spent on each topic. A highly regimented schedule might interfere with having sufficient time for patients with complex or multiple problems. Efforts to improve the quality of care need to recognize the time pressure on both patients and physicians, the effects of financial incentives, and the time costs of improving patient-physician interactions.

Pubmed Abstract

Pubmed AbstractOpens New Window

Associated Topics

  • Aging and Longevity
  • Health Policy
  • Health Services

Related Publications

Comparative usability study of a newly created patient-centered tool and Medicare.gov plan finder to help Medicare beneficiaries choose prescription drug plans.

Stults CD, Fattahi S, Meehan A, Bundorf MK, Chan AS, Pun T, Tai-Seale M.
J Patient Exp. 6(1):81-86. doi: 10.1177/2374373518778343. Epub 2018 Jun 6.
2019 Mar 01

Predicting need for advanced illness or palliative care in a primary care population using electronic health record data.

Jung K, Sudat SEK, Kwon N, Stewart WF, Shan NH.
J Biomed Inform. 92:103115.
2019 Apr 01

Impact of home-based, patient-centered support for people with advanced illness in an open health system: a retrospective claims analysis of health expenditures, utilization, and quality of care at end of life.

Sudat SEK, Franco A, Pressman AR, Rosenfeld K, Gornet E, Stewart W.
Palliat Med. 2018 Feb;32(2):485-492. doi: 10.1177/0269216317711824. Epub 2017 Jun 7.
2018 Feb 01

Adherence to placebo and mortality in the Beta Blocker Evaluation of Survival Trial (BEST).

Pressman A, Avins AL, Neuhaus J, Ackerson L, Rudd P.
Contemp Clin Trials. 33(3):492-8. doi: 10.1016/j.cct.2011.12.003. Epub 2012 Jan 12.
2012 May 01

Machine-based expert recommendations and insurance choices among Medicare Part D enrollees.

Bundorf MK, Polyakova M, Stults C, Meehan A, Klimke R, Pun T, Chan AS, Tai-Seale M.
Health Aff (Millwood). 38(3):482-490. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2018.05017.
2019 Mar 01
The Sutter Health Network of Care
Expertise to fit your needs
Primary Care

Check-ups, screenings and sick visits for adults and children.

Specialty Care

Expertise and advanced technologies in all areas of medicine.

Emergency Care

For serious accidents, injuries and conditions that require immediate medical care.

Urgent Care

After-hours, weekend and holiday services.

Walk-In Care

Convenient walk-in care clinics for your non-urgent health needs.

  • Contact Us
  • Find Doctors
  • Find Locations
  • Request Medical Records
  • Make a Gift
Sign in to My Health Online

Billing and Insurance

  • Pay a Bill
  • Accepted Health Plans
  • Estimate Costs
  • Medicare Advantage

About Sutter

  • About Our Network
  • Community Benefit
  • Annual Report
  • News

Our Team

  • For Employees
  • For Medical Professionals
  • For Vendors
  • For Volunteers

Careers

  • Jobs at Sutter
  • Physician Jobs
  • Graduate Medical Education

Copyright © 2023 Sutter Health. All rights reserved. Sutter Health is a registered trademark of Sutter Health ®, Reg. U.S. Patent & Trademark office.

  • ADA Accessibility
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Personal Information
  • LinkedIn Opens new window
  • YouTube Opens new window
  • Facebook Opens new window
  • Twitter Opens new window
  • Instagram Opens new window
  • Glassdoor Opens new window

Cookie Policy

We use cookies to give you the best possible user experience. By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. Privacy Policy Cookie Preferences

Privacy Policy Cookie Preferences