A GP has shared invaluable advice on how to maximise the benefit of your doctor’s appointment, highlighting that the healthcare system is currently “under pressure”.
On TikTok, user @doctor/aliaaa pointed out that surgeries nationwide are overwhelmed with a surge in appointments and are struggling to accommodate everyone. For those fortunate enough to secure an appointment, Dr Aliaa offers several tips to make it as effective as possible.
She advises: “GP system is under a lot of pressure at the moment so here are five tips to get the best out of your 10 minute appointment with your GP from a GP.” The top recommendation for patients is to “get to the point” quickly.
Dr Aliaa emphasises the importance of being direct about your health issue to avoid wasting valuable time.
She explains: “I’m such a people person and I love listening to my patients stories about their dogs, their kids, their holidays, but unfortunately with the limited time that we have, I can’t always listen to all your stories.
“So please, get to the point of your concern so that we might have more time to go through it and more time for us to actually help you with what you’re here for.”
Dr Aliaa has recommended patients “make a list” of their healthcare concerns prior to consultations, especially if they’ve endured long waits for an appointment with their GP.
She explained: “Try to prioritise your concerns. It’s very common for me to have patients come in with a list of concerns, especially if they’ve been waiting for a long time to get an appointment with their doctor. The best way to do that is to ensure that you’re prioritising your concerns.”
She noted: “Going through two concerns in an appointment might be reasonable. Sometimes we only have time to cover one.”
Dr Aliaa went on to say that, while the consultation time remains tight, GPs can assist in ordering the list with extra consideration given to mental health issues.
To maximise the use of the 10-minute slot, she advised patients to “describe as much as you can” and to be ready for both questioning and potential examinations, as a brief test may be necessary within the time frame to understand symptoms better and offer appropriate treatment options.