Just because you don’t get along with your doctor doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s malpractice. Maybe they interrupt you and you struggle to have important conversations. It may just be time for you to find another doctor.
But it is also very possible that a doctor who interrupts his or her patients could commit malpractice. Keep in mind that some studies have found that doctors only listen for an average of 11 seconds. This means that they may be interrupting very quickly, preventing patients from actually conveying the information that the doctor needs to make a diagnosis. That doctor could then make the wrong diagnosis, leading to harm to the patient.
How can you prevent this?
Doctors are very busy, which is a big reason why they tend to interrupt patients. They’re just trying to get to the heart of the issue quickly because they have more patients to see.
One way to prevent the doctor from interrupting is to bring someone else with you. Tell that person that you’re worried that you won’t have time to ask all of your questions or provide all of the necessary information. They can then help keep you on track so that you can focus on everything else.
Similarly, it may also be helpful to write down a list of points you want to make or questions you’d like to ask the doctor. Even if you do get interrupted or cut off, you can always just refer back to this list – and you can ask the doctor not to end the appointment until you’ve gotten through the entire list.
That said, a doctor who is in a rush could cause harm. If they do, you may be able to seek financial compensation.
