The practice of medicine takes place in a very hectic and busy work environment. All of us who work in healthcare know that there’s always a hundred and one things to do and unexpected developments all the time. Doctors are rushed off their feet for most of the day, and rarely ever deliberately intend to cut their patents off, or pass over important issues. Nevertheless, one of the most frequent complaints from patients is that their doctor was in a hurry and appeared rushed. I’ve written previously about communication techniques that physicians can employ to always appear a bit more calm and not so busy (click here for the article).

A lot of doctors reading may not like what I’m about to say, but thinking purely about the patient here—it’s pretty terrible if anyone is at the receiving end of an overly rushed interaction. I hear this complaint from family members and friends all the time, and it’s not something that’s acceptable to me. Everyone has a story of doctors zipping in and out of the room in a couple of minutes and not leaving any time for important questions. After all, we are not talking about trying on a new size of coat here in a department store. Our conversations with patients are about their health and well-being, and frequently matters of life or death. I’m therefore going to dispense some advice to any patient who perceives their doctor is in a hurry and rushing things too fast. Calmly say:

“Doc, you seem like you’re in a hurry today!”

This seems like a very simple thing to remark, but I can tell you with certainty that most physicians won’t like to hear this from their patient. As doctors, we are naturally conscientious professionals who always (at least most of us) want to do a good job and give the impression of being on our A-Game. In other words, most physicians will not want their patients to actively perceive them as being in a hurry. Consequently, I can pretty much guarantee that most doctors after they hear this, will consciously slow down and spend a few extra minutes with you! They may well sit down and spend a lot longer with you, who knows.

This may come across as a little bit sneaky, but let’s be honest here. Life, for all of us, is a game of psychological warfare. This sounds rather dramatic, and perhaps it is—but think about it. As an individual, you want what you want—and most of the time that involves other people giving you something. In this circumstance, you as the patient want more of the doctor’s time, and the doctor is in a position to give you that time.

That’s my advice for any patient when they next perceive that something is being rushed too fast. Simply politely and respectfully remark (and it’s a perfectly reasonable thing to say, too): “Doc, you seem like you’re in a hurry today”.

Suneel Dhand is a physician, writer, and YouTuber. He is Founder at MedStoic Lifestyle Medicine and DocsDox . Follow him on YouTube and Instagram