The cost of sitting around at the doctor's office.

According to the American Journal of Managed Care, it takes on average 121 minutes for a patient to visit their doctor. This includes 37 minutes of commuting and 87 minutes at the doctor’s office. How much of this time is actually spent face-to-face with a doctor? 13-16 minutes, according to a Medscape survey. Most of the time is spent doing paperwork, communicating with ancillary staff, and just sitting around waiting.

The average out of pocket cost per medical visit is $32, but remarkably what the study also found, was the “opportunity cost”- the value of work had the person been engaged in, instead of the 2 hrs spent seeing the doctor. Researchers estimated that the cost is around $43. Therefore, the average trip to the doctor is $75 ($32 out of pocket + $43 in lost opportunity). This can be especially hard on people who do not work the typical 8-5, or those that are strictly paid by the hours that they are clocked in.

Direct care addresses all these concerns! At Elevated Healthcare, we understand time is valuable. Our patients never have to wait for more than 2 minutes. Our face-to-face visits lasts at least 20 minutes and often can accommodate up to 60 minutes. We also provide telemedicine for those interactions that do not require in office visits, such as medication refills or going over labs. Our goal is to provide personalized medical care that’s accessible and affordable.