Family physician Chuck Kent, M.D., practices at Tallahassee Memorial Family Medicine in Quincy, Fla., with his colleague Scott Whiddon, M.D. (see Group visits mix learning with laughter). A year ago, Kent and Whiddon entered a pilot project to experiment with group visits for patients with diabetes.
However, Kent has experienced some frustration. "Even though we've been doing it for a year, I've just seen a glimmer of the possible potential," says Kent. "No-shows are a big deal."
Unexpected Patient Feedback Encourages FP
By Sheri Porter
• Quincy, Fla.
2/1/2005
This story first appeared in the February 2005 FP Report.
In fact, just a few weeks ago, even after handwritten personal notes from Kent and reminder phone calls, only four patients out of eight scheduled for a group visit showed up.
"I said to my nurse, 'To heck with this, just put them in rooms and I'll see them individually,'" says Kent. The patient response that followed surprised Kent.
In room number one, the elderly male patient was terribly disappointed. "This was his social outlet for the week," says Kent.
He proceeded to room number two. The female patient said that she was OK with a regular office visit today, but she wanted reassurance that her group visits would continue. "I've gotten so much out of the group," the patient told Kent. A quick review of the patient's chart revealed that her hemoglobin A1C, blood pressure, weight and LDL cholesterol level had all improved over time, improvements the patient attributed to group learning.
Patients behind doors number three and four told similar stories and, in no uncertain terms, made it clear they wanted their group visits to continue.
The positive patient feedback was just what the doctor ordered. "An hour and a half before seeing those patients, I was ready to say, 'I'm not doing group visits anymore; it's not worth it,'" says Kent. "Now I've got a little gas in my tank. I'm not throwing in the towel. I just needed to hear a little of that 'Gee, thanks, doc.'"
"I said to my nurse, 'To heck with this, just put them in rooms and I'll see them individually,'" says Kent. The patient response that followed surprised Kent.
In room number one, the elderly male patient was terribly disappointed. "This was his social outlet for the week," says Kent.
He proceeded to room number two. The female patient said that she was OK with a regular office visit today, but she wanted reassurance that her group visits would continue. "I've gotten so much out of the group," the patient told Kent. A quick review of the patient's chart revealed that her hemoglobin A1C, blood pressure, weight and LDL cholesterol level had all improved over time, improvements the patient attributed to group learning.
Patients behind doors number three and four told similar stories and, in no uncertain terms, made it clear they wanted their group visits to continue.
The positive patient feedback was just what the doctor ordered. "An hour and a half before seeing those patients, I was ready to say, 'I'm not doing group visits anymore; it's not worth it,'" says Kent. "Now I've got a little gas in my tank. I'm not throwing in the towel. I just needed to hear a little of that 'Gee, thanks, doc.'"
