Opinion: Think Twice Before Changing Doctors

Switching doctors, even for seemingly minor reasons like convenience or a slightly faster appointment, can lead to a decline in care quality, according to Ylva Sandström, chairwoman of the Swedish District Medical Association.

Sandström highlights that while patients may seek quicker access to medical services, they often overlook the substantial value lost when changing physicians. A doctor who knows a patient's history over time offers a distinct advantage, contributing to better health outcomes.

Research supports this view, with a Norwegian study of over 4.5 million people revealing that longer relationships with the same doctor are linked to improved results. Patients who had maintained the same doctor for over 15 years experienced approximately 25% lower mortality rates, 28% fewer emergency hospital admissions, and 30% less use of on-call services compared to those with a doctor for a year or less.

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The fastest doctor's appointment is not always the best, but can mean worse care.

For healthcare providers, continuity allows for more efficient use of appointment time. Instead of spending valuable minutes reconstructing a patient's medical history, doctors can focus on the current issue. Furthermore, experienced physicians often glean crucial insights from a patient's demeanor or subtle changes in behavior that may not be fully captured in medical records.

Sandström advises patients to carefully consider the implications before changing doctors, even after a less-than-ideal experience. While acknowledging that some doctor-patient relationships are dysfunctional and warrant a change, she emphasizes the time and trust required to build a strong, beneficial connection. The benefits of continuity, she suggests, extend beyond complex medical cases to everyday interactions.

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To meet a patient I have never met before, I have to use a significant part of the visit to try to understand the medical history.