Does Extra Time with the Doctor Translate to Better Chronic Disease Results?
Yes, overwhelmingly. The core benefit of Reduced patient panels (typically 400–600 patients versus 2,500+) is the ability to shift care from reactive "sick care" to proactive, comprehensive management. When treating chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension, asthma, or heart disease, extra time is used for in-depth patient education and sustainable behavioral modification, not just hurried medication adjustments.
The physician can delve deeply into root causes, meticulously analyzing nutrition, sleep patterns, stress levels, environmental factors, and exercise habits. This extended coaching provides the necessary motivation and accountability, fostering a true partnership between doctor and patient. This results in higher patient adherence to complex treatment plans, more effective and lasting lifestyle changes, significantly fewer preventable emergency room visits, and measurable, documented improvements in critical clinical outcomes (e.g., lower A1C levels, better controlled blood pressure, and stabilized cholesterol).
