Focusing excessively on efficiency can be dehumanizing and lead to a loss of staff morale and patient satisfaction. The purpose of time management is to help you to function with a minimum of turmoil and wasted effort. When your work is no longer satisfying, it may be time to back off a bit and smell the roses. A closing thought Sometimes planning, hoping and dreaming need to give way to hard reality. Medicine is a rewarding but demanding profession.
Patient care takes time and concentration.
There will be days, even in the most efficient practices, when the work can't be done in time to get home for dinner at the scheduled hour. Dr. Gillette is a semi-retired family physician and family practice teacher and a member of the Family Practice Management Board of Editors. A person viewing it online may make one printout of the material and may use that printout only for his or her personal, non-commercial reference.