How More Time With Your Doctor Leads to Better Health Outcomes
When it comes to your health, time matters. Dr. Kelli Peiffer shares how longer visits, deeper conversations, and real doctor-patient relationships lead to earlier diagnoses, better prevention, and more confidence in your care.
Last updated October 2025
At West Side Concierge Medicine, one of the first things new patients notice is the time we spend together. It surprises many people how different it feels when they're not rushing through an appointment or worrying about how many minutes are left.
The truth is, time changes everything in healthcare. When a doctor can listen fully, think deeply, and follow up personally, it not only changes how patients feel—it changes what we discover, how we treat, and ultimately, the outcomes we achieve together.
Why Rushed Appointments Have Become the Norm
Most traditional primary care physicians see more than 2,000 patients. That kind of volume leaves very little time for listening or connecting. The average visit in a traditional setting lasts only 10 to 15 minutes. By the time a patient shares their primary concern, there's often no time left for follow-up questions, prevention, or education.
It's no surprise that so many people leave appointments feeling unheard or uncertain. When healthcare becomes a series of brief check-ins, it's easy for early warning signs to be missed or for patients to downplay symptoms that seem "minor."
I frequently observed this pattern during my years in traditional practice. I wanted to give more attention to each person sitting in front of me, but the system's structure made that nearly impossible. That realization led me to create West Side Concierge Medicine—a model designed around time, access, and connection.
What Happens When You Have More Time
In my Fairlawn practice, new patient visits typically last an hour or longer. That time allows for thoughtful, two-way conversations that explore your comprehensive health picture, including your symptoms, lifestyle, mental health, nutrition, sleep, stress, and goals.
Longer visits create space for understanding—not just the "what" of your health concerns, but the "why." We can review previous results in detail, dig deeper into changes that have occurred over time, and look at how multiple factors interact.
For example, a patient may come in for fatigue and assume it's simply part of aging. In a rushed appointment, that might be where the conversation ends. However, during a longer visit, we can also explore additional factors, such as sleep habits, medication side effects, thyroid function, iron levels, and hormone balance. Over time, those connections become clearer, leading to more informed answers and more effective care.
The Power of Listening
Time allows for something that's often missing in modern healthcare—listening. When patients feel heard, they share more details, ask better questions, and become true partners in their care.
Recently, a patient mentioned in passing that her heart sometimes "fluttered" when she was anxious. In a shorter visit, it might have been dismissed as a stress-related issue. Instead, we took a few extra minutes to discuss it. That conversation led to testing that revealed an underlying arrhythmia that required treatment.
Moments like that are powerful reminders that listening isn't just kind—it's diagnostic. The smallest comments can lead to meaningful discoveries when there's time to explore them.
Better Prevention Starts With Unhurried Care
Preventive care is most effective when it's consistent, proactive, and personalized. That takes time. In a longer appointment, we can review your health trajectory—not just your numbers from this year, but how they've changed over time.
We can also take the time to talk through what prevention really looks like for you. Perhaps that means early screening for heart disease due to a family history. Maybe it's addressing perimenopausal symptoms that are affecting your quality of life. Or it's designing a plan to manage stress and sleep before it impacts your physical health.
These discussions rarely occur in brief appointments, but they're essential for maintaining long-term health.
Why Continuity Matters as Much as Time
More time during each visit is only part of the equation. In concierge medicine, that time is paired with ongoing communication and continuity of care. When you have direct access to your doctor, minor issues can be addressed before they turn into larger problems.
Patients can reach me by phone, text, or secure message with questions, updates, or concerns. That means no waiting weeks for a callback or struggling through automated systems. It also means we can adjust care plans in real time, based on what's working or not working for you.
This kind of communication ensures consistent care and reduces the stress that comes from feeling "on your own" between visits.
How Time Impacts Health Outcomes
Research consistently shows that patient outcomes improve when doctors spend more time with their patients. Studies published in journals like Family Medicine and The Journal of General Internal Medicine have found that longer visits are associated with better chronic disease control, fewer emergency visits, and higher patient satisfaction.
Those results make sense when you consider what time allows us to do:
Identify subtle warning signs earlier.
Catch medication side effects before they escalate.
Build trust that encourages honest communication.
Develop personalized prevention strategies that are effective.
In my practice, I've seen patients lower their blood pressure through lifestyle adjustments, discover underlying autoimmune issues that had gone unnoticed, and feel more confident managing long-term conditions—all because there was enough time to explore their whole story.
(For additional information about the benefits of longer visits, see research from the American Academy of Family Physicians and the National Institutes of Health.)
Personalized Primary Care in Fairlawn
Every patient deserves a doctor who knows them—not just their chart. That's what personalized primary care is all about. By slowing down the pace and focusing on the individual, we can align care with your life, values, and goals.
At West Side Concierge Medicine, we create personalized care plans that reflect your unique needs and aspirations for your health. That might mean managing perimenopause symptoms with evidence-based hormone therapy, coordinating care for a chronic condition, or simply staying on top of preventive screenings. The foundation is always the same: time to listen, time to think, and time to follow through.
If you've ever left a doctor's office feeling like there wasn't enough time to ask your questions or share your whole story, concierge medicine can be a meaningful change.
Choosing Care That Puts Time on Your Side
Healthcare doesn't have to feel rushed or reactive. When there's time to build connection and trust, the experience changes—for both the patient and the physician.
At West Side Concierge Medicine, you're never just another name on a schedule. You're a partner in your care. Every visit, every question, and every plan starts with a straightforward principle: time well spent leads to better health.
If you're ready for a more thoughtful approach to your health, I invite you to schedule a complimentary meet-and-greet.
Call 330-593-CARE (2273) or visit www.wscmakron.com to learn more about concierge primary care in Fairlawn and Akron.
