Are doctors charging patients for telephone consultations these days?

Question

I've noticed that lawyers charge me for fractions of an hour if I call with questions. I returned many calls from patients with questions during my 20 years as a physician, and we had no charge for this. I just wonder if this has changed in the few years since I retired?

It would often take me one to two hours to return all the calls at the end of the day. Most of these were not emergencies and came in after hours through the on call operator. I wonder if people realize the hours that doctors put in without pay?

I do suspect this question will provoke the anger of so many who think that all doctors are overpaid already. There are a surprising number of people who do not realize that many doctors in tough specialties like pediatrics and family medicine are not making a great deal of money.

Answer 1

I have a wonderful OBGYN and Pediatrician who have never charged, nor acted like it was any trouble, for phone consultations.  Furthermore, when my father was suffering from end stage cancer, I must have talked to our family physician at least once a day.  He was wonderful and did everything he could to try to help my father through his final days.  He even once offered to come out to the car to give my dad his flu shot so he didn't have to come in the building.

Answer 2

Physicians deserve to be compensated for their time.  You know many times we aren't.

Maybe we should have gone into law... then we could charge for things like making photocopies, reading email or talking on the phone.  It's just the whole "selling your soul" thing I'm uncomfortable with.... :)

Answer 3

The Specialists who tended to my ailing husband went out of his way to call back whenever I would call with a question,,,with out charge,,,

  Although a family physician did charge a fee to make a call back on a question of symptoms

Answer 4

Several decades back I served as secretary for our local pediatric society, and I saw old minutes where the same question was debated as early as 1944.

In the 1970s, one local group began charging for phone calls. Their senior pediatrician said after six months they made $20,000 in billings and thrice that in ill will.

In former times doctors could set their own fees, and build into them intangibles such as phone calls. No way can we do this with managed care.

My former office of 11 pediatricians currently pays $2500 per month for phone lines, plus $600 per month for pagers. There are some additional charges for Voice Mail and of course the salaries of the operator, aides and nurses to man the lines. So it's a considerable expense to stay in contact.

I think the time will come when doctors will charge for phone calls, and the process will NOT be spearheaded by pediatricians and family medicine specialists.

Answer 5

Attorneys charge for their cognitive work, so theoretically physicians should be able to do the same. I don't know of any that do, though. I think it is a matter of tradition.  Funny thing is, people don't mind the Lawyer charging them, but get angry if a physician does. I don't think it will become a common practice.

Answer 6

It seems to be catching on but is still unusual.

I suspect most people don't think about how we get paid. As an emergency physician, I'm particularly enamoured of Uncle Sam's allowing me to be underpaid by Medicare and Medicaid if I only agree to work for free on people who aren't able to pay. What a deal!

Answer 7

I suppose a consultation is a consultation personal or email or telephone. So why not charge it too?

(I am no consultant....)

Answer 8

some might but i just recently just had (still do) an infection from an ingrown toenail (sorry to gross you out lol)  so i called a doctor free of charge. :D

Answer 9

most don't make the calls -they have assistants who do the job.

Answer 10

Either the doctor or his or her nurse usually calls the patient back.  I've never heard of them charging for such a thing.  I guess they could ask the patient to come in so they could get an office visit out of them but even then  with insurance and Medicare what it is they limit the number of visits (like they pay you anything for it anyway)

It's tough to be a doctor.  I can't tell you how many I know that have given up practicing to work for insurance companies (the devil) or work for some group or company instead of just being in private practice.

My Grandpa and Great Grandpa were both doctors but times have changed since then!  Maybe socialized health care is the answer.  That if your rich and CAN pay for it you'll have to wait and get the same treatment as everyone else :-)