Why People Avoid Going to the Doctor—and What Can Be Done About It

Given the choice between going to the doctor and going on vacation, there’s really no choice to be made. However, many people would even choose a day at work over visiting their physician.

There are many reasons why we avoid the doctor, even though such avoidance can be detrimental to our health. Generally speaking, patients who regularly see a physician—even for preventative maintenance checkups, annual well visits, and regular screenings—tend to be healthier and live longer than those who don’t.

In this blog, we examine various reasons patients avoid going to the doctor, and what can be done to promote access for healthier outcomes.

So Why Do People Avoid Going to the Doctor?

We’ve all heard of physician or nurse burnout, but there’s also such a thing as patient burnout. According to TIME magazine, people are tired of the long wait times, short appointments that can seem impersonal (i.e., the patient wasn’t given enough time to feel fully heard), and high costs of healthcare.

Did you know that the United States spends more per capita on health care than any other developed country in the world but has subpar health outcomes? Sadly, “the average life expectancy is lower in the U.S. than in other wealthy nations, and about 60% of U.S. adults have a chronic disease. About 10% of the population doesn’t have health insurance.”

More reasons people don’t make healthcare appointments

In addition to these facts, there are other reasons people choose to “tough it out” instead of going to the doctor.

These include:

• The burden of trying to navigate the healthcare and insurance systems (usually while not feeling well!)
• The challenge of finding time in our work, parenting, or life schedule for an appointment (do we take a sick day? who watches the kids?)—plus the added weight of trying to find time on the doctor’s calendar
• The high cost of office visits, plus medication, plus treatment (especially for folks who don’t have insurance or are low-insured)
• The worry and fear over what the diagnosis might be
• The stress of the visit itself—many people feel anxious disrobing, being
  examined, or divulging personal information to strangers
• The desire to look “strong” and counting on the symptoms to pass without interventions

Did you know that men traditionally avoid visiting the doctor more than women do? Many men don’t think they need annual screenings either. There are reasons for this.

Patients Avoid Medical Care Due to a Lack of Access

According to a recent report by PBS, “Nearly a third of Americans lack access to primary care services, including routine checkups, while 40 percent of U.S. adults say they’re delaying care or going without because of the financial costs.”

Click to watch a brief video and hear what people around the country have to say about the barriers they face.

The Sol Price School of Public Policy at the University of Southern California has identified three key problems with access to healthcare—and five potential solutions.

Problems with access:

1. High Healthcare Costs
2. Transportation Barriers
3. Implicit Bias and Healthcare Avoidance

Solutions to access:

1. Expand Insurance to Cover Healthcare Costs
2. Extend Telehealth Services
3. Invest in Mobile Clinics
4. Educate the Public About Multiple Healthcare Sites
5. Improve Cultural Responsiveness

Check out USC’s article “How to Improve Access to Health Care” for helpful details and explanations.

Patients With Disabilities Encounter Additional Barriers to Healthcare Access

Some of these barriers are physical in nature and include the following:

• Scales and exam tables that are not height adjustable, making it difficult to transfer from a wheelchair to the scale or table
• X-rays or mammography machines that are not accessible
• Steps or doorways in medical office buildings that are too narrow for wheelchair users, or manual doors that are too heavy to open

For more information on this topic, read “How to Make Healthcare Accessible for All” from the Healthy Aging and Rehabilitation Research Center.

How Your Facility Can Address Patient Burnout

It’s been said you never get a second chance to make a first impression. The aesthetics, design, and layout of your waiting room—and the prompt, courteous service of the front office staff—immediately help make a patient feel welcome and more at ease.

Kind, empathetic, and knowledgeable healthcare professionals who treat patients like people instead of a number make a huge impact on whether a patient feels heard—and whether they will return or find a different provider.

Additionally, proper medical seating that is functional, attractive, comfortable, and easy for the patient to use can make a profound difference in the way a patient feels during their visit.

Champion is leading the way when it comes to engineering medical seating that addresses the range of physical barriers patients face. Our innovative solutions support patients and grant greater utility to providers.

Help calm everyone’s nerves by emphasizing the comfort, convenience, independence, and accessibility of Champion products—like the Augustine recliner.

Browse our digital catalog to view our complete portfolio. For help deciding which products will best benefit your facility, contact us today.