Waiting to see the doctor? Patients can help:

Dr. Molly Katz, president of the Ohio State Medical Association, said patients share some blame.

“If you know you’ve got a major issue that you’re ready to talk about and know it’s going to take some time, let us know,” said Katz, a Cincinnati obstetrician. “Otherwise, we’re behind the rest of the day.”

Physicians, she said, aren’t like other professionals who schedule blocks of time and stick to the clock.

“This is a difficult business “” this is your health,” Katz said. “Some people are going to need a little more time. They speak slower. You have to listen. You have to hear what they have to say.”