This “field guide” is intended to help you make sense of your health insurance, navigate the healthcare system, and get the most from your doctors’ visits.

If you find the American healthcare system complicated and confusing, you’re not the only one.

Our goal is to make your life a little easier by taking a fresh look at:

• Choosing a good doctor
• Making the most of the time with your healthcare provider
• Deciphering health insurance

Choosing a doctor. Just as baseball players are not all equally skilled, the training and abilities of physicians vary dramatically. Although baseball players have statistics that are easy to understand, statistics on physicians are definitely more complicated. This section will provide insight to help you select your primary care doctor and your personal medical team.

Understanding the economics of medicine. Medical reimbursement and Medicare payments have not increased significantly in the past 20 years. However, medical inflation has increased by about 4% a year. To pay the bills, physicians need to see more patients in the same amount of time. Doctors now spend an average of 16 minutes per patient, according to a recent study. In an average visit with a doctor, review of the patient’s chart consumes five minutes, documentation takes four, and treatment planning takes three minutes, which leaves only four minutes for you.

As an educated and informed healthcare consumer, you will be better able to navigate the fragmented healthcare system and form partnerships with your doctors. The goal of this insight is improved outcomes for you and your family.