Commentary
While a change in the medical practice culture, medical doctors are beginning to charge for time spent on direct-to-patient communications. It’s no surprise. The changes expressed in this NBC report help establish comfortable precedents for veterinary professionals in the future.
Attorneys have long charged for their time, often charging a minimum of five to seven minutes based on their hourly rates for answering phone calls or responding to emails. Research published in 2014 showed answering an email can eat up 25 minutes <Link>. Advertising agencies also record and charge for time interacting with their clients.
According to a University of California-Irvine study, regaining our initial momentum following an interruption can take, on average, upwards of 20 minutes. <Link>
Source: NBC News, February 3, 2023. Link. (2:34)
INSIGHTS: Our time is the most valuable asset we have available. Reasonably charging for professional time committed to communication is an important consideration as we transition toward increasing veterinary virtual care.