Why Good Healthcare Takes Time.

Dr. Ganesa on integrative medicine, patient care,
and the limits of modern consultations

Modern healthcare is built for efficiency.
But patients aren’t.

In most clinical settings, consultations are compressed into short, structured timeframes. Five to ten minutes to assess, diagnose, and prescribe. While this model may serve administrative and financial systems, it often fails the person sitting in the room.

According to Dr. Ganesa, this is where the problem begins.

Problems with Conventional Consultation Models

Short consultations limit care

Short consultations, largely driven by regulatory pressures, financial constraints, and payer models like Medicare, limit a doctor’s ability to genuinely care for patients.

Patients need time to articulate their thoughts and explain complex health challenges. In a 5–10 minute consultation, that simply isn’t possible. As a result, much of the broader context of a patient’s illness is missed.

Holistic care is not possible in brief visits

When time is limited, a doctor is often forced to focus on a single issue.

However, many conditions don’t exist in isolation. Holistic care requires considering multiple, interconnected issues at the same time. Addressing one without acknowledging the others can lead to further complications.

This is particularly relevant for conditions such as mental health disorders, chronic pain, ADHD, and autism, where patients may also find it difficult to quickly articulate what they are experiencing.

Brief visits lead to “band-aid” solutions

Time constraints push medicine toward symptom management rather than identifying and addressing root causes.

If a doctor hears only a partial history within a short consultation, any treatment plan is based on incomplete information. This often results in superficial, short-term solutions and reinforces a transactional model of care.

The Framework for Integrative and “Slow” Medicine

Integrative medicine considers the whole person

Integrative medicine focuses on the whole person; including physical health, mental health, and social factors.

Management may involve conventional medicine, plant-based therapies, naturopathic approaches, and non-pharmacological strategies. The emphasis is on using what is appropriate for the patient, rather than relying on a single modality.

Prioritising the patient’s ‘biggest’ problem

In complex cases, an important starting point is identifying the one change that would have the greatest impact on a patient’s quality of life.

Addressing this primary issue often creates a flow-on effect, making it easier to improve other aspects of health. The goal is to move beyond palliative care and support patients to regain function, re-engage with daily life, and return to the workforce where possible.

Longer consultations enable understanding and trust

Longer consultations - often referred to as “slow medicine” - allow a patient to tell their full story.

This enables a more complete understanding of their situation and supports whole-patient problem solving. It also builds trust and rapport. The relationship moves beyond a transactional interaction, allowing patients to be more open and engaged in their care.

Longer consultations improve outcomes and reduce long-term costs

Spending more time upfront improves diagnostic accuracy and leads to more considered treatment planning.

It reduces reliance on trial-and-error prescribing and can prevent the need for multiple shorter consultations over time. While longer consultations may appear more expensive initially, they often represent a more efficient and effective approach in the long term.