What Takes 90 Minutes at the Doctor?
You’re used to 15-minute appointments where your doctor barely looks up from their computer. So when you hear that some practices offer 90-minute first consultations, it sounds almost ridiculous.
What could a doctor possibly do for an hour and a half? If you’re searching for “top rated concierge doctors near me,” you’ve probably seen these extended appointments advertised.
Here’s what actually happens during those 90 minutes and whether it’s just extra time or genuinely different care.
How Does the First Half Hour Actually Work?
Most traditional doctors spend about 7 minutes reviewing your chart before you walk in. That’s according to a 2018 study in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
With a 90-minute consultation, your doctor typically spends 30-45 minutes just reviewing your medical history before you even arrive.
They’re reading through previous test results, hospital records, specialist notes, and medication lists. They’re looking for patterns you might not have noticed.
That knee pain you mentioned three years ago? They’ve already connected it to the inflammatory markers in your recent blood work.
When you actually sit down with the doctor, they already know your story. You’re not starting from scratch explaining your entire medical history to someone flipping through papers. They’ve done their homework.
The first part of your actual appointment focuses on what brought you there. But instead of rushing through your chief complaint, the doctor lets you talk.
Research from Johns Hopkins found that most doctors interrupt patients within 11 seconds of them starting to explain their symptoms. In a 90-minute appointment, you get to finish your sentences.
What Happens During the Physical Exam?
Here’s where you see the biggest difference from regular appointments. A thorough physical exam should take 20-30 minutes. Most primary care visits allocate about 5 minutes for this.
Your doctor will check things that usually get skipped. They’ll examine your skin thoroughly, not just glance at visible areas.
They’ll check your feet, your joints, your posture. They’ll listen to your heart from multiple positions, not just two quick spots with a stethoscope.
They have time to notice things. That slight tremor in your hands. The way you favor one leg when you stand.
The yellowing in the whites of your eyes that might indicate liver issues. These details get missed in rushed appointments.
For women over 40 and men over 50, this exam often includes screening discussions that go beyond “you should get a colonoscopy.
Your doctor explains what different screening tests actually look for and helps you decide which ones make sense for your specific risk factors.
| Appointment Component | Traditional Visit (15 min) | Extended Consultation (90 min) |
| Pre-appointment chart review | 5-7 minutes | 30-45 minutes |
| Patient history discussion | 3-5 minutes | 15-20 minutes |
| Physical examination | 5 minutes | 20-30 minutes |
| Treatment planning | 2-3 minutes | 15-20 minutes |
| Questions and follow-up | 1-2 minutes | 10-15 minutes |
What About Your Family History and Lifestyle?
You know those intake forms that ask about your family’s health history? Most doctors skim them quickly or don’t look at them at all during your visit. In a 90-minute consultation, this section gets serious attention.
Your doctor will ask specific questions about when your relatives developed certain conditions, not just whether they had them.
If your mom had breast cancer at 35 versus 65, that changes your risk profile significantly. They’ll map out patterns of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer in your family to identify what you should watch for.
The lifestyle discussion goes deeper too. Instead of “do you exercise?” you get questions about what your typical day looks like. How much you sit.
What you eat for breakfast. Whether you have trouble sleeping. How much stress you’re dealing with at work.
This isn’t just small talk. A 2019 study in JAMA Internal Medicine found that lifestyle factors account for about 60% of premature deaths from chronic diseases.
Your doctor is trying to identify modifiable risks before they become actual health problems.
They’ll ask about your mental health without making it feel like an afterthought. Depression and anxiety screening happens naturally within the conversation, not as a checkbox item where you fill out a form in the waiting room.
How Do They Create Your Health Plan?
This is where the extra time really matters. Instead of handing you a prescription and a list of instructions as you’re walking out the door, your doctor spends 15-20 minutes working with you to create a realistic plan.
If you need to lose weight, they’re not just telling you to “eat better and exercise more.” They’re asking what obstacles you face.
Do you hate cooking? Work night shifts? Have knee pain that makes walking difficult? Your plan accounts for your actual life, not an ideal version of it.
When you need medication, your doctor explains what it does in plain language. They’ll discuss side effects you might actually experience, not just rattle off every possible adverse reaction from the package insert. They’ll tell you what to do if the medication doesn’t work or causes problems.
You get time to ask questions without feeling like you’re holding up a packed waiting room. And your doctor can answer those questions thoroughly instead of rushing through them.
What Top Rated Concierge Doctors Near Me Actually Document?
Here’s something most patients don’t think about: documentation. Your doctor is writing detailed notes about everything discussed during your 90-minute visit.
Traditional doctors spend about 2 hours on computer documentation for every 1 hour of patient care, according to research published in Health Affairs.
They’re clicking boxes and filling fields to satisfy billing requirements and electronic health record mandates.
In an extended consultation, your doctor still has to document everything, but they can do it more thoughtfully. They’re writing notes that will actually be useful for your future care, not just checking boxes for insurance companies.
This documentation becomes the foundation for your ongoing care. When you come back in six months, your doctor can reference specific conversations you had, goals you set, and concerns you raised. You’re not starting over every visit.
What Happens at the End?
The last 10-15 minutes focus on next steps. Your doctor schedules any needed tests or specialist referrals. They discuss when you should come back and what to watch for in the meantime.
You leave with a clear plan that you helped create. You understand what each recommendation is for and why it matters for your specific situation.
That’s very different from leaving a traditional appointment with a handful of prescriptions and instructions you’re not quite sure about.
Most practices send you home with a summary of your visit. This isn’t just a bill or a list of prescriptions.
It’s a written recap of what was discussed, what tests were ordered, and what the follow-up plan looks like.
Does the Extra Time Actually Improve Your Health?
The research on this is still developing, but early studies show promising results. A 2020 analysis found that patients in practices offering extended consultations had better medication adherence and fewer emergency room visits compared to patients in traditional practices.
That makes sense when you think about it. If you actually understand your treatment plan and feel like you participated in creating it, you’re more likely to follow through.
The 90-minute consultation isn’t about making you feel special or giving you luxury healthcare.
It’s about having enough time to practice medicine the way it should be practiced—thoroughly, thoughtfully, and focused on you as an individual rather than as a diagnosis code.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do concierge doctors need 90 minutes for a first appointment?
Answer: Because they spend 30–45 minutes reviewing your entire medical history beforehand, then use the remaining time for a thorough discussion, deep physical exam, lifestyle review, and personalized planning—none of which can fit into a rushed 15-minute visit.
What actually makes the physical exam in a concierge visit different?
Answer: Instead of a quick 5-minute check, you get a 20–30 minute exam where the doctor checks your skin, joints, posture, heart from multiple angles, and subtle signs like tremors or eye discoloration—details often missed in traditional visits.
How does a longer appointment improve the accuracy of my health plan?
Answer: Your doctor uses the extra time to understand your family history, lifestyle habits, stress levels, sleep, and daily routine, then builds a plan that fits your real life—not generic advice like “eat better and exercise.”
What kind of documentation do concierge doctors create?
Answer: They write detailed, thoughtful notes—not just insurance checkboxes. These notes record your goals, concerns, and discussions so your next visit starts with continuity instead of repeating your story.
Does a 90-minute consultation actually improve health outcomes?
Answer: Early research says yes. Patients receiving extended consultations show better medication adherence and fewer emergency room visits because they understand their treatment plans and feel fully involved in their care.
