I think it's important for the doc to get to know you, and 5-10 minute visits are definitely not enough time for that. Even if you're well-organized it's not enough time to describe your symptoms and for them to figure out how things are affecting your life.

At present I spend 1/2 hr with my doc, once a month. He bills my insurance for a med management visit and also for "psychotherapy." There's no therapy that happens during the visit, it's really just an extended med review visit. But it's enough time for me to say what I need and for him to organize the scripts to write. I think it's a good balance. I've been to docs before who do the 5-10 minute visits, and they've not been able to detect my crashing and burning under their care.

One thing I've found tremendously helpful is to write down my symptoms and the effect each med is having on me, and if I think something needs to be adjusted. I do this while I'm sitting in the waiting room before my appointment. During the discussion with my doc, I'm able to refer to the list and ensure we're covering each item. It's not extensive, just a back-of-the-envelope sketch of symptoms and meds. This can also help during a 5-15 minute med management discussion, as you can stick to your list and ensure you've discussed each item with your doc. I'd strongly recommend everyone do this. If I don't show up prepared, my doc and I tend to run down rabbit trails and side discussions, and we can run out of time before getting to everything, or I forget where I wanted to go with the discussion. It also helps ensure I get the refills I need, as I mark each one of those and make sure the doc knows.

Good luck with your doc. If you're not satisfied with their care, definitely open up the search to find someone who is a better fit.