An excellent post from Doctor V. I truly think this begins with scheduling. I have worked with physicians who regularly overbook their schedule; their care suffers. They don't think it does; they tell themselves that they are doing a service to their patients by squeezing an urgent appointment in, but neither is true. Good medicine takes time. Avoiding passing on secondhand stress is partially about mindfulness and focus when you walk in the exam room door, but this is certainly better accomplished when you aren't thinking about the 5 other patients already waiting.