“By the way, Doc, why am I tired, what’s this lump and how do I get rid of my headaches?”

Every patient encounter is a potential deadly disease, disastrous outcome or even a malpractice suit. As doctors, we need to have our wits about us, as we continually are asked to sort the wheat from the chaff when patients unload their concerns — big and small — on us during our 15-minute visits.

But something is keeping us from listening to our patients with our full attention, and that something, in my opinion, is not doctor work, but nurse work, or even tasks for unlicensed staff: our public health to-do list is choking us.

You don’t need a medical degree to encourage people to get flu and tetanus shots, CSTs, breast, colon and lung cancer screening, to quit smoking, see their eye doctor or get some more blood pressure readings before your next appointment.