WHY in the fux
- Thread starter william13
- Start date
I like to think it is because they don't just allow 15 minutes for each appointment. Waiting does suck, but being told, "I'm sorry.....your time is up", in the middle of trying to remedy your issue would suck even worse.
I always make my appointment for the first one of the day no matter how long I have to wait for that slot. I always get taken within 5 minutes of sitting down. Same goes with the dentist.
The oldest excuse used to be that they got tied up at the hospital or had to attend to an emergency. For most physicians this does not apply anymore. With the advent of Hospitalists, most doctors no longer go to the hospital. That should mean less waiting time in the office but it also means should you be hospitalized a complete stranger will be your doctor. Make an appt with the nurse practitioner instead of the doctor. They can do all the stuff the doctor does, they spend more time with you, answer questions, and are usually more efficient. If they can't handle your need, they talk to the doctor and take care of it. Just a thought.
Yep, I do this as well. I have had afternoon appts before and they are always late.
kneifl
didnt want to wait a month just to tell him going with hip replacement ... was with him 7minutes :facepalm: and he cant get me in till late july fux me ..
- May 18, 2010
- 196
- 5
- 0
Was in the principals office as we were talking about my move from teacher to assistant principal and the secretary walks in and said Dr. So and so is here to speak with you about his daughter and her discipline (long story). Principal tells secretary to tell him to have a seat and wait 45 minutes like he does his patients. Mind you, we were just talking , nothing pressing. I literally laughed and asked if we was going to make him sit and wait, principal just smiles! I ended up leaving his office and not sure what the secretary actually told the Dr., but I did find out that he sat for a loooong time.
I do the same thing with all of our appts too. We usually walk in and they say- go right back. I took a late day appt one time at the OB's office and will never do it again. They were overbooked so I got put in a "closet". This room had all sorts of supplies stored in it and extra machinery. Nurses were coming in to get boxes of gloves and gauze pads while I was sitting in there. It got to be past closing office hours and I was still in there and I heard people leaving for the day. So I finally got up and went to the door and opened it and grabbed the first person I saw. THEY FORGOT ME! They finally tracked the dr down and he finished my appt. I was SO mad.
Insurance reimbursements are dropping lower and lower and the result is more volume for doctors. Cost of education for med school is out of control and it's only going to get worse.
A patient who waits more than 15 mins in saint's office gets a choice of a 10$ starbucks or target gift card :0008 Most importantly I look them in the eye and apologize for being late and let them know their time is valuable and I'm sorry. Can't think of any doc doing that for me.
