Doctor Rant.

I was suppose to see my PCP today at 1:30 pm. Last Thursday the office called and asked I be there 15 min early because they were updating their systems so I showed up at 1:15. At 2 pm I am still sitting in the waiting room. I go back up to the desk and inform them it is now 30 min past my appointment time and all I get is a generic "Doctor is running late" and learn that there are 3 other people who are also waiting to see her, and I am 3rd in line. At this point I said cancel it I have other things to do and walked out. I really did not have anything else going but after 45 minutes sitting in those chairs I was in major pain

Every time I have an afternoon appointment I have to wait 30-45 minutes past my appointment time to see her. Normally I am taken back to an exam room within 5-10 minutes after I arrive, but it is always at least 30 minutes after my appointment time before she walks in the room. I never have this issue with an AM appointment, but because of my schedule I can rarely schedule them.

I don't know for certain what the deal is, but I suspect that she is going to lunch and not giving a darn about when she returns since this is happens every time.

Why do doctors DEMAND that we honor and respect their time when they refuse to even acknowledge ours? Most offices will cancel your appointment if you are 5 or 10 minutes late. Some will even charge you for the visit.

Jim, I am sorry that doctor's treat their patient's this way. It was a big pet-peeve of mine as a medical assistant and I always tried to apologize to patients when the doctor was running late. It all depends on the doctor the reasons why the afternoon never seems to run on time. Coming from both sides of it, as the patient and a former employee who had to explain the situation both as a receptionist at times and medical assistant, it stinks either way. What gets me is the fee if you are late or cancel your appointment because you sat for 45 minutes waiting to be seen. Their time is valuable, but ours is not? We pay them, and without patients there would be no money. Yet they continue to treat patients as though their comfort and needs mean nothing. It is never going to get better. There is always an excuse, a patient's emergency, a sick appointment someone added simply to get the caller off the phone, a late lunch, emergency call from home, etc.
I try to remember they are people too, but it is hard and ridiculous to be treated that way at every appointment. I would be upset too!
Mindy

I feel for you. My PCP who once canceled my appointment & charged me a $75 late fee b/c I was ONE MINUTE late for my appointment. I'm dead serious. Nobody is that important in my opinion. Made me wait 2 weeks to reschedule, during which time my bronchitis became walking pneumonia.

My PM used to be really bad, too. He'd show up to work 2 hours late & blame it on the commute. Thing is, he lives right around the corner from me so I wasn't having it. He's better now, but I learned that if I could not sit/stand to ask to talk to the nurse urgently. Nurses are nicer & don't care about collecting stupid penalty fees. Usually they are able to find me a place to lie down. The other thing that's helped is bringing cookies for the receptionist & asking what time's the best time to schedule appointments. For my PM, it was right after lunch b/c he'd gobble down a sandwich in 5 minutes in order to try to get back on schedule. But like Mindy said, everyone's different.

 Dear Jim,

    I have had this happen a few times. What I have do is go up to the front office. Tell them that I am terribly sorry, but I have to go pick up the children and have no more time to spare. Then reschedule it while in the office and make sure that the co-pay is credited to the new appointment. If they do not or are combative, ask to speak with a supervisor. There have been many times I get an appointment rescheduled for the next day or 2 days later. Which always frustrates me... when I call in to schedule one, I have to wait anywhere from a week to two weeks      In anycase, I just excuse myself as politely as possible. (which why should I be polite! I'm not slacking off!) and try hard to not give the receptionist a what's what !! When she cannot seem to comprehend why I don't have that much time to spare.

     I understand your frustration all to well. I do realize that there are many people who CAN wait. Being parents, we just do not have that kind of spare time. Ugh, what I hate is being made to wait while I have the little ones with me. Boredom sets in quickly despite the activity bag. You know how much mischief they get into when they are bored.....

     *warm hugg*
            dani

i always call and ask if my dr. is running on time. the answer is usually "no" and they call me back when they have a better idea of when he will actually see me. usually i never have to wait more than a half hour this way when i could be waiting over an hour for any given appt. at least. definitely call ahead before just showing up for your appt. time; especially if it is in the afternoon. There is absolutely no need to wait around the office for that long.

Jim I go to a clinic where the doctor will only do appointments for just that month. Many times when I've called to make an appointment the secretary tells me it's easier just to come in on his walk-in days. Now his walk-in days are Mondays only. He has set appointments already scheduled for that day, but he takes walk-ins also that day. I have had to sit for almost 4 hours, before I could see the nurse who takes me back to be weighed. Then I sit in the exam room for another 30 minutes before he comes in. We talked for maybe five minutes he sends me to get my blood work and then I go home.
You may say why don't you sign up and be the first person in line? I have been the first person standing in line to write my name down on the chart for walk-ins and still sit there for four hours!
Many times I am having to fast for my blood work, so by the time I see him my stomach is complaining so much that he can hear it grumbling. I tell the receptionist that I am there for a fasting blood work and then I need to eat soon. Unfortunately it seems to fall on deaf ears. :-(