Last week, as I sat “patiently” awaiting my specialist doctor, I took out my pad and wrote this entry. Writing this blog saved me having to find another specialist doctor to consult… I didn’t fancy the idea of having to find a psychologist/counselor, so I wrote this entry instead!
I am sitting in one of my “specialty doctors” waiting room right now…. wondering. Hmmm… “Wondering”?!? No, I’m not wondering about my health – which would be a logical thing to be wondering while sitting in a doctor’s waiting room. Nope! I’m wondering what makes him so important that he can schedule three patients to be seen at the very same time!?! Hmmm….
I’m wondering why this doctor has a sign-up sheet that says patients will be charged and rescheduled for an appointment if they arrive fifteen minutes late for their scheduled appointment. I’m wondering why he doesn’t have an area on the sign-up sheet that specifies the time your appointment is for — as if you can’t (or won’t) ask the other waiting patients what time their appointments are scheduled.
I guess that the fact that the doctor went to all of those years of medical school, residency, internship, specialty training, etc., is the reason. But, I just don’t get the logic behind that reason.
It seems to me that when patients and insurance companies are paying so much for the given services, the doctor is the service provider who should be on his “best behavior.” When did service providers become oblivious to simple courtesy? Gone are the years when a doctor who kept you waiting actually apologized upon entering the room. Now, not only do you wait in the waiting room, but you also wait in the little cubicle exam room… and then the doctor comes in and rushes through your appointment time because he feels like he is running late. He is! But, the remedy to always feeling like you’re running late is: don’t schedule three patients for the same fifteen minute block!!!
When I complain about such small irritations to my husband (since I don’t have the nerve to complain to the doctor) his response is always the same: “Why are you in such a hurry?” followed by “You would never make it in the work force today.” My response is always the same: “Thanks for listening. If I can’t complain to you, then who?”
Boy do I feel better after writing this off-Cozy Mystery subject entry! It saves me from hearing my husband’s “same old-same old” response!
Maria BearMountainBooks says
That happened to me. I changed doctors until I found one that didn’t do that (the last one had 5 of us scheduled at one time. I waited over an hour before seeing the doctor.) The one before that–I deliberately scheduled it right after their lunch hour, thinking I’d be first. Yeah. Me and 3 other women were waiting at the locked office door for a 1 o’clock appt–all scheduled for the same time. And the “office” didn’t have the courtesy to open the door until 1:20. I never went back there.
It is hard to find a doctor that works a little better, but it’s possible. You can also try to get a “first” appt in the morning. It helps. And it isn’t always avoidable because most doctors do that sort of thing these days, but you can certainly let the doctor know that it bothers you.
You’d do fine in the work force. You’d just be one of the good ones that tried to be ontime.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Hi Maria,
Doesn’t that beat all?!? I bet you (and the other 3 women scheduled for the first appointment after lunch) didn’t get an apology for keeping you waiting. You were very lucky to finally find a doctor who actually cares enough about his/her patients to not be so rude… How do they expect to get accurate blood pressure readings right when you get into the exam room >>> after waiting an hour because of their rudeness!?!
You would be surprised! I scheduled my first three appointments with this particular doctor to be the first appointment of his day… and I actually had to wait longer then than I have ever had to wait for him. I think that when this particular doctor “starts his day” at 9:00, that means he gets into the office way past 9:00, and then has his scheduled office staff meetings. Of course, then it’s all a chance of which of the three or four scheduled first-appointment patients beat the others to his office so that they can wait in line to sign in. UNBELIEVABLE!
While I’m into my complaint groove… What ever happened to the office always being “manned” during lunch time? Before I started teaching school, I had jobs in offices… way back before telephone answering machines and lunchtime “locked door policies”… At least one person had to stay in the office to accommodate the clients!!!
Maria BearMountainBooks says
I think the problem is that there aren’t enough doctors–ie there are more patients than doctors and the doctors don’t feel the least bit competitive. I’m not sure if they care one way or the other if you take your business elsewhere.
Sometimes finding a doctor that is newer or just opened an office helps, but mostly it’s just like anything else–a lot of research and trial and error.
The thing is, I don’t feel confident in a doctor’s diagnosis if they treat their business that way. If I’m just an appt that isn’t even important, how much attention are they paying to me when I tell them what is going on?
My feelings on this have born out–not only in getting good treatment but in requesting records. When I’ve requested my records from offices that were run worse than a mechanic’s shop, it turns out that my records “disappeared” or were “incomplete” or “you never had that test.”
Moral of the story: Always get copies of your records and tests. If you don’t like the way an office is run or the doctor’s manner, keep looking and find another one!!!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
I agree with getting records. The last time I requested my records, I was told it would cost me $25…
Artzymom says
I seem to always have that kind of doctor. We have to take time off work, schedule kids activities around them and all kinds of workarounds to get and keep appointments only to sit and wait for them. I grew up with a PCP that was always over scheduled, he DID let you know he was sorry and did take the time to listen to you and what you wanted to say/find out/question. (Thus I always take reading material with me!) Tho’ it took a couple of hours, I feel he spoiled us by being a doctor who listened. These days, you have to trip most of them as they’re running out the door just to ask them simplest questions.
Thank you for this website. I found it today and plan to be a regular visitor. Looking for new authors and books just became soooooo easy. I may make my goal of reading at least a book a week this summer. JS
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Hi Artzymom,
First of all, welcome to the site.
I love your “your have to trip most of them as they’re running out the door” comment! Isn’t that the truth>>> I absolutely hate it when I feel like I am imposing on the doctors because they are trying to “make up time” by hurrying.
Dru says
My limit for waiting is 30 minutes and then I leave.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Dru, I wish I could do that…
My insurance company makes me go through my primary doctor. If I walked out after a 30 minute wait, then I’d have to go back to my primary and get another referral…
Maria BearMountainBooks says
Ah, but you can complain to your insurance company. (First let your doctor know.) And to get another referral, you shouldn’t have to do more than call the primary and tell him what happened and ASK for another referral. Most of them will work with you on that.
Either way, good luck with it. Been there. Done that. Will probably be there again…
linda says
One thing that ticks me off with the doctor’s appointments here is I can be early or on time for my appointment and more often than not have to wait. But just let ME be LATE and then I either have to make another appointment for another day, or wait until all the other people have been seen? If I have to make another appointment then I have to pay for the one that I was late for!! Just griping!
It’s a rainy Monday morning here in Ohio. I need to go to the library and I am just going through some of your old blogs until it’s time for me to go. Love your site!