<p>I went to a new doc this week. My appointment was for 4:15. I was brought into the examining room at 4:25. The nurse took my vitals, and I sat on the examining table for 30 minutes until the doc came in, introduced himself, and, without saying a word about how long I’d been cooling my heels, proceeded with the purpose of the visit. Now I understand how a doctor can end up spending more time than anticipated with a patient and how, by the end of the day, the timing of appointments can fall apart. But what I can’t understand is why physicians never feel the need to apologize in this situation. A simple “I’m sorry to have kept you waiting” (a phrase my bank teller manages to say when I’ve been standing in line for two minutes) would suffice. But it rarely happens in the medical profession. I would be apologizing profusely if I kept someone waiting for me for a half hour, and I’d feel the need to explain why, too. It’s basic courtesy, for heaven’s sake. But so many physicians seem to think my time is of no value. And most run their practices so that appointments are rarely kept. I think I’d faint dead away if a doctor ever saw me right on time.</p>
<p>I know we have some physicians on the forum. I’d love to hear their defense.</p>
<p>I never hear a pilot apologizing…or a cable installer…or anybody in customer service that has kept me waiting for 93 minutes. I figure if the Dr. is running behind, she or he has a good reason. If the plumber doesn’t apologize, I don’t expect the Dr. to either.</p>
<p>I’m not a physician, but since they all seem to do it, maybe they think we all expect them to run late. I don’t think I have ever had a doctor apologize for walking into an appt late. I am not even sure that when he/she walks in he/she knows what time the appt was. Maybe they are just told which order of rooms to go into, but they don’t know each room’s appt time??? </p>
<p>I also know that doctors are expected to “squeeze in” appts who urgently need to be seen that day and that time with certain patients can run longer than expected. </p>
<p>I guess doctors could just behave like service or delivery folks and give a 4 hour range of when THEY will show up. </p>
<p>I would hope that patients would not blame all doctors for the actions of the few. I apologize frequently for delays even when I am not the cause. I know many physicians who do so. At the same time, I’ve dropped my physicians who have kept me waiting.</p>
<p>Every doctor who has kept me waiting has apologized quite sincerely. Granted, I haven’t seen many, and there have been times I’ve been finished with the appt within 10 minutes of when it was supposed to be (office was running early), so maybe I just don’t have enough experience?</p>
<p>Service people around here apologize if they are late too - and call when they are heading to our place to better pinpoint the timing.</p>
<p>We’re rural, but over half of the doctors I’ve seen haven’t been, so that shouldn’t be a factor.</p>
<p>I agree with M2CK. if a physician is told by staff, after you are done in exam room 2, go to 5…and then the physician picks up the paperwork in the slot outside the door and goes in, do they even know they are a bit late because exam room 2 took a bit longer than was scheduled by the staff?</p>
<p>I hate waiting in the exam room - always feels longer than waiting in the waiting room. So isolated.</p>
<p>I am lucky that our family doctor does not keep people waiting. You come in at your time and no one else is there, or someone is leaving. But she hss a tiny solo practice, with one part time staff.</p>
<p>I had a doctor apologize to me just a couple of months ago. It was a two doctor office and the second doctor was called away for an emergency. So my doctor was covering both doctors’ caseload then. While it was nice to hear the apology, I still did not like waiting the additional hour. Also, this doctor had cancelled my appt twice before and made me reschedule. Plus I really didn’t care for this doctor (first time visit), so I will look for a different practice. Most of the other doctors I see are pretty much on time (within 15 minutes or so)</p>
<p>And yes, I have had pilots apologize. Any time we have been delayed more than a few minutes, the pilot has taken to the intercom to explain and apologize.</p>
<p>Two places I don’t care how long I have to wait…if on a plane and they are checking something…hey, check away. That one loose screw could cause my plane to go down. I also don’t mind waiting in a dr. Office…if the person before me had extra concerns or problems, of course I don’t mind the Dr putting me off for awhile while he tends to the previous patient. Someday, I may be <em>that</em> previous patient that took a little extra time.</p>
<p>For doctor or dentist I wait 15 minutes then tell the receptionist I am busy and will have to leave in 5 minutes unless the appointment begins. So far, they all responded promptly, with an apology, otherwise I would just go. Consistent overbooking is a pretty blatant assertion that their time is worth more than yours (which to them, I guess it is).</p>
<p>How do you know that they overbooked…could it be that the previous patient had some stubborn impacted widom teeth that didn’t come out easily? How about the patient that they had to numb a few extra times because of bad gums not taking the initial injections? What if YOU have a little something that is going to take the dentist 10 extra minutes? Sheesh, you are making that next patient wait! Dentistry or Medicine is not a timed science.</p>
<p>I’ve had doctors apologize. My eye doctor tends to run late and usually apologizes if the wait was long. My GP is usually on schedule or pretty darn close but has apologized when he is behind. </p>
<p>My dentist is always prompt which is part of why I like him. </p>
<p>I often call their office and ask the receptionist if the doctor is “running on time”. I adjust accordingly. I had one pediatrician for my children where every visit was an absolute nightmare - waiting time of 45 minutes to an hour every single time. I couldn’t take it and after about 6 months just switched to another pediatric doctor. IF you are that shorthanded, hire another doctor or physicians assistant. For routine matters, I never mind seeing the PA. </p>
<p>I think unanticipated delays are inevitable, but I agree that saying something - such as “thank you for waiting” would go a long way. I’m not an MD, but perhaps some are reading it. </p>
<p>OP, the length of time you had to wait happens to me more often than not. Anything less than that is thrilling to me.</p>
<p>A few months ago I was rushed to a doctor’s office to be seen immediately, even though I didn’t have an appointment. Two days later I was in the same office for a followup, and the wait was over an hour long before being taken to the exam room. Other patients were complaining, but I explained that it was probably because they had taken an emergency patient, just as they had for me, and that I was much more patient (no pun intended), due to that experience. This was for a retina specialist, and he did have signs posted that the wait may be long due to unexpected emergencies.</p>
<p>I have the worst luck with doctor/dentist appointments. Whether I’m seeing my internist, gyn, a specialist, an oral surgeon, whomever - I wait and wait. In fairness, though, I’ll say that none of my docs ever rush me through my appointment. (Except for the ophthalmologist, whose office is always full, yet who almost always sees me within 10 minutes of the scheduled time.)</p>
<p>I think it’s reasonable - not enjoyable, not optimal, but reasonable - to wait 20 minutes between the appointment time and when the MD walks into the exam room. Beyond 30 minutes is justification for the patient walking out, imo. Though then the office may refuse to reschedule an appointment. It’s hard to find MDs you like, so maybe people need to take into account what they get from their MDs and calculate whether the wait is worth it. It might be.
I</p>
<p>And another word for present and future MD’s from someone old enough to remember the old days before 3rd party payers and hospitals highly influenced medicine. ( this is not a political statement on the current ACA- not intended to start a political discussion- 3rd party payers have been involved long before that). It has always been common to wait in doctors’ offices, sometimes very long times, but that is because each patient took as long as needed to be seen. People may have griped about waiting, but they were willing to do it because they knew their doctor cared about them. </p>
<p>Now, doctor visits are timed and coded for billing. If someone is hospitalized- they see a hospitalist- someone employed by the hospital and not their regular doctor. The focus is on evidence based research- the science of medicine. This can be a good thing. Better to see a good impersonal doctor than someone incompetent who is friendly. However, it can also feel cold and automated. </p>
<p>The era of managed care is here to stay. However, somewhere, there can be room for the personal touch. One moment of sincere caring- and a few considerate words- can go a long way. </p>
<p><<<
if a physician is told by staff, after you are done in exam room 2, go to 5…and then the physician picks up the paperwork in the slot outside the door and goes in, do they even know they are a bit late because exam room 2 took a bit longer than was scheduled by the staff?</p>
<br>
<br>
<p>I am also not sure if perhaps staff use a triage approach sometimes. The nurse comes in and get some info. So maybe she bumps Exam room 2 because the very sick person in Exam room 5 needs to be seen immediately…even tho that person’s appt was later? </p>
<p>I just assume that a doctor’s visit is going to take most of a morning or most of an afternoon. And as GAmom says, at some point, we may need the extra time which causes others to wait.</p>
<p>Well, a few years ago I went off on a doc who kept a family member waiting for well over an hour and then had next to nothing to offer in terms of medical help. Yes, I know it’s not always easy but seriously we could have stayed home. Then he apologized, but more interestingly the physician seemed to have no idea that the waiting room was overflowing with people and they were so far behind schedule. There were 2 doctors and they actually came out and looked. Around here it is very common for a number of people to show up for a 4 o’clock appointment. so, obviously there will be awaiting. I have adjusted.</p>