Is it possible to find doctor who keeps appointments?
 

I just caused a scene at my doctor's office and the whole waiting room got to watch. Appt. was for 9:15am. At 9:30 I went to ask if I would be seen in the next five min. They said they couldn't tell me. I complained that this happens every time and that I needed to get back to work (or back to my laptop to b!tch about it on Pelican). Lady said she'd check with the office mgr. to see if any other doctor coud get me in right away. Office mgr. came back and said it could 15-30 min. I said, "Then why was my appt. at 9:15?" She didn't like that one bit and suggested I reschedule for the first appt. of the day. I asked what good that would do, since they don't seem ever able to keep appointments.

In a raised tone, I reassured her and all the other staffers watching that I liked that doctor and that everyone in that office is very nice and helpful, but that they need to respect my time, just as I show up for all appointments on time. I told her it looked like they wouldn't be too impacted by my going elsewhere. She asked if I wanted too reschedule. I said no and walked out.

Now, how do I find a good doctor that keep his appointments? I need to get some Ambien for two upcoming trans-Pacific flights. And I don't think I want my blood pressure checked after this episode.

Why not just drive down south over the border to get your Ambien?

If I'm complaining about wasting my time, a 6-7 hour round trip drive isn't the solution.

Yeah, but you could load up on some 'other' stuff, too. :D

a doctor's office is pretty much the only place i dont complain about timeliness. i imagine some doctors could be idiots that cannot manage time, but i suspect it could also be that some other patient is having a much worse day than mine and it is taking up more of the doc's time.

when i went in after a ride in an ambulance from my motorcycle crash, the doc said..i'll be right back to give you something for the pain. he was gone forever. i started making a stink, loud!! the nurse came back and told me to calm down. the doc was trying to save some guys life.

my broken leg and pain seemed really insignificant after that.

i dont sleep on planes. ever. i cant. i'll watch all the movies. last time from bangkok to taiwan to SF..i think i stayed awake something like 34 hours. i still couldnt sleep.

Mr. Hand.......... isn't it "our"time??

No. :mad: (Unless you hire a private doctor to come to your home $$$). Reality: your "appointment" means nothing! Its just a time for you to come in and wait in line. If you come later than your scheduled time you still go to the back of the line.

How about 45 minutes? My doctor runs on time. He recently told me that he made a vow to himself when he was in medical school that he wouldn't keep people waiting. This was brought up at my last visit when he apologized for coming into the exam room at 9:05 for my 9:00 appointment.

And yet, if you are late or totally miss your appointment due to stuff happening at work, in traffic, etc. then they charge you ...

I can understand er docs, surgeons, etc. missing due to emergency stuff happening, and a regular appointment is much less important that saving someones life... BUT... with all the communications available they should be able to notify the office (or have someone do it) and the office should start cancelling appointments and rescheduling them...

I waited on a Dr. and he pushed me back an hour.


I spoke with him in the examination room in a polite manner and gave him my phone #

I explained to him that I will leave now and that the next time that we arrange a time that he could call me to confirm and I would be there in 15 minutes.

It set him back some but it worked.

So what happens if you go to his office with an unscheduled emergency, and they say "Sorry we can't fit you in, it will delay the string of scheduled patients ahead of you."

I don't mind waiting if it isn't an emergency. If you like the doc, bring a book or magazine to read.

Lee, yes, I would do that. Please PM me his info.

It's not a matter of prioritizing or triage'ing patients here. This isn't an ER or urgent care facility.

They called me last week and said they can see me at 9:15 on Friday. They left me a vm two days ago confirming my appt. and asking to me to call if I can't make it.

I get there and see three other patients signed in as having appointments with the same doctor at 9:15. How the hell does that work? I don't consider getting led from the waiting room into an exam room to be seen or keeping an appt. They did that last time I complained after a 40 min. wait. I'm done with this BS. I'd like to keep it nearby, but if it take me 90 min. to get through an appt. at a doctor that's almost walking distance from my house, I'd be better off driving a while and knowing for sure when I'll be seen.

I wouldn't go to them for that and they wouldn't say that. They would tell me to go to the nearby urgent care facility. And since they make me wait long after my schedule appt. every single time, I have difficulty believing it's because of sudden emergencies. None of the folks also scheduled at 9:15 today were emergencies.

having a minor meltdown after 15 minutes is ..
foolish..IMO
& you could have just done this aside..
the gatekeepers will remember & not forget..
so you may hunt for a new Dr..
& if he's always on time..
most likely few pt's..
and as you answer his ?..
he goes..
oops..your 15 minutes are up..

Rika

I'm with Rick. Assuming the office opens at 9 a 9:15 appointment is one of the first of the day.

To be behind 30-45 minutes first thing in the morning is a little ridiculous.

Here in TX a lot of Dr's will call you 15-20 minutes before they anticipate being ready for you so you can sit at home or at the office being productive while you wait rather than getting pissed off.

Wasn't a meltdown and didn't even become tense until I was told it would be another 15-30 min. AFTER they were already 15 min. late AND this was far from the first time this has happened. I'm not the most patient person in the world, but I've never been late for anything in my life because I respect other people's time and I expect to be treated likewise, especially by paid professionals. The head nurse there is my buddy and I'm pretty sure she'll call to straighten this out and make it so they call me 15 min. before they can see me next time. I could walk there in 15 min. if there were a sidewalk on that road. It's five min. from my house by car if I hit both lights red.

Maybe docs should take the attitude of the cable guys etc - you will be seen between 1-5pm today, or maybe tomorrow.

Between hospital patients, people showing up 15minutes late, one problem becoming 3 or 5, someone wanting to talk about their relative's death or drug problem, not wanting to take the prescription, the list goes on.

How many of you guys blow up at other appointments than the MD when you have to wait?

this is the right way to live. i hate when people think their time is more important than my time.

i dont mind doc visits. i get to read READER's Digest when they run late.

I didn't blow up. But I can't think of any other place I've done business with that has made me wait well beyond the appt. time other than doctors, especially after calling with an appointment reminder two days in advance.

I have never waited even five min. beyond my appt. time at any dentist. I guess a few clients have kept me waiting a little beyond the appt. time. But when I'm flying somewhere to meet with them, it's usually money in my pocket when I get the meeting. Though a few times I have left and emailed them to give a call when they wanted to talk.

Art, sounds like you have a lot of excuses for not respecting others' time. I don't roll that way and try not to give business to those who do. No one seems to suffer for it, since my doctor was plenty busy today. He won't miss me.

There was another long thread on here about this... sigh

Docs try to run on time, but there is no way to guarantee it. Appointments are generally every 15 minutes. If the guy (guys?) before you decide they want to get "everything" resolved in that visit, everyone else gets pushed back.

If the doc tries to cut folks off, they get pissed. "My doc never listens... He is just in and out."

I have never found a nice way to cut someone off when the 15 minutes were up. Folks always assume that the visit should occur on time, yet when their turn arrives the doc should have unlimited time for them.

Do you see the paradox?

And of course if you are extremely sick, you want to be seen that same day. Yet, when the doc squeezes you in, obviously that time has to come from somewhere.

Don't expect to be seen on time, and you won't be disappointed...

Bo

I send them a bill....after I walk out.

I have a patient that insisted she wanted a full half hour of my time. She has no serious medical problems, but I reserved a half hour slot for her. She shows up 20 minutes late with a fresh latte in her hand. (I guess she had time to stop at Starbucks). Any way, after 10 minutes with her I got up to leave. She said, "I told your office staff I wanted a 30 minute appointment!"

I told her we had a 30 minute appointment and that I was disappointed that she chose to spend the first 20 minutes somewhere else.

Hear ya loud and clear but consider this.

15 minutes per patient.

He had a 9:15 appt.

If the office opened at 9 then he was number 2.

I hear you too.

Most docs round in the hospital before going to work. There is no way to predict how many patients you will have or how long they take.

Docs want to run on time. We want to get lunch breaks (hardly happens). We want to go home on time too...

Patients needs are hard to shoe horn into 15 minutes...

Happens every day. Usually when a patient shows up late, they insist on being seen for just "1 quick thing." Thats secret lingo for "Once I get in the room I STILL want my 30 minutes..."

Its not the docs that are making you late. Its the patients before you...

Had a lady yesterday, called for a rash, so she got a 15 minute slot.

During the visit she wanted:
1) ALL her meds changed to generic
2) An ER followup she didn't mention
3) Discussion of er depression and divorce
4) Toe nail fungus treatment
5) Oh, her diabetic labs reviewed
6) Her cholesterol meds reviewed
7) Oh, and that rash on her back...

When I politely pointed out that she called for a rash, and we can reschedule the other issues, she was damant that she wasn't asking for a lot, and there is no reason I couldn't do it. Took me 45 minutes...I wasn't happy.

Rick, I want to give you some great advice. You heard the old saying "You get more bees with honey than...."

You NEVER EVER want to come across like a jerk in the doctor's office. Not on the phone, not to the staff, and not in the hallways. Docs are people too, and they hold grudges. Most docs will bend over backwards for patients they like... Patients that are liked get squeezed in to busy scheduled. Patients that are disliked, wait.

When you act poorly, the staff typically documents this. Then the doc sees it. Then they document it, etc. This ACT becomes part of your permanent record. And in the age of electronic records, everyone sees this. When you change docs, they will see this. WHen you go to the hospital, they will see it. And if you think that doesn't color the perception of the doc treating you...

Most docs are so busy, they will only see new patients after reviewing their chart. Any negative connotations, and they will decline you as a patient. This happens ALL OF THE TIME. Remember the Seinfeld epsiode that dealt with this?

We are so busy in our practice, that if a patient acts out, they immediately get terminated from the practice. If two docs terminate you, then the entire hospital system will no loner see you. Guess what. Happens all of the time...

I just want folks to know...

I have posted similar threads here myself...

And I appreciate that patients show up and waste your time (docs).

However this is a known quantity (time wasted)... when I worked installing air conditioning I could swap out a heater in 2 or 3 days. I always planed and bid for 5 days.

It just seems disrespectfully and bad business to schedule an appointment knowing in advance you client is going to have to wait 45 minute to an hour... or two...

I don't have to wait at the dentist or accountant... if they can do it don't see why a doctor can't.

But you don't know ahead of time... No one can predict what the patients will ask for that morning...or that day.

So, one may ask, why not just make the appointments longer? Why not make them all 30 minutes? Why not 45 minutes? For the same reason it doesn't work in other businesses...

Folks have very high expectations of their medical providers...unrealistic even...

Cable guy gets a 6 hour window to see you. And that for a totally unnecessary easily time demarcated service...

Hair dresser can run an hour behind, no problem...

Oil change place can make me wait for an hour...DMV can make me wait for 4 hours...

Contractor can stretch a 1 month project to 6 months...

I can wait on the phone to talk to the electric company for 2 hours...

Airplanes run behind an hour...routinely


But a doc, who has unpredictable patients and every varying diseases to deal with...should run like a precise swiss watch...


With the airconditioner analogy...

What if a third party were paying for the installation? And they would only pay for 1 days labor? Would you still alot 5 days, knowing it would take two?

Could be worse - my doc is apparently so busy that his office won't even call me back to schedule an appointment. Time for a new doctor.

I tend to run on time.

If he starts at 0900 and you were his 0915, he probably overslept or something. Around here, most of the family practice or internist guys don't see their own people at the hospital, full time hospitalists see them.

I have had to reschedule a bunch of people lately, because I just can't manage a full work load since that old codger ran that stop sign two weeks ago and wrecked my car. I get more of the, "I hope you are okay," or "Thank you for seeing me today, I understand you were in a car accident," than "What do you mean, reschedule?"

I am pretty old school though, will meet them on the 4th of July at the office if it sounds like I need to, visit them in the hospital when they are in for an unrelated problem, that sort of thing.

WRT a patient acting up. They can say anything they want to me, but if they are nasty to my staff, I have a one strike policy.

To me it's like going to a busy place for food, the empty usually arent any good.

Two wrongs don't make a right... "other people suck at time management so I should be allowed"

I sure as heck would not wait more the 15 minutes for a hair cut or an oil change.. that is just whack.

As far as airplanes... the plane and the pilot have to up to spec... if not another plane or pilot need to be arranged ed... not to mention they are at the mercy of weather conditions, I can understand that and would not want it any other way.

Exactly...

They ARE at the mercy of the weather...

Docs ARE at the mercy of the patients and their complaints. We aren't making widgets here...

Zactly, I understand all of our jobs are unpredictable to some degree... but some docs are better than others... like my dentist... never waited more than five minutes... when I show up there is rarely even anyone in the waiting room.

Hire an out-of-work guy to go for you for 20 bucks. He wins, you win.

God, you aren't happy if you don't have something to whine about are you?

your in 'public relations' and should know better..
if they like you//
they will buy ice on the North Pole.
had you had a relationship with your Dr & staff they would know..
R dont fly well needs AMBIEN..
and a simply call would have done everything..
.
BTDT..in out if ..
you treat me right..
to what do mean I not a pt...
''Sir you not in our system''
NEXT

Rika

Nonetheless, sometimes patients show up with urgent needs.

The other, and chronic problem, is that the system is geared to minimize the MD's time, and wastage of time. If a patient is a no-show, which is common, then the MD still has a nice stack of bodies there to examine (and bill for). They are also telling you an appt. time of X, when they expect most patients to show up at time X+20 or so (if at all).

Think about how a mechanic's shop operates. Very similar, except the cars wait dociley and most owners never know what is up. This is amplified by the lowering of payments for MDs by insurance companies, the ethical requirements (or non-mandated, but still an --- um -- impetus) to provide care w/o reimbursement, and other factors. One other factor is that the MDs time is worth big bucks -- your isn't. You are a worthless hunk of protoplasm -- got it? (ok, that has changed as has the hazing of residents, interns, yada yada -- but has it changed enough?).


I can guarantee you, no medical office is going to add slack time into their schedule to accommodate patients that run overtime, have some complications, etc. Not today, and definitely not in the foreseeable future.

Now, that said, I don't like it either. I've made my PCP aware of the problem (without staging a scene in the front office [BTW - you did not do that in the gym re the double parking thing...] and it has decreased -- at least for me). A friend of mine in Denver (who is a PhD chemist), just walks up there after 15 minutes, tells them in a calm, quiet voice the time of his appt., what his charge-out rate is, states that he will walk out in 5 more minutes, and then does so. It works for him.

You can expect this to get worse, over all - maybe not for you.

But if you went to that busy place with great food and it took 90 minutes to get your first course, I doubt you'd return.

Good one!