Waiting in a Doctor's Office. How long is too long?
brianlux
Posts: 41,629
I had a non-emergency appointment with my gastroenterologist today at 10:30 AM. At 11:30, I walked. A friend of mine said I shouldn't have done that. I argued that if I had reservations for dinner and arrived on time and had to wait an hour and was still not given a table I would walk. Was I unreasonable? How long is too long to wait in a doctor's office for a non-emergency visit?
“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.
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Now, if they had an emergency that required the doctor's attention, and they updated you regularly letting you know, you could have decided whether to wait or to reschedule. But if you were just sitting there waiting to be called, and heard nothing, I think you gave them plenty of time.
Most Dr.s are 5 mins plus late, after half an hour I get up and demand an update from the front desk staff. If they can't give me one I leave. When I book another appt. I remind them repeatedly about my excessive wait last time. I'm a Dr. doesn't hold any weight with me, when they behave like your time isn't important all they are is a douche.
You never really had to begin with.
Sometimes it's not the song that makes you emotional it's the people and things that come to your mind when you hear it.
Fortunately I haven't been for awhile, but I'd consider 15 minutes, maybe 20, as pushing it.
And they always push it!
Updates would be nice but never ever expected without a prompt.
Were you in the exam room all gowned up, B?
DEGENERATE FUK
This place is dead
"THERE ARE NO CLIQUES, ONLY THOSE WHO DON'T JOIN THE FUN" - Empty circa 2015
"Kfsbho&$thncds" - F Me In the Brain - circa 2015
I would also rather that the Dr be a bit late than some neurotic person abuse the emergency room which costs us way more and clogs it up for the people who really need it. But still there are limits.
You never really had to begin with.
Sometimes it's not the song that makes you emotional it's the people and things that come to your mind when you hear it.
You did wait long enough, at 10:30, he shouldn't be *that* backed up. The front desk should have explained the delay. When I worked at the clinic, we always went in to the waiting rooms to explain any delay, we know when they signed in, we know when we put them in the exam room. In extreme cases, we would make an announcement to the entire waiting room, there was an emergency, and would be running behind.
- Christopher McCandless
My payback is always to tell them no I cant(my time is as valuable as theirs) just let me know when you free up and then we can get together,until then your project will be on hold.Wouldnt ya know their schedule miraculously frees up almost instantly.
Ahhh,the small things in life.
Why was he so behind? He saw the unseeable. He would spend 15 minutes - a half hour with each person. He didn't rush. He didn't discount what you said. He sat. He listened. He really worked with you to help better your circumstances.
Was that length of time crazy? Sure. However, he was able to find things with my husband that no one else took the time to find. Though he didn't "cure" whatever ills him, he did put a piece into the puzzle.
That amount of time isn't typical. We came armed with things to do, read, snacks for the kiddo, toys . . . We hung out and appreciated that he took his time with everyone.
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3.2 MINUTES PER PATIENT!
Zzzzzap! "NEXT!"
I changed dentists soon after that appointment because it took too long.
The length of time - not sure on that one.
PS: Hedo - where are you with your Seinfeld reference with regard to waiting rooms?
This thread has that episode written all over it.
12 hours X 60 minutes = 720 minutes ÷ 150 appts = 4.8 minutes per.
zap-zap. "NEXT!"
Sexy magazines in the waiting room.
George and the delicate genius.
*edit: sorry, Brian - I have a low threshold when it comes to Seinfeld
And yes, Hobbes!
"There's no chance of not waiting 'cause they call it the waiting room"
"The next waiting room. The little waiting room."
Haha! Perfect!
The next one is my physical therapy. The appointments to see the doctor are crazy. I waited 3 hours once. The physical therapy is usually 5 minutes or less, but for the doctors it's crazy, usually like an hour and a half at minimum.
But for the private practice specialists I don't have this problem. The podiatrist, the dentist, the glaucoma test doctor, and the ENT have like 15 minutes or less wait times.
Which reminds me. I need to find a new glaucoma test doctor. The old one doesnt take my insurance. Boo.
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First visit with a new specialist. Didn't wait long and the doctor seemed like a nice enough guy. He ordered bloodwork which can be done in the lab right in their office. Sweet! At 4:00 he tells me to sit tight, someone will get me in a couple minutes to take me over to get the work done. At 4:25, his assistant comes in with the order and a list of addresses of places to get it done. I repeated what the doctor said and was informed their lab closes at 4:30. I said "fantastic! It's only 4:25!" To my surprise, they politely said go fuck yourself, she's closed down for the day.
Sooo, because this lady wanted to knock off a few minutes early and ignore the doctor's order, I now have to wait until I can fit it in my insane schedule. I will most certainly be finding a different specialist's office. It's one thing to wait to see the doctor, but this lady ran out the clock on me and refused to take the two minutes to draw my blood. Leaving me sitting for almost half an hour for absolutely no reason. Ruined an already horrible day.
It has now been an hour in the little room and a doctor's assistant just came in to inform me the doctor is "on his way" from a hospital where he was performing a procedure.
So you're telling me the guy hasn't even been in the building this whole time? As if all these repetitive doctor appointments weren't frustrating enough. Would a phone call asking to move my appointment be too much of a hassle?
Reaching my limit of bullshit lately.