Doctors office visit

[historicfirearms]

I'm in my late thirties and in pretty good health. Rarely go to see a doctor, so don't have a regular family doc yet. Two months ago I hurt my wrist and put off doing anything about it, hoping it would heal on its own. After three weeks the wrist still hurt like the dickens, so I made an appointment with a doctor that a family friend recommended. The soonest he could get me in was yesterday at 3:00.

I arrived 15 minutes early to fill out any paperwork and be on time. The nurse called me in to the exam room right at 3:00 and after taking my blood pressure, she just left without a further word. I waited in that room for 45 minutes for the doctor before I came out and asked what was taking so long. The nurse just said, "the doctor is running behind". I could hear the doctor talking to a patient about their grandchildren and their summer vacation. I waited another 15 minutes, an hour total, and still no doc. I walked out of the room and told the nurse that this was unacceptable and I was leaving. She asked if I wanted to reschedule, I told her I would not be coming back. No apology or any sign of respect from any of the office workers.

Is this normal for the medical field? Like I said before, I don't go to see a doctor much. My last appointment was five years ago. In my job, if I made an appointment with someone and was an hour late, I'd probably get fired. At the very least, I'd call and tell them why I was late and apologize.

[chsparkman]

Unfortunately that is not at all unusual these days. I've only encountered one doctor who was conscientious about waiting time.

[**oneshot**]

My Doc is really good about that, but I've been to others that were just as you described.

[phonejack]

It was a long time ago but, I have done the same thing.

[btroj]

What happened to make them run late?

"Emergency" visit for someone who was or wasn't really sick? Old lady with tons of questions? Stuck on phone arguing with insurance company to get something covered for a patient?

I hate waiting too but with one MD to see patients a small overage by each person ahead of you makes everything run late. It snowballs rapidly.

People want to be chatty and take time with the MD. Sadly, that makes someone else's appt run late.

Medicine isn't a production line. It isn't something where you can say with certainty how long each appt will last or what will happen they the day.

They should have kept you appraised of the delay. They need to communicate better. Stopping the delays isn't gonna happen.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

...Is this normal for the medical field?...

In my experience YES !

I have waited many times like you mention. I've learned to schedule appointments first thing in the morning whenever possible, very little waiting when you're the first or second patient.

[Ford SD]

I have a reg family doctor 1 h drive away don't go to him much (most 1/2 wait)

I have a walk in clinic 15 min away and I take a book and if I was in and out in less than a hour --I would go by a lottery ticket

have been in the waiting room for 3 hours before my name gets called (flue season)then in and out 15-20 min so about 3-1/2 h per visit

it is reg for people to come in (sign in) leave and come back later

late in the day if you show up they will tell you not taking any more paitents docket full

I'm in my late thirties and in pretty good health. Rarely go to see a doctor, so don't have a regular family doc yet. Two months ago I hurt my wrist and put off doing anything about it, hoping it would heal on its own. After three weeks the wrist still hurt like the dickens, so I made an appointment with a doctor that a family friend recommended. The soonest he could get me in was yesterday at 3:00.

I arrived 15 minutes early to fill out any paperwork and be on time. The nurse called me in to the exam room right at 3:00 and after taking my blood pressure, she just left without a further word. I waited in that room for 45 minutes for the doctor before I came out and asked what was taking so long. The nurse just said, "the doctor is running behind". I could hear the doctor talking to a patient about their grandchildren and their summer vacation. I waited another 15 minutes, an hour total, and still no doc. I walked out of the room and told the nurse that this was unacceptable and I was leaving. She asked if I wanted to reschedule, I told her I would not be coming back. No apology or any sign of respect from any of the office workers.

Is this normal for the medical field? Like I said before, I don't go to see a doctor much. My last appointment was five years ago. In my job, if I made an appointment with someone and was an hour late, I'd probably get fired. At the very least, I'd call and tell them why I was late and apologize.

[wallenba]

My doctor is a 'talker', and I know it, so I allow for it going in. He's really good at his job, remembers everything from visit to visit. I hear him chatting in the next room with his other patients too. I've had taciturn, non-communicative doctors in the past, who explained nothing. I'll take my 'talker' any day. He always asks about my shooting and casting, he's a hunter/fisherman and good Christian too. The way I see it, a little chatting relaxes the patient, and he gets a more honest evaluation.

[starnbar]

The best advice and it was given ahead of me is to go early after 40 plus years of getting up at 0430 its easy to be in and out before the crowds. I have had the same doc for 30 plus years so he will schedule me 30 minutes before he opens for regular patients too.

[Kraschenbirn]

I've been doing regular (every 8 weeks) treatments for AMD for the last 4 years and I cannot recall a single time that the doctor has actually been on time. The prep nurse (dilation drops and retinal scan) are ready almost as soon as I walk in the door but then it's back to the waiting room for anything from 20 minutes to an hour. And, it's not like he's had time for a 'stack-up' of time lags 'cause I always schedule for early mornings and there's never more than a couple patients ahead of me.

Bill

[Wayne Smith]

The first time I saw my allergist I waited almost four hours. From then on my appointments have been either at 11:30 or 11:45. She wants lunch too! She is very good and very through and that I value.

[WILCO]

Is this normal for the medical field? Like I said before, I don't go to see a doctor much. My last appointment was five years ago.

This is normal. It's going to get worse as obammycare ramps up. We shall have the worst healthcare in the world. Many will die. Many will flee to other countries for treatment. Better get used to it. Embrace the "Nudge" committee and death panels.

[Rick N Bama]

I book early appointments and for my routine stuff I see the CRNP. On my last visit I was in & out before my actual appointment time! Love ya Becky!

Rick

[500MAG]

What happened to make them run late?

"Emergency" visit for someone who was or wasn't really sick? Old lady with tons of questions? Stuck on phone arguing with insurance company to get something covered for a patient?

I hate waiting too but with one MD to see patients a small overage by each person ahead of you makes everything run late. It snowballs rapidly.

People want to be chatty and take time with the MD. Sadly, that makes someone else's appt run late.

Medicine isn't a production line. It isn't something where you can say with certainty how long each appt will last or what will happen they the day.

They should have kept you appraised of the delay. They need to communicate better. Stopping the delays isn't gonna happen.

Sounds like our job. Oh, how many times I've wanted to tell those people in a rush that I'm not flipping cheeseburgers in the back. It's medicine! As a Pharmacist, I find it funny that people are willing to wait for a nicely cooked steak but want their medications, which can kill them if a mistake is made, prepared in 2 minutes. As far as the office visit, I agree that they should have at least warned you of the delay.

[btroj]

Yep. Was told just the other day it shouldn't take 10 minutes to fill a prescription, we just had to grab it off a shelf. The people ahead of him in lone didn't seem to matter at all.

Guys, this sort of thing isn't going to get better. We are about to dump a ton of people into the que for all medical related services. Bet you can imagine what that will do to wait times.....

[frkelly74]

First thing right after lunch seems good. My wife took me in for a well child check up as she calls it and there were no cars in the lot and we walked right in , after the silly paperwork of course. I do like it, when it is my turn, that the doc asks questions and explains what he is doing chats a little and does not seem in a great rush to get somewhere else. If I had a complaint it would be that the girls at the counter seem like their job is to run interference to deflect questions and not make appointments. Maybe that is their job. They do not work for the doctor but all of them work for the Mega hospital that has gobbled up and taken over the smaller ones in the area. But that is another separate complaint.

[500MAG]

With Obamacare the large clinic practices are pushing for 15 minutes max per patient. I prefer to wait and let my physician take his time.

[Bad Water Bill]

At age 77 I know what is in store for me under O butcher mads.

At your age we can not afford to keep you alive one moment longer.

Go take a walk deep into the mountains and please do not bother us again after all we have welfare patients that come first.

[scottiemom]

that is why I always get the first appointment of the day whenever possible. If that doesn't work, I go for the last appointment and call about an hour before to see how far they are running behind.
I used to work for a physician - we would start on time but between phone calls from other physicians (can't not take those) and those "chatty" patients, some days I was lucky if I got 5 minutes for lunch. of course the doc took his lunch hour...
Unfortunately, many physicians double and triple book the same time slot- on the assumption some people won't show up for their appointment. anyway, btrog was right, they should have kept you appraised of the time issues.

[smokeywolf]

Yep, that's normal. I have walked out on an appt. when the doctor failed to keep it. Many doctors seem to think they are exempt from any obligation to keep their appt. time with you. I do understand that the nature of the diagnostic work that they must do frequently precludes staying on schedule. However, how many times has your doctor been in the exam room on time or even within 10 mins. of your appt. time? Because they are routinely late, it is a pretty good indicator that they are booking appts. closer together than is realistic to ensure that every minute of the doctor's day can be charged to a patient.
Because my physician is the type that does not leave the exam room until she knows for certain that all of your questions have been addressed, I expect her to be late and am willing to wait for her. Keeping that in mind, she's usually within 20 mins of appt. time, and has never been more than 45 mins. late.

Waiting for a prescription is a different story. There's no appt. and exacting weights, counts, drug interaction instructions and many other factors are critical. I'd rather have it accurate than quick.

smokeywolf