09-10-2020, 11:15 AM
Quote: Charlie, I don't blame you one bit, they never consider our minutes as important. If only we could charge them for our time past our appointment time. I remember years ago when the one doctor we used to see had a waiting time light, "the doctor is ___ minutes behind". I had the first appointment in the morning and it was turned on to "30 minutes". One time I was really sick and was told to come right in. I know I spent no less than four hours there. I also remember another doctor that I saw only once, I got called on time, only to learn that I would spent 30 minutes in a triage room before spending another 30 in the exam room. Needless to say, I never went back.
Yes Don, that is another thing that was used by my former PCP. only wait in the waiting room for 5 or 10 minutes after appointment time then usher you into "His" little cubbyhole office and wait 30 minutes while he takes care of other patients in other cubby hole offices.
I just switched to a new PCP and not only do I get right in, but they have a lab in the office, just like my vet, and I had a blood draw on the first visit (I wasn't prepared for that (no fasting)) but she said they could adjust, Then surprise, surprise, I didn't have to go back and pay for her to read the results, It was put on my record site which is on line and I can post my vitals daily if I care to. I feel I have hit the jackpot. My wife switched too and feels the same way.
We had a family doctor when our kids were small and he was very good as well as prompt. a 9:00 appointment meant you were in his exam room talking to him at 9:00. He was also a great surgeon and if he was called on an emergency his staff would call and let us know not to come to the office until they called and he was available. That only happened to us once but my daughter caused others to be delayed because she had to have glass removed from her hand and emergency surgery was required by him.
I think if we would all let them know we were not going to put up with it maybe things would change.
Charlie