Do you consider this to be "On time"?

[Oktoberfest]

That is nothing. Before we moved we used to have a pediatrician that you might sit for over 2 hours in the waiting room. I wish I was joking.

[ItachiZaku]

No, I usually demand money back if I have to wait for more than 15 minutes.

Do you make this demand before or after the service is rendered?

[ellieg]

Nothing is gonna be done about it. Find a new doctors office if it bothers you as badly as it seems to. But yes, it is on time. Your appointment was at 9. You got there at 9. You got taken into a room sometime shortly after that. Then the doctor came in when he could. Unless you signed a contract saying that the doctor would physically be there for you at exactly 9, he was on time.

[Nobleshield]

Yeah, no. And it frustrates me. Doctor or not I find it disrespectful to make someone wait without at least prior "Hey Dr. Smith is very busy right now, you might have to wait a bit". It comes off as just pure arrogance e.g. I'm the doctor, I'm more important than you you filthy peon, so I'll make you wait just because I can to show you how much better I am than you.

That might just be me though, since I met my wife I've basically learned to hate medical professionals with a passion.

[Deleted]

Usually it's just minor stuff, not like emergency stuff. If it's emergency stuff, then I'm at the ER. Not seeing normal doctors. Like last time I left the doctor just wanted me to discuss the results of an mri scan face-to-face. Idk why he wanted me to be there physically when he called my phone later and talked over the phone about it.

Because "a picture is worth a thousand words" and it is a lot easier to gauge how well someone has taken something in when they are sat with you and whether or not you might need to provide a fuller description.

So describing something while pointing at something might take 2 mins to explain an all clear and allay any worries and/or with caveats for what is indeterminate. By how a person responds you can often tell if you need to beef up the explaining. If a scan has been performed and excluded something it might be an aid in explaining what might be done next if symptoms persist. Going all out and just telling everything that is or maybe pertinent in a way even the dimmest will take on what needs to be conveyed to them will potentially take much longer.

If that's how a telephone consultation goes, then guess what, you just made someone else wait the extra 10-20 minutes it took That all adds up in a day.

I'm not saying you needed to be there but a lot of people might need to be.

[Icuren]

That might just be me though

It is. Most doctors aren't trying to be "holier than thou" and just want to get their patients seen and taken care of. What do they get out of it? Thinking they have some ulterior motive when they are "late" is nothing but being paranoid. Why would you TRY to make someone you're servicing wait longer? That's bad business for anyone, even a health care provider.

[ellieg]

Yeah, no. And it frustrates me. Doctor or not I find it disrespectful to make someone wait without at least prior "Hey Dr. Smith is very busy right now, you might have to wait a bit". It comes off as just pure arrogance e.g. I'm the doctor, I'm more important than you you filthy peon, so I'll make you wait just because I can to show you how much better I am than you.

That might just be me though, since I met my wife I've basically learned to hate medical professionals with a passion.

Do you really think they are making you wait just because they want to show that they are better than you?

[Nobleshield]

Do you really think they are making you wait just because they want to show that they are better than you?

As I said, I'm likely biased due to recent experiences with my wife's medical care. Do I think it? Maybe? I've met a lot of arrogant doctors who basically talk down to you as though you're an idiot. Do I think every doctor is like that? No, of course not.

So to answer you: Maybe? Or maybe the doctor is just slow/thorough before he gets done with a patient so it takes him a bit longer. My primary seems to be that way (also he's an older guy).

[ellieg]

As I said, I'm likely biased due to recent experiences with my wife's medical care. Do I think it? Maybe? I've met a lot of arrogant doctors who basically talk down to you as though you're an idiot. Do I think every doctor is like that? No, of course not.

So to answer you: Maybe? Or maybe the doctor is just slow/thorough before he gets done with a patient so it takes him a bit longer. My primary seems to be that way (also he's an older guy).

Gotcha. I love my doctors. My main one is a 35 year old women who I can tell genuinely cares about me. I usually have a 30 some minute wait but its worth it because she spends at least 15 minutes with me.

[Deleted]

Probably some T&C or fine print somewhere that states you have to be on time for your appointment time but the doc might not be.
So kind of yes and no, a 45 minute wait though seems rather extreme for a GP.

Was you at a walk-in practice?
In fact, what country? As that will play a huge difference in the way healthcare is ran/what's available. Also, private or NHS/equivalent?

As for on time? To be on time you arrive ten minutes early, and then 5 minutes early for the ten minutes early : )

[Spectral]

They have rounds in many case and can be delayed by unexpected issues. Yes, ideally the scheduling would be handled better. Ideally, they wouldn't ever be late. That's just not how medical care works. If you're ever in a situation where you're thinking, "why are they doing this to me?", I'd recommend considering that it might not actually be about you, that there might some reason that could cause a well-intentioned person to be late.

[Deleted]

Why do you ask a question and even bother to put up a poll when you already know the answer?
Don't rant to us, we don't care.

[GarlicGuy]

Nothing is gonna be done about it. Find a new doctors office if it bothers you as badly as it seems to. But yes, it is on time. Your appointment was at 9. You got there at 9. You got taken into a room sometime shortly after that. Then the doctor came in when he could. Unless you signed a contract saying that the doctor would physically be there for you at exactly 9, he was on time.

Haha. My answer was number three, so obviously I wasn't too bothered.

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Why do you ask a question and even bother to put up a poll when you already know the answer?
Don't rant to us, we don't care.

Look at the answers.... a difference of opinions exist. And, LOL, I answered #3.

[Reeve]

Become a doctor, then tell us how easy it is to keep appointments when you're underbudgeted and you're the only doctor on duty as a result.

Don't make so many appointments then.

- - - Updated - - -

They have rounds in many case and can be delayed by unexpected issues. Yes, ideally the scheduling would be handled better. Ideally, they wouldn't ever be late. That's just not how medical care works. If you're ever in a situation where you're thinking, "why are they doing this to me?", I'd recommend considering that it might not actually be about you, that there might some reason that could cause a well-intentioned person to be late.

I'm specifically thinking of family doctors in out of hospital medical offices. They don't have rounds. They don't do emergency care.

[kendro1200]

Then stop over scheduling.

You'd be surprised how many people would be OK with you giving them a schedule that is realistic.

A. "Sir I can get you in today, but you might have to wait an hour or more to see the doctor beyond your scheduled time"

B. "Sir we are booked today, but I can get you tomorrow and you will wait no more than 5 minutes from your scheduled time"

If you are so sick you need a doctor right away go to a prompt care clinic or ER.

ER's and Urgent Cares aren't any quicker, every time I've taken someone there it's been an hour or more wait. Most recent case was my now deceased Uncle, who was diabetic and his assisted living facility wouldn't give him insulin and his blood sugar was dangerously high. We took him to the ER to get a shot. We got to the ER at 6:50 pm, they didn't attempt to give him a shot until 1:10 am. Note the reason we went is that we had called his primary physician and his physician had told his nurses that he NEEDED a shot of insulin immediately.

Anyways, as to the "budget" issues with hospitals, pay doctors less. MD's and degrees in the medical fields in general are the most overpaid specialized doctoral degrees in the country, and the only shortage of doctors and health care professionals is due to the artificially created drought by the education systems, which also overcharges their students in tuition.