How long would you wait...

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inkjunkie

inkjunkie

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....in a doctors office before getting up and leaving? Not a doc that has emergency visits...
Ernie had a 3:15 appointment with her Rheumatologist. She has not been feeling well for the past month or so...At 3:55 she grabbed me by the hand and said we are leaving. She sees 2 different docs in this place on an alternating schedule, everytime she sees this particular doc we are in the waiting room for at least 30 minutes after her scheduled time...then at least another 15 minutes in the exam room...
 
That's stupid and I hate it.

Especially something like RA where you can't get comfortable no matter what.

My doc is pretty good about not screwing around, but I'm there 3.5 hours or more.


Usually it's because the doc tolerates late patients. To me, if your ten minutes late, you lose. You don't make the punctual people wait on tardy fools.
 
yellow rose said:
That's stupid and I hate it.

Especially something like RA where you can't get comfortable no matter what.

My doc is pretty good about not screwing around, but I'm there 3.5 hours or more.


Usually it's because the doc tolerates late patients. To me, if your ten minutes late, you lose. You don't make the punctual people wait on tardy fools.
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Receptionist never mentioned him running real late. His nurse came out and asked us how our Thanksgiving was...never mentioned him running so late. Ernestina is going to call tomorrow to make an appointment with the other doc. She recently stopped taking the Xeljanz they had her on...wanted to talk to them about it...
 
I call them on it. I give a respectable waiting time and if they are beyond it I tell them this. You made a x:xx appointment and you are now xx minutes late. My time is valuable, $150.00/hour and I don't appreciate your casual assumption that you are more important than me. This won't happen again!
They are not used to being talked to like that and it usually straightens things out.
But I have had my file flagged in more than one place.
You see I try to be respectful on this site but out in the world I am pretty much an asshole!
When your boat capsizes and your friend doesn't come home it changes your perspective a bit.
DR out-----------------
 
Depends how good the doctor is. Your time is valuable, but your life and well-being transcend your importance.
 
The only time it happened to me it was over an hour and I went to the receptionist and said I was leaving soon, she apologized and I got in shortly after that. I think it's best to give them a chance and not just leave, otherwise you consume more of your time coming back again. I don't think they do it on purpose but it does make you feel abused.
 
goldfish65 said:
The only time it happened to me it was over an hour and I went to the receptionist and said I was leaving soon, she apologized and I got in shortly after that. I think it's best to give them a chance and not just leave, otherwise you consume more of your time coming back again. I don't think they do it on purpose but it does make you feel abused.
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I hate this also, but my family doctor told me , that the paperwork was (computer) so bad that he had to do it after every patient to keep up w/ it- thanks to hussien Obama`s crap that the american dumbasses fell for. also obama care, is now making millions of americans insurance go way up.
 
Please don't take this as defending their actions. In the age of fewer doctors, over booking, and do more with less, you will find this continuing. My best advice is to make early appointments. The earlier in the day, the less the doctor is behind.
 
I try to be patient, which is hard for me when I'm waiting. Half hour and I'm usually asking questions. I've only had it happen once.

My docs are usually within the half hour time frame. The problem is when they have patients who aren't just there to talk medicinally. I'm from Upstate NY. The question "how are you feeling" is usually answered with a life story. Figure towards the end of the day, with half a dozen patients running five minutes over, there's your delay.
 
famous bob said:
I hate this also, but my family doctor told me , that the paperwork was (computer) so bad that he had to do it after every patient to keep up w/ it- thanks to hussien Obama`s crap that the american dumbasses fell for. also obama care, is now making millions of americans insurance go way up.
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Bull. All the doctors have to follow the same rules and I've yet to have a doctor who doesn't jot down, type, or otherwise write up some quick notes then turn it over to a medical coder for finalizing the paperwork for billing.
 
For me, The only difference between sitting there and sitting at home is what channel the TV is on.
 
squeaky wheel gets the grease brother. Voice your complaint. Ask what their appt policy is regardind wait times, no shows, etc. Explain that you are punctual, and flat ask if you had been 40min+ late, would you have been seen? Also(for military care anyway) we call that the "team leader time hack". Your appt is 3:15, so you show up at 3:00 just to be safe. Doc won't see you until 3:30, so you are scheduled at 3:15, just to be safe, etc. It sucks, and to me there is nothing more irritating than a doc that keeps you waiting, then storms in, does some dance moves, then slides right out like a rock star. You def end up feeling slighted, especially if you are there seeking care for a loved one. It can drive a man crazy.
 
DodgeLad said:
Depends how good the doctor is. Your time is valuable, but your life and well-being transcend your importance.
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It has absolutely nothing to do with importance! At my age you realize you are looking down the short end of the tunnel. The reaper is waiting and we have no vote. Tell me the truth and keep your word and we will get along fine. They call the bottom graduate in every medical class Doctor,but they are fallible humans and are there to help us. Not the other way around!
 
We don't make first thing in the morning appointments. Neither one of us is all that quick to get moving in the morning. Takes a good 90 minutes or so for us not to be so stiff. Feed us, the dogs, the birds, shower is a good 2 hours. For us to make a 9a.m. appointment we would have to get up at 4:30 or so. That just ain't gonna happen. We have made 11a.m. appointments with this guy...he is still at least 40 minutes late. Customary practice for this place is to see at least 2 different docs. So the patients that this guy sees will also be seen by the other doc. Dale is never more than a 10 minute wait. My first appointment was with a different doc. When I saw him I got there about 15 minutes early...he was in the exam room on time. One of the ladies that Ernie sews with goes to this place as well. Ernie was talking to her last night about this..Grace said that whenever she sees this particular doc he is always at least 30 minutes late.
I get that crap happens and sometimes a doc will be running late. But everytime? And for the staff to not say anything? Thing here is with what we both have, pseudo gout, RA, Psoriatic Arthritis, Fibromyalga....there is no "cure"....there is only management and slowing its advancement....so I can't even really say that visiting this place is doing much for either one of us. They have pretty much run out of options for Ernie. All the meds she has been on start out helping. Blood tests back that up, her inflammatory markers that they watch all drop. Within 6 months the markers are right back to where they were. Some meds don't even see that. She is highly allergic to NSAIDS. Last infusion she had damn near put her in the ER. Just from how I feel I seriously doubt that what they are doing for me has helped much. Last blood test my pain markers were elevated alot...I hurt worse now so...I asked about having another bone scan done just to see how the pseudo gout looks...was told that they want to waot for me to be thru my shoulder and leg issue before doung anything...Sounds like I am whining so....
Perhaps I am just very frustrated with things?
 
So it is Obama's fault?!? That's a good 'un...

I take a magazine with me. If I read through it and have not seen the doc I am out. Done it twice, once in the waiting room, once in the exam room.
My family doc called me later in the day, apologized and waived the copay when I went back the next day.
If more patients walked out, more docs would be on time!
C
 
They bill you if you miss an appointment.

I think you should be able to bill them if they do, or have your bill discounted.

My doctor's office has a sign on the wall asking patients to let them know if they've been waiting longer than 30 min.

I was one day and let them know- clerk said "he's running late" and that was it.

WTF is the point of that sign????
 
If the doctor gives you time once you get in to see them I'm not seeing such a big issue.
As someone else said, I think, a good doctor is worth the wait.
I still "work", so I'm on a schedule most days.
I try and make doctor's appointments on my off days.
Unless it something that I know won't take long from experience.
 
inkjunkie said:
We don't make first thing in the morning appointments. Neither one of us is all that quick to get moving in the morning. Takes a good 90 minutes or so for us not to be so stiff. Feed us, the dogs, the birds, shower is a good 2 hours. For us to make a 9a.m. appointment we would have to get up at 4:30 or so. That just ain't gonna happen. We have made 11a.m. appointments with this guy...he is still at least 40 minutes late. Customary practice for this place is to see at least 2 different docs. So the patients that this guy sees will also be seen by the other doc. Dale is never more than a 10 minute wait. My first appointment was with a different doc. When I saw him I got there about 15 minutes early...he was in the exam room on time. One of the ladies that Ernie sews with goes to this place as well. Ernie was talking to her last night about this..Grace said that whenever she sees this particular doc he is always at least 30 minutes late.
I get that crap happens and sometimes a doc will be running late. But everytime? And for the staff to not say anything? Thing here is with what we both have, pseudo gout, RA, Psoriatic Arthritis, Fibromyalga....there is no "cure"....there is only management and slowing its advancement....so I can't even really say that visiting this place is doing much for either one of us. They have pretty much run out of options for Ernie. All the meds she has been on start out helping. Blood tests back that up, her inflammatory markers that they watch all drop. Within 6 months the markers are right back to where they were. Some meds don't even see that. She is highly allergic to NSAIDS. Last infusion she had damn near put her in the ER. Just from how I feel I seriously doubt that what they are doing for me has helped much. Last blood test my pain markers were elevated alot...I hurt worse now so...I asked about having another bone scan done just to see how the pseudo gout looks...was told that they want to waot for me to be thru my shoulder and leg issue before doung anything...Sounds like I am whining so....
Perhaps I am just very frustrated with things?
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I can tell you what you are frustrated with. It's the fact that you look perfectly healthy, yet you feel like garbage. On the outside, you are normal, on the inside, you are like a knotted rope. You are so freaking tired and fatigued you can't see straight. Like you said, it takes better than an hour to get going in the morning, and those are the good days.


No, I get it, because my wife and I deal with it every day. Most people never get it.

I used to be a morning guy. 6:30 was sleeping in. I got up and got **** done. Not any more. Looking at me, I look normal. But my joints are like tinker toys.

I also know that during the 1980's, Reagan sucked up to the AIDS crowd, and cut funding for many medical issues to fund AIDS research. And breast cancer research eats up a huge percentage of medical research dollars. RA was one of the diseases that took a hit to the AIDS crowd. Today, we pay the for price because doctors generally follow the money. And the doctors didn't study rheumatology. I think the average Doctor age of an RA doctor is 55. We are short of doctors. There used to be 2 of them here, then there were none, now there is 1. They are few and far between.


It's the Rock and a hard place deal. A good RA doc is hard to find.
 
Brad4406 said:
Please don't take this as defending their actions. In the age of fewer doctors, over booking, and do more with less, you will find this continuing. My best advice is to make early appointments. The earlier in the day, the less the doctor is behind.
Click to expand...

This is what I do with my Pain Management Dr...They have a bulletin board in the lobby that shows how far behind the Dr is. On average it's 45 minutes to 1 hour. I finally figured out if I can work it out to be one of the first in the am it's not bad. Heard rumors the clinic schedules patients at 10 minute intervals to make the Corporate big wigs happy. That's how they get so far behind. I have to see my Pain Dr.once every 3 months or I can't get my oxycodone and I won't put myself through that again. If you miss your appointment you DON'T get back in for 3 months....they will tell you to go to urgent care. Dr is a great guy but the Clinic is run like a cash cow so customer service means nothing. I have walked out on my regular Dr. before after an hour. I guess to answer your question ...it depends how bad you need to see the Doc as to how long you wait. Good luck
 
His nurse called today...didn't offer much in the reason why. The scheduler called as well, offered her an appointment with the timely guy tomorrow....at 3:30. She said no....Ernie is really feeling like hell. Her blood sugar is all over the map lately. Has also developed some sort of "womanly" issue that will require a trip to the OBGYN.
Thing with an appointment this late is by 4 or so in the afternoon she is crashing and has a hard time staying awake. Needless to say the risk involved with her driving like this.
She has an appointment on Monday at 2.
@yellow rose...you pretty much nailed it. Folks are pretty damn judgemental in regards to those of us who have serious pain issues, mental health crap, connective tissue diseases etc. Can't help but chuckle when folks tell me to switch docs. No clue about the pain management contract I am under...and how few docs write scripts for Opioids here in Washington state when the patient also has mental health troubles. Visited the clinic in Suncrest a while back. Doc told me that I didn't look bipolar. I laughed pretty effing hard at her.
 
adriver said:
If the doctor gives you time once you get in to see them I'm not seeing such a big issue.
As someone else said, I think, a good doctor is worth the wait.
I still "work", so I'm on a schedule most days.
I try and make doctor's appointments on my off days.
Unless it something that I know won't take long from experience.
Click to expand...
Hmm....be willing to bet you don't have 4 different connective tissue diseases....as well as Fibromyalga. Or have 0 lumbar discs left...just saying...be one thing if his running behind was an occasional issue...but it isn't. He is not the only quality doc there. The other 2 that we have seen are on par with him...and neither will keep you waiting 45 minutes...
 
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