Rich, has the doctor's "open-access office" caught on yet or is it still controversial?
http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/feb2007/sb20070212_182930.htm
http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/feb2007/sb20070212_182930.htm
ladelfina said:That's partially how it works in Italy. The public service doctors have posted office hours and you just show up and it's first-come first-served for primary care. People visibly bleeding or something can cut in line without protest among the other waitees. For specialists I think appointments are the norm, though.
We've only been a couple times but have never waited as long as in the US (45 min. normal minimum wait).
Rich_in_Tampa said:I have always run on time in my practice, other than the usual unexpected urgencies.
Cute Fuzzy Bunny said:Ah, so YOU'RE the one!
Rich_in_Tampa said:
But if I knew you were my next patient, there might be a slight delay... we'll be right with you, sir, please have a seat next to the Readers Digest in the corner. Do you have insurance? There will be a $10 copay in advance. Please stop talking to the other patients, Mr. Bunny, and get your feet off the table. Sir, there is no smoking allowed in the waiting room... what is that you're rolling in that little paper...
Rich_in_Tampa said:I have always run on time in my practice, other than the usual unexpected urgencies. My patients over time learned that, and for the most part arrived on time. It worked well, though I had to become more and more flexible with it over the years.
Cute Fuzzy Bunny said:Methinks he wouldnt make me wait at all, but we'd be doing the prostate exam right off the bat.
Jarhead* said:By the way, Gene Woodling is another one.
SonnyJim said:I can't blame my doctor for having a line of patients. I recently had spinal surgery and the neurosurgeon billed Tricare for $8,600, their allowed fee was....get this........ a whopping $199. How else could he make any money except by volume.
You'll get us in on your IPO, right?Rich_in_Tampa said:No problem, really. I made it up on volume.
Rich_in_Tampa said:No problem, really. I made it up on volume.
mykidslovedogs said:....by volume of other Medicaid patients or by volume of privately insured patients? Is it possible that if you didn't have some privately insured patients in the mix to make up for the low Medicaid reimbursement you'd be operating below cost?
Rich_in_Tampa said:It was a joke - a takeoff on an old comedy routine about a guy who priced his merchandise below cost but bragged about how shrewd the plan was cause he'd make it up on volume.
Probably something the old timers would remember, mostly.
Sandy said:There are really two kinds of waiting:
providers who routinely overschedule/underestimate how much time they will spend with each patient. Generally this is a problem with office management from poor communication with the physician, lack of understanding of each day's patients needs, etc. Some occaisional miscalculation is inevitable, but routine practice of overbooking is inexcusable. Having managed a clinic (albeit briefly) I have no patience for this approach and have walked out of offices and found another provider for routine care.