Midpack
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
I may be humbled by the responses that follow, but I honestly don't remember that I have ever been seen on time by a doctor/dentist. If it was on an exception basis, I'd understand, clearly some specialties can have emergencies and some appts can go longer than expected. But not every time, every specialty. And I know doctors have/want to see more patients than generations past, and may deliberately overschedule so they aren't kept waiting.
I take the first appt of the day with my doctor/dentist assuming they have to at least start on time.
Last time I went to the dentist, I waited 30 minutes. It appears a patient had a legit dental emergency and she took him in before my (first) appt and ran long with him. However, I always wait for her, every time. I admit she is a good dentist.
Had a physical a few weeks ago, first appt of the day. They sat me in the waiting room for 15 minutes. Then took me to a holding room where I waited 10 minutes for a nurse to ask me the same questions as the receptionist already had for the most part. Then another 10 minutes before I see the doctor himself, for about 10 minutes. Then another 10 minutes in another holding room to have blood drawn. Imagine later in the day! I admit he is a good doctor.
But yesterday DW had a podiatrist appt for 11a. At 10a she called and asked 'I'm about to leave work, is Dr X running on schedule? Answer, 'yes, he is.' So she arrives just before 11a, and sits in the waiting room until 12:15p (resorting to deep breathing for the last 15 minutes vs throwing furniture). She came home so mad, she said she just won't go back to him again.
I prescribed a margarita for her, seemed marginally effective. Last thing she remembered yesterday (jk).
It's aggravating to me now, but it was more aggravating when I was working and didn't have time to sit around waiting.
I don't know of many other professions where this would be considered normal (see how diplomatically I worded that). I've never had a doctor or dentist call to tell me 'doctor is running late' as might be the case for many other professionals.
BTW, evidently there's no shortage of doctors, the physician : patient population is above average where we live.
[/rant]
I take the first appt of the day with my doctor/dentist assuming they have to at least start on time.
Last time I went to the dentist, I waited 30 minutes. It appears a patient had a legit dental emergency and she took him in before my (first) appt and ran long with him. However, I always wait for her, every time. I admit she is a good dentist.
Had a physical a few weeks ago, first appt of the day. They sat me in the waiting room for 15 minutes. Then took me to a holding room where I waited 10 minutes for a nurse to ask me the same questions as the receptionist already had for the most part. Then another 10 minutes before I see the doctor himself, for about 10 minutes. Then another 10 minutes in another holding room to have blood drawn. Imagine later in the day! I admit he is a good doctor.
But yesterday DW had a podiatrist appt for 11a. At 10a she called and asked 'I'm about to leave work, is Dr X running on schedule? Answer, 'yes, he is.' So she arrives just before 11a, and sits in the waiting room until 12:15p (resorting to deep breathing for the last 15 minutes vs throwing furniture). She came home so mad, she said she just won't go back to him again.
I prescribed a margarita for her, seemed marginally effective. Last thing she remembered yesterday (jk).
It's aggravating to me now, but it was more aggravating when I was working and didn't have time to sit around waiting.
I don't know of many other professions where this would be considered normal (see how diplomatically I worded that). I've never had a doctor or dentist call to tell me 'doctor is running late' as might be the case for many other professionals.
BTW, evidently there's no shortage of doctors, the physician : patient population is above average where we live.
[/rant]
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