Doctor office wait times ?

[starryfish]

I had an 1130am apt that I arrived early for. It is now 12:21pm. At least 2-3 patients still ahead of me. I already asked receptionist and she said it’s Bc Doc takes a long time with each patient.

At what point would you call it and leave? Or reschedule?

[icedcoffee]

Probably never, but I've been known to leave a practice because of this.

I understand emergencies come up and sometimes a patient needs more time, but I can't stand when a practice is behind basically every time.

[pooh8402]

Apr 16, 2019 12:26:08 GMT -5 icedcoffee said:

Probably never, but I've been known to leave a practice because of this.

I understand emergencies come up and sometimes a patient needs more time, but I can't stand when a practice is behind basically every time.

This. My mom and I left an OB/GYN practice because of 2-3 hour wait times, every time. My current OB will offer to reschedule if she is backed up due to deliveries or emergencies.

[madringal]

I would be enraged. I normally "only" have a 20 minute wait at my OB. And they will call me before my appt if the Dr. is running really behind and tell me when I should come in. We never wait more then 10 minutes for the pedi or dentist. My MD is my cousin so I never have to wait for her either.

So basically, if I had a long wait at any of these places once or twice - no biggie - it happens. If this was just how they ran their practice I would never go back. It is possible to give your patients the time they need and deserve while still being respectful of others time.

[icedcoffee]

Apr 16, 2019 12:28:24 GMT -5 pooh8402 said:

Apr 16, 2019 12:26:08 GMT -5 icedcoffee said:

Probably never, but I've been known to leave a practice because of this.

I understand emergencies come up and sometimes a patient needs more time, but I can't stand when a practice is behind basically every time.

This. My mom and I left an OB/GYN practice because of 2-3 hour wait times, every time. My current OB will offer to reschedule if she is backed up due to deliveries or emergencies.

The office I left was a GYN too.  She doesn't even do deliveries.  Infuriating.

My current practice tries to run on schedule, but they do get backed up.  Funny story:  A few years ago I had been waiting forever.  After like 45 minutes they said the doctor was stuck in a delivery and did I want to reschedule or would I be ok if another doctor squeezed me in.  I said they could just squeeze me in.  I waited another 25 minutes and this entire time I had to pee SOOO bad, but I had been sitting waiting with my pants off on the table.  Finally, I decided to make a run for it and put my pants back on to go pee.  The doctor came while I was gone and when I ran back started threatening with "If you can't be ready right now, I'm going to have to reschedule you".  I almost totally lost it.  I was like "I've been waiting almost 90 minutes.  You can wait 30 seconds while I pull my pants back off." :::Dirty glare::::  My appointment was literally 4 minutes long.  Quick pap and "any issues?  Nope.  Ok".  

[Susie]

Presumptively the doctor "takes a long time with each patient" every day, so they should schedule accordingly.  It's not a reason to always be late.

I probably wouldn't leave/reschedule because it's too disruptive to my life/schedule and wastes too much time to drive back a whole separate time after I've already driven there and sunk the first hour of wait time.  But I would mention to the doctor when I finally got in that I appreciate thorough appointments but this kind of wait time isn't workable.  Appointment times are for a reason, and that reason goes both ways.  And I'd look for a new practice.

Sometimes for a specialist you kind of have to put up with it, but for anyone I'm seeing regularly (including an OB during pregnancy), that doesn't fly.  I'm a professional too, and I don't have that kind of time to waste.

[starryfish]

It’s not an OB office.....it’s a RE....I’m just super pissed and emotional today about all things IF....

This was checking out a new clinic....I love my old RE but she is $$$$$$

[knx9211]

What the fuck? If this was a one off, I'd forgive it. But otherwise, I'd be looking for a new doctor. They got me back into my room for my OB appt yesterday right on time to do my vitals, etc., but the doctor was 15 minutes late. He apologized a number of times, and that was only 15 minutes!

that explanation would piss me off, too. Then make appointments further apart, dick.

I'd sit there and wait this time but it wouldn't happen again.

[pooh8402]

Apr 16, 2019 12:39:40 GMT -5 starryfish said:

It’s not an OB office.....it’s a RE....I’m just super pissed and emotional today about all things IF....

This was checking out a new clinic....I love my old RE but she is $$$$$$

Yea that doctor needs to rethink how they schedule appointments if it's going to take that long. Having been through IF too, I understand wanting to give your patients the time they need, especially with all the emotional aspects of IF. But schedule appointments accordingly. Especially in IF where probably at least half the patients are paying OOP.

[knx9211]

Apr 16, 2019 12:39:40 GMT -5 starryfish said:

It’s not an OB office.....it’s a RE....I’m just super pissed and emotional today about all things IF....

This was checking out a new clinic....I love my old RE but she is $$$$$$

No, this would piss me off. I've had my RE behind before, but it wasn't frequent. I'd ask if this is always the case. Then again, you might not see a doctor much? I never did. Always medical assistants and ultrasound techs, who usually weren't too far behind.

Hoping the appointment goes well though <3

[icedcoffee]

Apr 16, 2019 12:39:40 GMT -5 starryfish said:

It’s not an OB office.....it’s a RE....I’m just super pissed and emotional today about all things IF....

This was checking out a new clinic....I love my old RE but she is $$$$$$

I'm sorry.  That's unacceptable.  My RE clinic was super on time and efficient for monitoring, but I did sometimes have to wait for appointments with my doctor (she was even late for my retrieval and transfer!).  I just kind of dealt with it because I was otherwise happy with them, but it was annoying.

I'd probably wait it out.

[ssmjlm]

I hope you left. I get that it's a RE office, but to me, this doesn't show organization or practice management, which is just as important as the medical aspect IMO.

DH had a spinal doc that the waits were regularly 2+ hours as the day went on. But this guy was amazing (seriously, he basically saved DH's life) and after waiting for the first appt, he just knew to schedule for the first of the day.

[arehopsveggies]

Baby’s pediatrician’s office takes hours. And they have a tiny waiting room so once there were sick adults in children’s area. That pissed me off pretty bad since I have a medically needy child that doesn’t need to be coughed on by strangers

DS1 and I see a nurse practitioner instead and she is always fast. Once I waited 20 min and they apologized like crazy. But they schedule plenty of time for each patient so I can ask all my questions and never feel rushed.

My OB with DS1 took forever, and it was frustrating because I had to leave work early to get their last appointment of the day, but then sit and wait for 2 hours. I asked if I could just show up 15 min late and they said no, they’d cancel me if I did that. I also started wearing skirts to my appointments, because I’d always need to pee (super pregnant plus waiting forever) but they always wanted pants off for every appointment. Even if we hadn’t moved I wouldn’t have gone back to that office my next pregnancy.

[ECB]

If this is your first appt and that is their response to why they are running late, I woudln't have a 2nd appt there. That's absolutely ridiculous. As said - if he wants a long time, then schedule a long time. you have 2-3 more people in front of you and he's almost an hour late?

Nope. Not o.k.

[estrellita]

I usually just wait because I've usually taken off work and I can't just constantly rearrange my schedule. I only really have issues at my GYN's office (also was my OB, she gets pulled out for deliveries which is understandable and has certain times blocked for each type of appointment, but she does run behind) and sometimes urgent care (you can make an appointment but it gets busy sometimes). I do agree though that it would potentially make me find a new doc and they shouldn't cram appointments in when they know they constantly run behind. Occasionally, sure, but all the time seems disrespectful of the patient's time, even if they do get extra time once they finally get called in.

[thoseareradishes]

That's really frustrating. They should schedule longer appointments if he needs more time with each patient. Which I know they will never do because money. Although E gets scheduled double time for her wellness appointments with her pedi, I guess since she was a preemie.

[seaturtle]

For anything other than IVF bloodwork my RE was also always behind and I had crazy long wait times. I just started scheduling as early as I could go, or going to a different office location that was a few minutes farther but rarely had any wait. Sorry OP, especially at an RE it sucks to wait a long time. Hope you can find a way around it.

[starryfish]

I stayed but wasn’t happy, didn’t particularly like the new doctor anyways so probably won’t go back. It was a second opinion apt

[shauni27]

Apr 16, 2019 12:33:25 GMT -5 icedcoffee said:

Apr 16, 2019 12:28:24 GMT -5 pooh8402 said:

This. My mom and I left an OB/GYN practice because of 2-3 hour wait times, every time. My current OB will offer to reschedule if she is backed up due to deliveries or emergencies.

The office I left was a GYN too.  She doesn't even do deliveries.  Infuriating.

My current practice tries to run on schedule, but they do get backed up.  Funny story:  A few years ago I had been waiting forever.  After like 45 minutes they said the doctor was stuck in a delivery and did I want to reschedule or would I be ok if another doctor squeezed me in.  I said they could just squeeze me in.  I waited another 25 minutes and this entire time I had to pee SOOO bad, but I had been sitting waiting with my pants off on the table.  Finally, I decided to make a run for it and put my pants back on to go pee.  The doctor came while I was gone and when I ran back started threatening with "If you can't be ready right now, I'm going to have to reschedule you".  I almost totally lost it.  I was like "I've been waiting almost 90 minutes.  You can wait 30 seconds while I pull my pants back off." :::Dirty glare::::  My appointment was literally 4 minutes long.  Quick pap and "any issues?  Nope.  Ok".  

OMG I would have been livid and would have for sure made a comment. At the very least I would send an email to the practice manager with the complaint with specific details. I am angry on your behalf just reading this and it happened to you multiple years ago, lol.

But I am with others. If it was a one time thing I would let it slide while making it known I am frustrated. If it is common then I would leave the practice full stop. For any of my regular appointments, be it OBGYN/RE/PCP I rarely have to wait more than a couple of minutes. But I live in a rural place. Our ER visits at the big hospital in the region can take 12+ hours before you get seen. 

Knowing this was to check out a new clinic I would probably stay for the appointment and see how you felt after meeting the doctor. I would give it one other appointment  if you did like the RE and see how it goes.

[knx9211]

Apr 16, 2019 13:17:29 GMT -5 arehopsveggies said:

Baby’s pediatrician’s office takes hours. And they have a tiny waiting room so once there were sick adults in children’s area. That pissed me off pretty bad since I have a medically needy child that doesn’t need to be coughed on by strangers

DS1 and I see a nurse practitioner instead and she is always fast. Once I waited 20 min and they apologized like crazy. But they schedule plenty of time for each patient so I can ask all my questions and never feel rushed.

My OB with DS1 took forever, and it was frustrating because I had to leave work early to get their last appointment of the day, but then sit and wait for 2 hours. I asked if I could just show up 15 min late and they said no, they’d cancel me if I did that. I also started wearing skirts to my appointments, because I’d always need to pee (super pregnant plus waiting forever) but they always wanted pants off for every appointment. Even if we hadn’t moved I wouldn’t have gone back to that office my next pregnancy.

Wait, seriously? Why? What are they doing at EVERY appointment that pants need to come off?

[redpenmama]

My OB's office was like this pretty regularly during my first pregnancy. I toyed with switching practices for my next pregnancy because of MANY hour-plus wait times (and my OB moved to Alaska, so there was nothing keeping me there). Anyway, the practice opened a satellite office on my side of town, so I switched to that office with my second pregnancy, and wait times were much shorter because they saw fewer patients there. Long wait times, especially if they are typical, would cause me to look elsewhere.

[jennistarr1]

Apr 16, 2019 14:37:42 GMT -5 knx9211 said:

Apr 16, 2019 13:17:29 GMT -5 arehopsveggies said:

Baby’s pediatrician’s office takes hours. And they have a tiny waiting room so once there were sick adults in children’s area. That pissed me off pretty bad since I have a medically needy child that doesn’t need to be coughed on by strangers

DS1 and I see a nurse practitioner instead and she is always fast. Once I waited 20 min and they apologized like crazy. But they schedule plenty of time for each patient so I can ask all my questions and never feel rushed.

My OB with DS1 took forever, and it was frustrating because I had to leave work early to get their last appointment of the day, but then sit and wait for 2 hours. I asked if I could just show up 15 min late and they said no, they’d cancel me if I did that. I also started wearing skirts to my appointments, because I’d always need to pee (super pregnant plus waiting forever) but they always wanted pants off for every appointment. Even if we hadn’t moved I wouldn’t have gone back to that office my next pregnancy.

Wait, seriously? Why? What are they doing at EVERY appointment that pants need to come off?

That infuriated me too! I finally spoke up and said "45 minutes is a long time to be donald ducking it". The next time, I didn't undress until they came in, which clearly irritated them but I pointed out again I didn't like waiting that long without pants on

[lolalolalola]

My doctor is always running behind. I try to get one of the first appointments of the day so that she will actually be on time. It bugs me.

I am in Canada and it's socialized health care so it's free, and there's not much I can do unless I want to look for another doctor (I don't- I love her otherwise).

[knx9211]

Apr 16, 2019 15:22:03 GMT -5 jennistarr1 said:

Apr 16, 2019 14:37:42 GMT -5 knx9211 said:

Wait, seriously? Why? What are they doing at EVERY appointment that pants need to come off?

That infuriated me too! I finally spoke up and said "45 minutes is a long time to be donald ducking it". The next time, I didn't undress until they came in, which clearly irritated them but I pointed out again I didn't like waiting that long without pants on

But why do you always have to be pants off? I feel like of all of my appointments I was pants off for maybe 3-5, tops.

[arehopsveggies]

Apr 16, 2019 14:37:42 GMT -5 knx9211 said:

Apr 16, 2019 13:17:29 GMT -5 arehopsveggies said:

Baby’s pediatrician’s office takes hours. And they have a tiny waiting room so once there were sick adults in children’s area. That pissed me off pretty bad since I have a medically needy child that doesn’t need to be coughed on by strangers

DS1 and I see a nurse practitioner instead and she is always fast. Once I waited 20 min and they apologized like crazy. But they schedule plenty of time for each patient so I can ask all my questions and never feel rushed.

My OB with DS1 took forever, and it was frustrating because I had to leave work early to get their last appointment of the day, but then sit and wait for 2 hours. I asked if I could just show up 15 min late and they said no, they’d cancel me if I did that. I also started wearing skirts to my appointments, because I’d always need to pee (super pregnant plus waiting forever) but they always wanted pants off for every appointment. Even if we hadn’t moved I wouldn’t have gone back to that office my next pregnancy.

Wait, seriously? Why? What are they doing at EVERY appointment that pants need to come off?

I know now how crazy that is! It was my first so I didn’t know then. Ugh. They wanted pants off before Dr came in so if she wanted to check things she didn’t have to waste that five seconds for a patient to undress? Weird.

[knx9211]

Apr 16, 2019 17:13:42 GMT -5 arehopsveggies said:

Apr 16, 2019 14:37:42 GMT -5 knx9211 said:

Wait, seriously? Why? What are they doing at EVERY appointment that pants need to come off?

I know now how crazy that is! It was my first so I didn’t know then. Ugh. They wanted pants off before Dr came in so if she wanted to check things she didn’t have to waste that five seconds for a patient to undress? Weird.

Oh man that would be SO irritating. Sitting there Winnie the Pooh style for 45 minutes just to have them come in and say “oh I don’t need to check anything, go ahead and put your pants on.” RAGE!

[bronxgirl]

I came to think of my RE's waiting room as my living room away from home. it wasn't as comfortable as my actual living room and had a lot of strangers hanging around, but I spent a lot more time there then I did in my actual living room. My RE often double and triple booked which resulted in long waits, all the time. but, the upside is that I could always get an appointment in a reasonable time frame which wouldn't have happened otherwise. the whole thing is so frustrating.