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Dr. Appointment Wait Time?

shadowtippy

shadowtippy

Mar 13, 2009
944
18,613
Lake Charles, La.
#1
How long do you wait in your doctor's office in order to be seen? I had an appointment today, not even to see the Dr, just the Nurse Practitioner. I was in the exam room for 35 minutes and no NP. I stepped into the hall and she was about to enter another exam room. I asked if she was going to see me and she told me it would be a couple of seconds. Three minutes later I went to the reception desk to schedule an appointment when the NP would be available, then I left.
Why aren't medical offices run more like businesses should be run? How many other places keep you waiting for half an hour or longer when you have an appointment that they set up?
 
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#2
I used to hate dealing with that. I understand emergencies occur with previous patients, but if it's every time I go there, I get annoyed real fast because that's just poor planning and shows little respect for the patients. Send them a bill for your time, and maybe they'll get the message. Probably not, but it would make me feel better :angel:

Anyway, now I'm part of the Polyclinic network, and I've never had to wait more than 5 minutes these past few years. And when I dealt with UCLA (I think) in LA, they had it together as well
 
#4
My other half works the check in/check out desk at a clinic, so I know a bit of what goes into all that. Bottom line, of course, is driven by good old fashioned desire for money. It's all about moving as many people in and out the door as quickly as possible. They know there are no shows, so they always over schedule based on that. If everyone shows... delays. Also, they schedule based on what I would consider unreasonable expectations. They schedule based on an expectation that the doctor will be in the room with the patient for less than a minute (seriously). If it takes longer, more delays for the remaining folks. This is a clinic for a major medical center in my state, so it's not like one doctor going off the rails, it's institutionalized. Why do they do it? Because they can, honestly...
 
#5
Maybe five minutes. I always arrive 10-15 minutes early too.
It's unfortunate when offices start running behind as they often do. Having worked in this industry the last eight years, as an IT guy, I can say it's not often due to incompetence of the doctor or his staff that throws the schedule off.

-Mike
 
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#7
My regular quarterly doctor visit takes a few hours, but I always get blood work for warfarin levels and whatever else they need to check, both legs get ultrasound looking for clots, and my doc is an avid fly angler so we always kill a bit of time talking rods and flies and what's biting even though I can't get on the water any more. He quit his regular practice and now does mostly trials of diabetes treatments for the elderly, but he still sees a few long time patients.
 
#9
jthisdell said:
I work at an Ophthalmologist office and we can have delays when the Doctor has an emergency or surgery runs long, etc. Should not be a problem with an NP. Always go for first appointment in the morning. First thing in the afternoon isn't as good as the Doctor may be running late from the morning.
Click to expand...

I always do this. Late to work beats spending hours at the doctors.
 
#10
jthisdell said:
I work at an Ophthalmologist office and we can have delays when the Doctor has an emergency or surgery runs long, etc. Should not be a problem with an NP. Always go for first appointment in the morning. First thing in the afternoon isn't as good as the Doctor may be running late from the morning.
Click to expand...
Yeah, this. I always try for first in the morning or first after lunch.
 
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#12
I'm not sure if it's the way it is or not, but it's been this way for me, at least. Regular Dr. wait times seem to vary on the doctor ( as you would expect ). My current Dr. is pretty darn punctual, so 15 minutes is a LONG time for him. I've had some in the past that make you park in an empty room for more than 20 minutes after waiting in a lobby for more than 15. I don't put up with that crap and change Dr's and make sure that info is known to the new Dr. Seems to work ok the last 10ish years or so.

The Dr's ( and nurses ) associated with cancer treatment are right on time, AT A MINIMUM. Most times I've been taken back and seen early.

This is purely my experience, but I wonder if it's "a thing" as the kids like to say :D
 
#13
I am happy to hear that some doctors are fairly prompt, but in general, a long wait is usually in order. Like the airlines, doctors over-book to maximize profits, and when there is a little problem, the rest of the schedule gets worse and worse. SitDMC is right about going first thing or right after lunch.

There are studies available for doctors to show them how long people will wait in the waiting room until it is time to move them to the exam room, and how long they will tolerate waiting there.

It is very different in other countries where heathcare is NOT a for-profit industry. For example, I went to the Emergency Room in Paris, was seen within 15 minutes and the bill for the visit and 3 meds was $50. I've been to the ER in Taiwan and Hong Kong also over the years, was seen nearly immediately with NO CHARGE.
 
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#15
shadowtippy said:
How long do you wait in your doctor's office in order to be seen? I had an appointment today, not even to see the Dr, just the Nurse Practitioner. I was in the exam room for 35 minutes and no NP. I stepped into the hall and she was about to enter another exam room. I asked if she was going to see me and she told me it would be a couple of seconds. Three minutes later I went to the reception desk to schedule an appointment when the NP would be available, then I left.
Why aren't medical offices run more like businesses should be run? How many other places keep you waiting for half an hour or longer when you have an appointment that they set up?
Click to expand...
There are many factors for tardiness. That is just the way it is. BTW my fiance is a nurse and I do A LOT of service calls at medical offices.
 
#19
I have never had this problem. My doctor's office is almost always running on time and they are great at squeezing me in same day.

Unfortunately, my doctor always winds up trying to casually gab about a fishing trip or some crud for a third of my allotted 15 minutes. I just switched to a concierge practice this morning!
 
#20
They're probably in the back room, laughing about you waiting for no reason. I'd assume that most medical people are sociopathic pill-poppers.

They make you wait for an hour because it amuses them. Then they spend a whole five minutes with you, say "uh-huh" a few times, then had you a prescription for antibiotics.

Keep in mind that 100 years ago, these people would've been putting leeches on you.
 

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