Dr appointment wait times? spinoff to LB's post

So, does anyone work in a Dr's office? Why do some Dr's have such long wait times, for real? Is is just that they don't give a crap and squeeze too many people in? All the Dr's I use, have very short wait times(including specialists), so I know it CAN be done. What's the deal? Can anyone enlighten me?

BTW: I have a job that is by appointments. I am a hairdresser(not that I am comparing myself to a DR ) I do not think, in the worst case senario, I have ever made anyone wait more than 15 minutes. Most of the time, there is no wait and I am VERY busy.

Re: Dr appointment wait times? spinoff to LB's post

I would love to know this.. my pediatrician had us waiting about an hour this winter...

while I know it was a bad winter how long does it take to diagnose an ear infection.. a cold.. (i know it sounds harsh) but wiaing over an hour with a 17 month old is not fun!!

Re: Dr appointment wait times? spinoff to LB's post

Posted by Linda1003

I would love to know this.. my pediatrician had us waiting about an hour this winter...

while I know it was a bad winter how long does it take to diagnose an ear infection.. a cold.. (i know it sounds harsh) but wiaing over an hour with a 17 month old is not fun!!

Message edited 4/13/2011 12:13:59 PM.

Re: Dr appointment wait times? spinoff to LB's post

Posted by CathyB

Posted by Linda1003

I would love to know this.. my pediatrician had us waiting about an hour this winter...

while I know it was a bad winter how long does it take to diagnose an ear infection.. a cold.. (i know it sounds harsh) but wiaing over an hour with a 17 month old is not fun!!

I used to get upset at long waits at the pediatrician too until I had to bring my son in with a very serious emergency issue that took over an hour with the doctor. I felt awful that other people were being pushed back but it was unavoidable and the ped wanted to try to resolve the issue in their office rahter than just sending us to the ER for a much more aggressive and invasive course of treatment.

Re: Dr appointment wait times? spinoff to LB's post

I am more upset that I am not told ahead of time or when I come in. As if nothing happened and I don't get a heads up.

I work by appt only. I HAVE TO BE on time. The most someone waited is 10 minutes and it was a rare accurence. I appologized and thanked them for waiting.

Re: Dr appointment wait times? spinoff to LB's post

My very first job was as a receptionist in a doctor's appointment. People would wait sometimes over 2 hours because he would make us double and triple book patients.

Re: Dr appointment wait times? spinoff to LB's post

What I would REALLY like to know, is if the doctor (and staff) wind up going home 1-2 hours late EVERY night because they are so "backed up".

I think it is inconsiderate and WILL choose my doctors with this in mind.

Re: Dr appointment wait times? spinoff to LB's post

When I worked in a doc office, some docs wanted to be triple booked.

Others didn't.

Some docs would take every single emergency patient, and others wouldn't.

Some docs would spend a lengthy time in the patient room, others were more reasonable with it.

I truly believe one doc I worked for secretly loved to see a waiting room full of people for him on Saturday morning - these people would wait 2 hours to see him (granted, he is very good at what he does and is also a surgeon) but I think long weight times kind of upped his desirability as a doc, KWIM?

Re: Dr appointment wait times? spinoff to LB's post

Message edited 4/13/2011 12:43:12 PM.

Re: Dr appointment wait times? spinoff to LB's post

I worked for an accounting firm and during tax season if people were late -that threw off the entire rest of the days appointments.

My Ped's office has a strict appointment schedule. They will call you if you are 10 minutes late and ask if you will be in within the next 10 minutes. If you can't - they reschedule you.

I never wait longer than 10 minutes when I take DS.

Re: Dr appointment wait times? spinoff to LB's post

I think it totally depends--sometimes Drs are running late with AM rounds at the hospital due to an emergency, sometimes patients are late, sometimes another dr will call to see if we can squeeze in an emergency or urgent patient (which can happen in derm too!). Or sometimes what is scheduled for a 15 minute visit turns into something longer. And sometimes it's just the way that office runs! I don't know if that helps, but as someone who has spent many a late night in a drs office, I don't like it when we get behind either!

Re: Dr appointment wait times? spinoff to LB's post

I work at a medical school and I asked one of the Drs this once.
He said that they allot 7 minutes per patient. Some patients take less than that (like if I go in for just a script refill) vs those with long patient histories and tons of question. If they have a lot of the latter in one day well then the wait time just builds and builds.

Re: Dr appointment wait times? spinoff to LB's post

I used to work at a doctor's office up until about a year ago. The doctor's wife (not even the doctor!) had us double & triple booking appointments - there were horriblly long waits at this office. Sometimes 3 hours.... I was amazed that more people didn't walk out - but this was a specialist surgeon and he is very good at what he does. He only saw patients in the office 1 and a half days a week so alot of patients had to be seen and he never rushed anyone out - spent as much time as he needed to with each patient.

This backlog trickled over to the staff - there were nights we were there til after 11pm catching up on paperwork!