Wait times for a scheduled doctor's appointment

[melaniej65]

For most of the time since 1985 we use military clinics/hospitals and the old joke "hurry up and wait" has been mostly true. There have been times that the wait has been measured in hours, so we try to get the first appointment of the day.

Surgical appointments are usually delayed since things obviously come up with surgical appointments.

It is nice that smartphones help make the wait easier.

[djmilf]

Sometimes the doctor is called away on a medical emergency. Sometimes the doctor gets bogged down when the patients who have appointments before you take longer than expected.

Yes, doctors' offices do overbook, but the best way to avoid the long waits is to ask for an early AM appointment. That way there's no backlog built up.

[chiluvr1228]

I refuse to wait at a doctor's office more than 30 minutes, especially if it's a recurring problem with that particular doctor.

[Nerys52SoSilver]

Is very long waiting times here so I take a book to read.

[xray731]

I worked for a large group of doctors - most were on time and only ran late if we had a difficult patient or emergency - but I had 1 doctor that was always late and had little consideration for his staff or his patients. He was good at what he did though and he never lacked patients. We'd be making excuses for him all the time - which were lies as he was late due to stopping for lunch or going to his own dentist appt. or sitting in his office talking to one of the pharmaceutical or equipment reps.
then he'd sit and shoot the sh*t with certain patients.

People knew to bring a book and expect to be there a couple of hours. I'd be getting out of the office at 9 pm and there were still patients to be seen but none needed x-rays. When I worked walk in clinic at the University - the doctors who did walk in were coming from the large trauma hospital in the city and we'd be there until 10-11 pm even though we closed the doors at 7 pm. The doctors may not arrive until 5 pm or after even though walk in started at 4 pm.

I hate waiting for doctors but sometimes there are legitimate reasons they are delayed.

[stephenMM]

Y'all are getting health care in the wrong places. I never have to wait more that 10 minutes, and often it's 5 minutes. In Abq, they had a sign in that little room they like to park you in while you're waiting for the doctor. It said, if you have been in there more than 15 minutes please come to the front desk and they will get someone.