A physician I work with was talking about his whole centered approach to patient care, and needing to get to know patients as more than their diagnosis, as well as taking the time needed if serious issues arise in the appointment. He knows he runs over at times, and hopes that his personal interest in patients makes up for wait time inconsistencies, as any patient might be the one getting the longer appointment as needed. He started his own practice group at a point, so the physicians and NPs could have more control over scheduling.
While it’s not perfect, the large clinic where I go for my primary and specialty care has a white board in every department with a list of any doctors that are delayed more than (I think) 10 minutes. It’s not fun to wait but I appreciate knowing. It allows you to use the restroom, make a call, etc. It also has wifi throughout. I rarely wait in the exam room between seeing the nurse and the doctor but agree, no fun sitting there, often uncomfortably, in a gown.
50 or 60 years ago, my mother spilled Clorox in her eye. (I have no idea how.) Her neighbor raced her to the ophthalmologist’s office and the dr spent the next 45 minutes or so rinsing her eye, checking her eye, etc. Since then I’ve been very patient if I know the dr is handling an emergency. (Like, if my ob/gyn is delivering a baby.) However, if the delay is due to poor planning or inefficiency, then I’m outta there after a 45-minute wait. There’s no excuse for that.
I agree with the above. A few years ago, I had an emergency eye issue, and my ophthalmologist sent me to a specialist 10 minutes away, and told me to go immediately. The specialist saw me immediately, and saved my eyesight. It gave me great insight to why a patient may need to wait for a doctor. So grateful to all those patients whose schedules were impacted by my emergency.
My internist schedules an hour for Wellness/annual exams. That consists of a lot of conversation and about 15 minutes of actual exam. Sick exams she schedules in 30 minute appointments. Never have to wait as she doesn’t overbook. Sadly Thursday is her last day in private practice. She can no longer afford to practice in that way. She is taking a job at the local University health center. I now have to find a new primary Dr.
I have an orthopedic appointment today and he has for the most part been good at not making me wait. My D’s orthopedic dr we would always wait sometimes over an hour.
I have found wait times for specialists worse than for primary doctors. The orthopedist was the worst - easily an hour. With my former PCP, I didn’t wait too long in the waiting room before the assistant got me, wieghed me and took my BP. Then I could wait an additional 30 minutes in the exam room for the dr. She was good at taking time with patients, listening, answering questions, so I put up with the wait.
I certainly get an occasional emergency and am fine with waiting for good MDs who will spend the time and provide the service patients want and deserve. I really dislike and have stopped seeing MDs who make patients literally wait HOURS and don’t apologize and do it as a matter of habit and scheduling. I consider that extremely arrogant and uncaring of other people.
I normally am OK with waiting and will bring one or more things to do in my time but there’s no excuse for repeatedly making patients wait for over two hours, none. If the staff knows that MD is running that late, they should tell patients and give them the option of rescheduling.
When I left CA. I was stunned how little wait time. I’d open a magazine and hear my name called. In CA, it was a matter of when to schedule (early-early appt in the am or first after lunch, so less chance of backups.)
This is my current doc’s first practice job. He’s very good, but I notice how he keeps referring me out. As if he’s building reciprocal relationships with these other docs.
H waited over 2 hours to see his primary care doc yesterday. There are a lot of geriatric patients and the md has to explain to a lot of them and their families that the level of care had to be increased or they could no longer live independently.
The MD often runs way behind like this. H really likes him.
In a case like that, they should schedule more effectively.
Yes, it would be nice if they did but I don’t think they will change at this point.
@HImom Can your husband call ahead and see if they can give him an idea of how far behind the doctor is before heading over?
I hope he brings a good book!
Not excusing a 2 hour wait, but sometimes PCPs double book some appointments because of some expected no-shows, and then also have to fit in emergencies. Its actually laudable that his doc takes that much time with his geriatric patients and their caregivers/families.
It is laudable but touch to know if your 11:30 appt will be done by 2pm (it wasn’t). The MD had been running behind for decades — H is OK, as long as he has his cell phone and nothing scheduled afterwards.
General and specific question. What triggers credit card fraud detection?
One time I bought a refrigerator and then got gas and they thought that was suspicious.
Yesterday, my Master Card indicated a fraudulent charge. It was $0 twice at a Houston gas station. Not in Texas. I figured it asked for a zip code and it was denied.
Ideas how they pick up fraud?
@rockymtnhigh2 My CC companies tend to react to online purchases of software – games, or whatever. One of my sons asked me to call ahead so that his purchase of word processing software (from overseas) would go through (it was my account). Otherwise, their version of lights and sirens.
Different locations used to trigger alerts. For a couple of years, every time we went to visit one son at his out of state school, we had to reassure the bank about charges. Never happened when we were visiting other son in different state.
Sometimes I get an alert if I haven’t used the card in about a week then purchase a backlog of things. And I got an alert text once from insomnia shopping – they were suspicious of the online purchase of a designer handbag at 3 AM.
I called a VISA credit card company to allow a credit for a cooking school in France H was attending to finish the tuition which was already charged on the account. Three phone calls did not approve it. Charged it on another card and it went through first time.
Presumably, the expectation that patients will be taking off some or all of their clothes is why the heat is turned up so high in the exam rooms. But it may be so high that it is uncomfortably warm even if you take off most of your clothes.
Who do they think they are, airlines? 
Ah, if only they gave us money to reschedule!
New question:
Cutting boards. What is the best material for them? I’ve used wood, but you have to wash them immediately, and IME odors linger on them. I’ve used the acrylic type, but over time they develop small cuts where the knives were, and then they don’t get completely clean. What’s the best??