Doctor’s Office

I had an appointment for a check-up the other day. It was not a life threatening issue but I was also scheduled to possibly have a cortisone injection to help with my knee pain after physical therapy. My appointment was supposed to be at 4:15pm and I raced home from work to make my appointment on time. When I got to the office, I put my name in and sat in the waiting room. I had my Kindle with me and started getting engrossed in the latest book that I was reading. My name was called and I went into the examination room and waited for the doctor.

I was still reading. And reading. And reading. Sometime later, my husband called wondering where I was. He knew that I had this appointment, but grew concerned when I did not arrive home in a reasonable timeframe. I looked at my phone’s clock and saw the time indicated and realized that I had been there an hour and a half and still had not seen the doctor. I walked out. I supposed I got distracted in my book but I didn’t realize the time I was there otherwise I would have walked out earlier.

I am not angry at the doctor, it is not his fault. But I am perturbed at the office and for the mismanagement of the office that overbooks the patients. There was no emergency and he was in the office. I heard him in another exam room, so I know he was there. Waiting for that long is simply unacceptable. I have other things I have to do, and as a matter of fact I had an evening meeting that I had to get to anyway. My husband told me I should have told them I would back bill them for MY time, but I am too nice to do that. I just hope they don’t send me a bill because I don’t feel like fighting about it.

When you look at it, a doctor is performing a service just like a hair stylist or any other service provider. Just because he has had many years of training and experience does not make him invaluable enough to wait more than a half an hour for his time. I would have walked out of the hair salon the same way and possibly re-scheduled. Or not. This doctor is not the only specialist in town and I have waited longer than I care to for other appointments at this office. So I think it is time to find a new doctor.