Doctor was 45 minutes late after appointment time

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
1. "It takes far too long to get an appointment."
--> schedule more patients per day

2. "I have to wait too long for the appointment I made, and it's too short a visit."

Pick one. Either one, just commit. Or go concierge, I suppose.

1. Run on time.
2. Inform your patients when they arrive how late you are running and when they can realistically be expected to be seen.

Pick one. Either one, just commit. Or be totally inconsiderate and have your patients waiting an undetermined amount of time without any communication at all, I suppose.

Neither of these will ever happen, so either resign yourself or stay mad.

Why can't #2 happen?

Because there are too many moving parts to estimate when you will be seen. And heaven help them if they make an estimate and are wrong! Your wrath will rain down on them.

"too many moving parts." If only you had decades upon decades of experience to call upon. I am certain that successful practices have this figured out already. Look at all of your excuses! Lame.

+1

Instead of making up endless excuses, why not treat this as an opportunity to do better? Reach out to successful practices and figure out the key practices.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a provider, I often run late because I actually listen to my patients.

If a patient complains about the timing, I apologize profusely and then do my absolute best to see them in 5 minutes or less. It is what they wanted me to do with the ithrrs, so that is what they can have.

I work in an obgyn field. Every time you read about maternal mortality and morbidity in the USA, or that it takes 10+ years to diagnose endometriosis (takes a 15-20 min detailed interview), I assure you these docs run on time.

I would love to have a scheduled 30 min appt to see each patient, but it is unrealistic.

Listen doctors, your patients are not morons. We know the doctors that run late because they spend time with each patient, listening attentively, and the ones who cannot manage themselves if their practice depends on it. We know when doctors are late for emergencies -- because when it's an actual emergency -- the staff and doctor let you know. We know when are BSing us because you were late due to bad scheduling.

You actually could schedule 30 min appt per patient. You've just decided that it's not financially worth it for you.

Sure they could do this and charge you twice as much. And since doctors would see half as many patients, the wait time for an appointment would double. You'd just have something new to complain about.

Lord, your post above shows you absolutely don't understand scheduling. Seeing half the patients doubles wait times ONLY IF YOU DO NOT KNOW HOW TO MANAGE A CALENDAR. I'm beginning to see the real issue. You guys have no ability to manage and deal with a calendar.

DP. OMG, you don't get that this is an essentially closed system, and that we've unexpectedly lost around a quarter of the physicians in the US.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s even worse when they make you wait in the examination room. One of those times, I gather my stuff and went to the hallway to cancel my appointment because 80 minutes had passed from my appointment time. I saw the doctor sitting relaxed in his office.

+1 Waiting in the examination room is the absolute worst. I changed doctors for this reason.

I appreciate that since COVID, more providers allow patients to wait outside or in the car. Most practices that run late also have crowded waiting rooms. I would much rather walk outside or take a work call in my car than sit in a crowded indoor space.

I haven't read all the responses, but I wish more providers would give patients a heads-up that they are running exceptionally late. I'm one of those who feels late if I'm not 15 minutes early. If a doctor is running 30 minutes or more behind schedule, I would love a call if for no other reason than to let me know that I don't need to be early.

I also appreciate that more is being done through telehealth appointments. The final straw with my old practice came when I had an appointment to discuss bloodwork results with a nurse practitioner. I waited in an exam room for over an hour, before the NP came in to tell me (almost two hours after my appointment time) that I have a Vitamin D deficiency. I never set foot in that office again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a provider, I often run late because I actually listen to my patients.

If a patient complains about the timing, I apologize profusely and then do my absolute best to see them in 5 minutes or less. It is what they wanted me to do with the ithrrs, so that is what they can have.

I work in an obgyn field. Every time you read about maternal mortality and morbidity in the USA, or that it takes 10+ years to diagnose endometriosis (takes a 15-20 min detailed interview), I assure you these docs run on time.

I would love to have a scheduled 30 min appt to see each patient, but it is unrealistic.

Listen doctors, your patients are not morons. We know the doctors that run late because they spend time with each patient, listening attentively, and the ones who cannot manage themselves if their practice depends on it. We know when doctors are late for emergencies -- because when it's an actual emergency -- the staff and doctor let you know. We know when are BSing us because you were late due to bad scheduling.

You actually could schedule 30 min appt per patient. You've just decided that it's not financially worth it for you.

Sure they could do this and charge you twice as much. And since doctors would see half as many patients, the wait time for an appointment would double. You'd just have something new to complain about.

Lord, your post above shows you absolutely don't understand scheduling. Seeing half the patients doubles wait times ONLY IF YOU DO NOT KNOW HOW TO MANAGE A CALENDAR. I'm beginning to see the real issue. You guys have no ability to manage and deal with a calendar.

What the hell do YOU do for a job that you can hang out here all day trashing doctors? It can't be anything that requires too much organization or skill.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s even worse when they make you wait in the examination room. One of those times, I gather my stuff and went to the hallway to cancel my appointment because 80 minutes had passed from my appointment time. I saw the doctor sitting relaxed in his office.

+1 Waiting in the examination room is the absolute worst. I changed doctors for this reason.

I appreciate that since COVID, more providers allow patients to wait outside or in the car. Most practices that run late also have crowded waiting rooms. I would much rather walk outside or take a work call in my car than sit in a crowded indoor space.

I haven't read all the responses, but I wish more providers would give patients a heads-up that they are running exceptionally late. I'm one of those who feels late if I'm not 15 minutes early. If a doctor is running 30 minutes or more behind schedule, I would love a call if for no other reason than to let me know that I don't need to be early.

I also appreciate that more is being done through telehealth appointments. The final straw with my old practice came when I had an appointment to discuss bloodwork results with a nurse practitioner. I waited in an exam room for over an hour, before the NP came in to tell me (almost two hours after my appointment time) that I have a Vitamin D deficiency. I never set foot in that office again.

+100 to the heads up, and I think it’s awful that if you can’t wait around for 45 minutes you get charged for a missed appointment .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a provider, I often run late because I actually listen to my patients.

If a patient complains about the timing, I apologize profusely and then do my absolute best to see them in 5 minutes or less. It is what they wanted me to do with the ithrrs, so that is what they can have.

I work in an obgyn field. Every time you read about maternal mortality and morbidity in the USA, or that it takes 10+ years to diagnose endometriosis (takes a 15-20 min detailed interview), I assure you these docs run on time.

I would love to have a scheduled 30 min appt to see each patient, but it is unrealistic.

Listen doctors, your patients are not morons. We know the doctors that run late because they spend time with each patient, listening attentively, and the ones who cannot manage themselves if their practice depends on it. We know when doctors are late for emergencies -- because when it's an actual emergency -- the staff and doctor let you know. We know when are BSing us because you were late due to bad scheduling.

You actually could schedule 30 min appt per patient. You've just decided that it's not financially worth it for you.

Sure they could do this and charge you twice as much. And since doctors would see half as many patients, the wait time for an appointment would double. You'd just have something new to complain about.

Lord, your post above shows you absolutely don't understand scheduling. Seeing half the patients doubles wait times ONLY IF YOU DO NOT KNOW HOW TO MANAGE A CALENDAR. I'm beginning to see the real issue. You guys have no ability to manage and deal with a calendar.

DP. OMG, you don't get that this is an essentially closed system, and that we've unexpectedly lost around a quarter of the physicians in the US.

Newsflash: Wait times and mismanagement are not new problems. I am stunned at the levels you guys will go to avoid looking at the problem and finding solutions. Excuses everywhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a provider, I often run late because I actually listen to my patients.

If a patient complains about the timing, I apologize profusely and then do my absolute best to see them in 5 minutes or less. It is what they wanted me to do with the ithrrs, so that is what they can have.

I work in an obgyn field. Every time you read about maternal mortality and morbidity in the USA, or that it takes 10+ years to diagnose endometriosis (takes a 15-20 min detailed interview), I assure you these docs run on time.

I would love to have a scheduled 30 min appt to see each patient, but it is unrealistic.

Listen doctors, your patients are not morons. We know the doctors that run late because they spend time with each patient, listening attentively, and the ones who cannot manage themselves if their practice depends on it. We know when doctors are late for emergencies -- because when it's an actual emergency -- the staff and doctor let you know. We know when are BSing us because you were late due to bad scheduling.

You actually could schedule 30 min appt per patient. You've just decided that it's not financially worth it for you.

Sure they could do this and charge you twice as much. And since doctors would see half as many patients, the wait time for an appointment would double. You'd just have something new to complain about.

Lord, your post above shows you absolutely don't understand scheduling. Seeing half the patients doubles wait times ONLY IF YOU DO NOT KNOW HOW TO MANAGE A CALENDAR. I'm beginning to see the real issue. You guys have no ability to manage and deal with a calendar.

What the hell do YOU do for a job that you can hang out here all day trashing doctors? It can't be anything that requires too much organization or skill.

Lol, you guys are a joke. I able to keep my job and highlight pernicious problems you folks refuse to address because I have great time management skills.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a provider, I often run late because I actually listen to my patients.

If a patient complains about the timing, I apologize profusely and then do my absolute best to see them in 5 minutes or less. It is what they wanted me to do with the ithrrs, so that is what they can have.

I work in an obgyn field. Every time you read about maternal mortality and morbidity in the USA, or that it takes 10+ years to diagnose endometriosis (takes a 15-20 min detailed interview), I assure you these docs run on time.

I would love to have a scheduled 30 min appt to see each patient, but it is unrealistic.

Listen doctors, your patients are not morons. We know the doctors that run late because they spend time with each patient, listening attentively, and the ones who cannot manage themselves if their practice depends on it. We know when doctors are late for emergencies -- because when it's an actual emergency -- the staff and doctor let you know. We know when are BSing us because you were late due to bad scheduling.

You actually could schedule 30 min appt per patient. You've just decided that it's not financially worth it for you.

Sure they could do this and charge you twice as much. And since doctors would see half as many patients, the wait time for an appointment would double. You'd just have something new to complain about.

Lord, your post above shows you absolutely don't understand scheduling. Seeing half the patients doubles wait times ONLY IF YOU DO NOT KNOW HOW TO MANAGE A CALENDAR. I'm beginning to see the real issue. You guys have no ability to manage and deal with a calendar.

What the hell do YOU do for a job that you can hang out here all day trashing doctors? It can't be anything that requires too much organization or skill.

Your time management skills are so poor you cannot even understand. Sad. I see now why you cannot fix the problems and you guys are getting taken over by corporations. No ability to manage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a provider, I often run late because I actually listen to my patients.

If a patient complains about the timing, I apologize profusely and then do my absolute best to see them in 5 minutes or less. It is what they wanted me to do with the ithrrs, so that is what they can have.

I work in an obgyn field. Every time you read about maternal mortality and morbidity in the USA, or that it takes 10+ years to diagnose endometriosis (takes a 15-20 min detailed interview), I assure you these docs run on time.

I would love to have a scheduled 30 min appt to see each patient, but it is unrealistic.

Listen doctors, your patients are not morons. We know the doctors that run late because they spend time with each patient, listening attentively, and the ones who cannot manage themselves if their practice depends on it. We know when doctors are late for emergencies -- because when it's an actual emergency -- the staff and doctor let you know. We know when are BSing us because you were late due to bad scheduling.

You actually could schedule 30 min appt per patient. You've just decided that it's not financially worth it for you.

To be perfectly honest, the practice would have to close. It wouldn't just not be financially "worth it", but it would be unsustainable because the practice needs to pay rent, pay secretaries, pay medical assistants, buy office supplies, buy medical supplies.... and reimbursement from insurance will be the same per patient if I schedule 30min per patient or 10min per patient. If I schedule 10min per patient, the practice can stay afloat. If I schedule 30min per patient, that's 33% of the reimbursement!! That's like saying your salary is going from 100k a year to 33k but your fixed costs are staying the same and you have no flexibility to downsize. Because GlaxoSmithKline certainly doesn't care that I don't have enough money to buy their vaccines for my patients anymore (for one example).

Your issue is with insurance companies, not us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a provider, I often run late because I actually listen to my patients.

If a patient complains about the timing, I apologize profusely and then do my absolute best to see them in 5 minutes or less. It is what they wanted me to do with the ithrrs, so that is what they can have.

I work in an obgyn field. Every time you read about maternal mortality and morbidity in the USA, or that it takes 10+ years to diagnose endometriosis (takes a 15-20 min detailed interview), I assure you these docs run on time.

I would love to have a scheduled 30 min appt to see each patient, but it is unrealistic.

Listen doctors, your patients are not morons. We know the doctors that run late because they spend time with each patient, listening attentively, and the ones who cannot manage themselves if their practice depends on it. We know when doctors are late for emergencies -- because when it's an actual emergency -- the staff and doctor let you know. We know when are BSing us because you were late due to bad scheduling.

You actually could schedule 30 min appt per patient. You've just decided that it's not financially worth it for you.

Sure they could do this and charge you twice as much. And since doctors would see half as many patients, the wait time for an appointment would double. You'd just have something new to complain about.

Lord, your post above shows you absolutely don't understand scheduling. Seeing half the patients doubles wait times ONLY IF YOU DO NOT KNOW HOW TO MANAGE A CALENDAR. I'm beginning to see the real issue. You guys have no ability to manage and deal with a calendar.

What the hell do YOU do for a job that you can hang out here all day trashing doctors? It can't be anything that requires too much organization or skill.

Lol, you guys are a joke. I able to keep my job and highlight pernicious problems you folks refuse to address because I have great time management skills.

I'm not a doctor, just someone who understands that the problems with the US health care system are bigger than any one doctor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You all need to go concierge if you want a higher level of service than the masses.

Disagree. I'm with Kaiser and have never waited like this. I actually saw a pediatric cardiologist today. Zero wait, spent 15 minutes with the doctor, had an EKG done. I was out the door in under 30 minutes from start to finish.

While Kaiser doesn't allow you to get whatever you want done (like cosmetic dermatology), I've never had them deny anything needed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a provider, I often run late because I actually listen to my patients.

If a patient complains about the timing, I apologize profusely and then do my absolute best to see them in 5 minutes or less. It is what they wanted me to do with the ithrrs, so that is what they can have.

I work in an obgyn field. Every time you read about maternal mortality and morbidity in the USA, or that it takes 10+ years to diagnose endometriosis (takes a 15-20 min detailed interview), I assure you these docs run on time.

I would love to have a scheduled 30 min appt to see each patient, but it is unrealistic.

Listen doctors, your patients are not morons. We know the doctors that run late because they spend time with each patient, listening attentively, and the ones who cannot manage themselves if their practice depends on it. We know when doctors are late for emergencies -- because when it's an actual emergency -- the staff and doctor let you know. We know when are BSing us because you were late due to bad scheduling.

You actually could schedule 30 min appt per patient. You've just decided that it's not financially worth it for you.

To be perfectly honest, the practice would have to close. It wouldn't just not be financially "worth it", but it would be unsustainable because the practice needs to pay rent, pay secretaries, pay medical assistants, buy office supplies, buy medical supplies.... and reimbursement from insurance will be the same per patient if I schedule 30min per patient or 10min per patient. If I schedule 10min per patient, the practice can stay afloat. If I schedule 30min per patient, that's 33% of the reimbursement!! That's like saying your salary is going from 100k a year to 33k but your fixed costs are staying the same and you have no flexibility to downsize. Because GlaxoSmithKline certainly doesn't care that I don't have enough money to buy their vaccines for my patients anymore (for one example).

Your issue is with insurance companies, not us.

So now we are getting back to the crux of the issue which was identified on page 1. You want to increase your insurance reimbursement so you jam patients in shorter windows than you need to see them, take notes, answer emails, use the bathroom, etc. As I said pages ago, your patients are not morons. We know what's keeping your from being on time, and it's not an emergency. At least have the decency to apologize when you are 45 minutes late because you have chosen to jam the schedule.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a provider, I often run late because I actually listen to my patients.

If a patient complains about the timing, I apologize profusely and then do my absolute best to see them in 5 minutes or less. It is what they wanted me to do with the ithrrs, so that is what they can have.

I work in an obgyn field. Every time you read about maternal mortality and morbidity in the USA, or that it takes 10+ years to diagnose endometriosis (takes a 15-20 min detailed interview), I assure you these docs run on time.

I would love to have a scheduled 30 min appt to see each patient, but it is unrealistic.

Listen doctors, your patients are not morons. We know the doctors that run late because they spend time with each patient, listening attentively, and the ones who cannot manage themselves if their practice depends on it. We know when doctors are late for emergencies -- because when it's an actual emergency -- the staff and doctor let you know. We know when are BSing us because you were late due to bad scheduling.

You actually could schedule 30 min appt per patient. You've just decided that it's not financially worth it for you.

Sure they could do this and charge you twice as much. And since doctors would see half as many patients, the wait time for an appointment would double. You'd just have something new to complain about.

Lord, your post above shows you absolutely don't understand scheduling. Seeing half the patients doubles wait times ONLY IF YOU DO NOT KNOW HOW TO MANAGE A CALENDAR. I'm beginning to see the real issue. You guys have no ability to manage and deal with a calendar.

What the hell do YOU do for a job that you can hang out here all day trashing doctors? It can't be anything that requires too much organization or skill.

Lol, you guys are a joke. I able to keep my job and highlight pernicious problems you folks refuse to address because I have great time management skills.

I'm not a doctor, just someone who understands that the problems with the US health care system are bigger than any one doctor.

You realize that there are practices that run on time, right? And many many of them take insurance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You all need to go concierge if you want a higher level of service than the masses.

Disagree. I'm with Kaiser and have never waited like this. I actually saw a pediatric cardiologist today. Zero wait, spent 15 minutes with the doctor, had an EKG done. I was out the door in under 30 minutes from start to finish.

While Kaiser doesn't allow you to get whatever you want done (like cosmetic dermatology), I've never had them deny anything needed.

My children's specialists and my dentist run on time. And take insurance. You can find good doctors with decent practice management. Ask around.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If needed, you could have reasonably come out at the 20 minute mark and asked what’s up or to be rescheduled.

We waited longer than that at our pediatric practice the other day. It was SLAMMED. Lots going on, lots of illness. Doctors and nurses still burned out and staffing shortages following COVID. You are OK.

I came out at 30 minutes and asked and was told, "He'll be in a minute.". Fifteen minutes he showed up. I had already wasted 3/4 of an hour waiting. Their burn out should not be the problem of patients. My appt.
was 9 a.m., supposedly 2nd patient. This was orthopedist so no emergencies.

What in the world does this mean? Their pervasive burnout means patients across the board will obviously be affected by shortages, long waits, etc.