Minor vent: pediatricians, pediatric dentists, etc., who don't have after-school apppointment times

[Anonymous]

Okay, so I realize this is a first-world problem, but I don't understand why so many pediatric medical professionals schedule their last appointment of the day at 3:00 or 3:30. They serve *children* so why wouldn't they stay open a couple more hours in order to have more after school availability? Okay, vent over.

[Anonymous]

Try being a working parent - it's worse.

[Anonymous]

Because they have children themselves and want to be home for them when they get home from school.

We schedule dentist appointments for days off from school -- we only go twice a year and schedule in advance, so it's not a problem. Same with well child visits. Sick visits can happen during school hours, since if a child is sick enough to need the doctor, they probably aren't going to school.

[Anonymous]

Uh or any doctor or dentist ever even for adults. We all have to take off to go, it's just life...

[Anonymous]

Dumbest vent ever.

Your child will not be damaged for life if you take them out of school for an hour.

[Anonymous]

Medical appointments are excused absences. It's OK.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Try being a working parent - it's worse.

Who says OP isnt?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because they have children themselves and want to be home for them when they get home from school.

We schedule dentist appointments for days off from school -- we only go twice a year and schedule in advance, so it's not a problem. Same with well child visits. Sick visits can happen during school hours, since if a child is sick enough to need the doctor, they probably aren't going to school.

This. All of it.

[Anonymous]

Other problem is that by the time you finish a 3:30 appointment, complete paperwork from the day, and close, it's past 6pm. In order to have later appointments, you need evening hours which either means a late start or an entire second shift of support staff.

[Anonymous]

I have a doctor (for grown ups) that starts appointments at 7 a.m. People can get in their appointments before work and the doctor has his afternoons free to see his kids. Not sure why more offices don't try the 7 a.m. model.

[Anonymous]

A lot of pediatricians have Saturday hours - we schedule all our well-child check-ups on Saturdays.

For other appts, I try to schedule it for my alternating Friday off, but both my kids have specialists who only work on Wednesdays for some odd reason. Thankfully, those appts are only once a quarter, but it would be easier to manage of course if they could offer Friday hours.

[Anonymous]

How many times a month are you taking them to these places? Lol

[Anonymous]

It really adds up though. My 2 kids see their ped once a year, dentist twice a year, allergist once a year. I see my GP, eye dr, dentist (2 times a year), dermatologist once every few years, allergist every year, get my annual mammogram, see my gyno, and now need the colonscopy thing. When can I do all this and still keep my job seriously! Yes, I wish their were more late appointments for me and my 2 kids.

Oh and never mind the shots and physicals for the pets too. Thank God I don't have to take the damn goldfish anywhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It really adds up though. My 2 kids see their ped once a year, dentist twice a year, allergist once a year. I see my GP, eye dr, dentist (2 times a year), dermatologist once every few years, allergist every year, get my annual mammogram, see my gyno, and now need the colonscopy thing. When can I do all this and still keep my job seriously! Yes, I wish their were more late appointments for me and my 2 kids.

Oh and never mind the shots and physicals for the pets too. Thank God I don't have to take the damn goldfish anywhere.

Oops, i forgot the orthodontist!

[Anonymous]

It would make sense for a pediatric practive to have enough drs on staff to have a real rotation so a few days a week they could have later hours. Our ped just started sat morning hours which is great. Im still waiting for someone to wise up and open a concierge pediatric practice in DC. I think a lot of familied would pay a few hundred extra a year to join if it meant less waiting times and better hours!