Anonymous wrote:How long are we talking? Working in medicine is hard. Give a little grace. If you haven't ever worked in a patient facing position in medicine it may be hard to understand but there are a zillion reasons drs are typically behind each day. They are usually doing their best.

I am usually this mentality. But dentists don't typically run late. They don't have the same variability of most healthcare providers. If they find a cavity, you have to schedule another appointment to come back. So I'd probably inquire at the front desk after 20 minutes and then wait 30-45 depending on what I have. Yeah, you can walk out but it usually takes longer to make a new appointment and come back.

I show up 15 minutes early and wait for 30 minutes past my appointment time to see the doctor.

I’ve gotten dressed and walked out of an exam room before.

My current job requires me to take sick time to go to the doctor (every other job I’ve ever had allowed me to make up the hours or just get the work done), so this is costing me. Also, I am looking for a new job.

45 minutes? Honestly, we know this happens and is usually the result of a doctor or dentist taking their time and being a good practitioner. Good offices will let you know they are running behind. I never schedule a doctor or dentist appointment if I only have a couple of hours to spare.

If I am in the waiting room, I check with the front desk after 15 minutes. I’ve had situations where they’ve failed to put my chart in the queue or a nurse in the back has made an error in calling patients to exam rooms.

If I am waiting in an exam room, I’ll also stick my head out into the hall once it’s about 30 min. past the time of my original appointment. I usually cite an obligation that starts 90 minutes after my appointment time (business call, child pick-up, etc). So if my original appointment was 10:30, and I’m still alone in the exam room as 11 a.m. is approaching, I’ll say, “I’m just checking on Dr. X’s schedule. I need to be sure I leave here by 11:30 in order or be on time for a noon obligation.” I know that things come up in doctors offices all the time, so a little wait is fine. Routine long waits are a practice management issue.

At 20 minutes, I would ask how much longer. I would wait if I could. If you have to pick up a child or be back at work, I might ask to schedule another appt. In general, I am a nice person. One late appt doesn’t send me over the edge. Have you ever needed a dental appointment and they squeezed you in? I have and I appreciated it.

Do as they do: charge for eating time as they charge for no- show.

It really depends on the doctor, but having lots of family members who are doctors and nurse practitioners, I'm probably much more willing to wait than most. That said, aside from when I was pregnant and at prenatal visits, I have rarely waited more than a few minutes at the doctor or dentist.

My mom had a doctor who ran very behind schedule all the time, but most of his patients had fairly complicated health issues and were willing to wait because they knew he spent a lot of time with each patient.

I guess it depends. A routine check up that took a week to get an appointment? I'm out. A specialist I've been waiting months for? Ugh, I'll wait.

I'll usually give it 15-20 minutes before checking in with the desk. Depending on what they say I'll stick around for another 15-20 minutes. Only once did I go up and politely say I couldn't wait any longer and had to go, we rescheduled the appointment and I wasn't charged anything. I do give some offices more grace, like my OB, because I know things can get tricky there...and I was once the patient that probably made other people's appointments late when my water broke over a month early on top of the risk factors we were already monitoring.

In the 90s I saw this doctor regularly where the wait in the lobby was consistently 45 minutes then another 30 minutes in the room in the back. There's no way I'd accept that now, but I was young and dumb then.

Anonymous wrote:Give the front office a written document that states they are running over 20min behind schedule, that your appointment has been voided, and that the office will be charged a $100 fee for wasting your time.

Give the front office a written document that states they are running over 20min behind schedule, that your appointment has been voided, and that the office will be charged a $100 fee for wasting your time.

Anonymous wrote:20 minutes. But tell the front desk you are leaving since they are clearly behind and didn’t provide advance notice. I would also be clear that you will not be charged for the appt.

This. Overcommunicate and document.

20 minutes. But tell the front desk you are leaving since they are clearly behind and didn’t provide advance notice. I would also be clear that you will not be charged for the appt.

How long are we talking? Working in medicine is hard. Give a little grace. If you haven't ever worked in a patient facing position in medicine it may be hard to understand but there are a zillion reasons drs are typically behind each day. They are usually doing their best.

Still waiting at dentist office. How long do you give it before leaving? Will they still charge me? What’s the point of making an appointment if they can’t honor it???