# Inconsiderate medical offices and morning talk shows **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 2, 2009, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconsiderate-medical-offices-and-morning-talk-shows/491683 "2009-04-02T03:58:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2009, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconsiderate-medical-offices-and-morning-talk-shows/491683/21 "2009-04-02T17:41:01Z")
> [@smiling\_bandit](#): > > Then something weird is going on. I can understand the whole appointment taking an hour, but the hygenic portion should be 15-25 minutes. More is just plain weird. We should take a poll. I think it’s standard. I walk in within minutes of arrival, work begins within 5 min (including the soft tissue check, poking tooth surfaces with the pointy thing, and then the cleaning. Doctor comes in during the last 5 min to tell me I’m good to go. One hour. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2009, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconsiderate-medical-offices-and-morning-talk-shows/491683/22 "2009-04-02T17:46:45Z")
> [@Earthworm\_Jim](#): > > This is crap. The appointment time is the time to show up. If he shows up before the appointment time, he’s early. If he needs to be there “10 minutes early” to fill out paperwork then the appointment is at 9:50, not 10. > > Idiots who can’t figure out how to build the paperwork into the scheduled appointment are the problem. What he said. After my father had a stroke, he was sent to a physician to make an appointment for follow-up care. They told us told to arrive fifteen minutes before the appointment. I asked why. I was told it was to fill out paperwork. I asked if we could take the paperwork home so he could fill it out at his leisure and bring it back on the day of the appointment. They refused. Idiots. ---
**Author:** ![Elyanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b5ac83/32.png) [@Elyanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elyanna)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2009, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconsiderate-medical-offices-and-morning-talk-shows/491683/23 "2009-04-02T18:11:52Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > We should take a poll. I think it’s standard. I walk in within minutes of arrival, work begins within 5 min (including the soft tissue check, poking tooth surfaces with the pointy thing, and then the cleaning. Doctor comes in during the last 5 min to tell me I’m good to go. One hour. Mine usually takes about half an hour, both the check and the cleaning. I think I’d explode if it took much longer. ---
**Author:** ![shiftless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2009, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconsiderate-medical-offices-and-morning-talk-shows/491683/24 "2009-04-02T18:18:48Z")
The whole “appointment” process is designed to optimize the doctor’s time. When they say “appointment”, they really mean “time slot”. They have you by the short-hairs and there is very little you can do about it. I’ve been to a LOT of doctors and here is what I do: 1. Bring a book - Average wait at any doctor’s office is 30 minutes by my estimate. I kept stats for a few doctors and one averaged out to an hour. Just because you have a time slot and will be punished if you are late (read: not 15 minutes early) doesn’t mean that the doctor gives a flying fuck about your time. Notice the way you are shuttled into the exam room, 30 minutes after you arrive, only to wait another 30 minutes? This is by design. Bring a book so you can entertain yourself anywhere. 2. Set a time limit before you go in and tell them. When the time is up make a big scene in the waiting room about how you can’t wait any longer or else just leave. They were warned. If you just leave they will probably bill you so be prepared to fight. If you make a stink they will do anything to get you out of the waiting room and I have gotten a doc to wave the bill more than once. I waited with my crying, sick son for more than an hour once because of a “mix up”. A waste of an hour of my time (value = one hour of doctor time) and traumatic for my son. I got to yell at a doctor in front of a room full of people and I got the exam for free as a bonus. 3. Go have a look around. If you’ve been to an emergency room you know what it is to wait. Yes, sometimes there are lots of people and the worst off need to go first. But making people wait seems to be the norm there, even if no other patients are around. I once took my son to the ER, bit a hole in his tongue, and waited for 30 minutes - my limit. Nobody else around but I assumed there were some mighty sick people in the back. So I took a look around. The place was deserted except for the on-call doc was playing games on the computer. It’s a miracle, we can see you now! 4. Bleed on the furniture. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2009, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconsiderate-medical-offices-and-morning-talk-shows/491683/25 "2009-04-02T18:25:33Z")
> [@Contrapuntal](#): > > What he said. > > After my father had a stroke, he was sent to a physician to make an appointment for follow-up care. They told us told to arrive fifteen minutes before the appointment. I asked why. I was told it was to fill out paperwork. I asked if we could take the paperwork home so he could fill it out at his leisure and bring it back on the day of the appointment. They refused. > > Idiots. I’ve had a couple of doctors and dentists who actually mailed me the paperwork that I needed to fill out as a new patient. Another couple asked me to come in and do the paperwork before the day of the appointment, or take it home with me to fill out. Since some of these folks seem to want to run a security clearance on me, judging by the amount of info they want, I’m happy to do the paperwork beforehand. Usually the paperwork that’s done on the day of the appointment has time-sensitive questions, asking about things that are troubling the patient either right at the moment or within the past few days. ---
**Author:** ![Baracus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2bfe46/32.png) [@Baracus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baracus)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2009, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconsiderate-medical-offices-and-morning-talk-shows/491683/26 "2009-04-02T19:08:40Z")
The worst was my wife’s obgyn when she was pregnant. I went with her to most of the appointments and I don’t think we ever waited less than 30 minutes. It was freaking rdiculous. The best however was after one appointment when we had already waited 45 minutes or so in the waiting room plus another 20 minutes cooling our heels in the exam room. At the end the nurse said that a routine blood draw was needed but - wouldn’t you know - the blood draw person has already left for lunch. Would we like to wait another 45 minutes until she comes back or come back again later? Regarding teeth cleanings. I would say total time on scraping and cleaning is probably about 30 minutes. I don’t think the whole appointment usually takes more than 45 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Monstera\_deliciosa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monstera_deliciosa/32/109_2.png) [@Monstera\_deliciosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstera_deliciosa)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2009, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconsiderate-medical-offices-and-morning-talk-shows/491683/27 "2009-04-02T20:57:49Z")
> [@smiling\_bandit](#): > > Then something weird is going on. I can understand the whole appointment taking an hour, but the hygenic portion should be 15-25 minutes. More is just plain weird. If I may ask, how old are you? That could be the source of the difference. When I was a child/teen/young woman, the hygeniest’s portion was short like you describe. Now that I am in my late forties, it is more like a minimum of 45 minutes. Middle-aged gums do seem to require more work. ---
**Author:** ![Foxy40](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a9a28c/32.png) [@Foxy40](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foxy40)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2009, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconsiderate-medical-offices-and-morning-talk-shows/491683/28 "2009-04-02T21:13:08Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > I’ve had a couple of doctors and dentists who actually mailed me the paperwork that I needed to fill out as a new patient. Another couple asked me to come in and do the paperwork before the day of the appointment, or take it home with me to fill out. Since some of these folks seem to want to run a security clearance on me, judging by the amount of info they want, I’m happy to do the paperwork beforehand. Absolutely; this should be routinely done. Additionally, with several practices, I have implemented giving the patient access to download their paperwork off the practices web site. Or, with greater security, have it able to be completed right on line. Medical offices are slow to change but we are catching up. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Elyanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b5ac83/32.png) [@Elyanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elyanna)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2009, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconsiderate-medical-offices-and-morning-talk-shows/491683/29 "2009-04-02T21:14:59Z")
I, for one, am 21. But my teeth-cleaning appointments are scheduled at the same time as my dad’s (I’m still on my parents’ insurance for a few more months). My father is 49. We’re always the first customers of the day; dad gets to go to the teeth-cleaning-lady first, and I usually have to wait about 30 minutes before he’s done. Rarely more, I think. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Woo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7c8e57/32.png) [@Dr.Woo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Woo)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2009, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconsiderate-medical-offices-and-morning-talk-shows/491683/30 "2009-04-02T21:24:34Z")
> [@shiftless](#): > > … 3) Go have a look around. I’ll second that one. I’ve been left in examining rooms before for hours, and came out to find the front desk staff gone for the day. Just last month I took my mother-in-law to an urgent care clinic\* and we waited from 7:30pm to 1:15am to see a doctor; it wasn’t until I left the examining room and walked around looking for someone that we were seen. We were out of there by 1:35am. \*Although I don’t hold walk-in clinics to the same standard as a doctor visit for which I have an appointment, I do think they should maybe be aware that they have patients still waiting. The doc I ultimately found was surprised to see us and several other patients still hanging around, and there were no other employees there but the doctor. ---
**Author:** ![Ichini\_Sanshigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/d9b06d/32.png) [@Ichini\_Sanshigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ichini_Sanshigo)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2009, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconsiderate-medical-offices-and-morning-talk-shows/491683/31 "2009-04-02T21:31:55Z")
> [@smiling\_bandit](#): > > If your hygienist takes that long, something may be wrong there. It should not take that long for a routine tooth cleaning. It depends on the hygienist and the patient. My dentist does her own cleanings, and for routine ones, it takes 20 to 30 minutes. We used to have two hygienists that worked for the guys we were sharing space with. One was pretty fast (about 30 to 40 minutes, I think, on average), but the other one took the full hour slot, if not more, mostly because she did a good amount of chatting and TLC for patients. Some patients like the hairdresser treatment, some want to be in and out. In any event, I think hygienists generally get a one hour slot per patient. Some offices pay by the hour, and some pay by productivity (how many patients you saw). SO that could be a factor, too. ---
**Author:** ![Ichini\_Sanshigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/d9b06d/32.png) [@Ichini\_Sanshigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ichini_Sanshigo)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2009, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconsiderate-medical-offices-and-morning-talk-shows/491683/32 "2009-04-02T21:34:48Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > I’ve had a couple of doctors and dentists who actually mailed me the paperwork that I needed to fill out as a new patient. I mail the forms if there’s enough time before the appointment for the patient to receive them, stick 'em on a desk and forget about them for a week or so, remember them, and then mail them back. If not, I just plan for form-completion time in the appointment. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2009, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconsiderate-medical-offices-and-morning-talk-shows/491683/33 "2009-04-02T21:37:41Z")
> [@Monstera\_deliciosa](#): > > If I may ask, how old are you? That could be the source of the difference. When I was a child/teen/young woman, the hygeniest’s portion was short like you describe. Now that I am in my late forties, it is more like a minimum of 45 minutes. Middle-aged gums do seem to require more work. Ooooooh…maybe that’s it. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2009, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconsiderate-medical-offices-and-morning-talk-shows/491683/34 "2009-04-02T21:37:51Z")
> [@smiling\_bandit](#): > > If your hygenist takes that long, something may be wrong there. It should not take that long for a routine tooth cleaning. Maybe that’s what the difference is. I have 28 teeth (all but my wisdom teeth), so it can take a while to get them cleaned. I’d imagine it wouldn’t take long to clean just one tooth. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2009, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconsiderate-medical-offices-and-morning-talk-shows/491683/35 "2009-04-02T21:38:51Z")
> [@Elyanna](#): > > Mine usually takes about half an hour, both the check and the cleaning. I think I’d explode if it took much longer. Are you young? ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2009, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconsiderate-medical-offices-and-morning-talk-shows/491683/36 "2009-04-03T00:31:37Z")
> [@Foxy40](#): > > I must say you are working and visiting very inconsiderate and non professional medical offices. > > I’ve been in medical administration and consulting for 20 years and the optimal wait time goal is 15 minutes from waiting room to being seen by the first clinician (MA, Nurse, PA etc). Sometimes there are emergencies but to have the attitude _that this is the way it is, deal with it…_ isn’t going to make it any better. > > The most consistant mistake I have seen is that many offices tend to overbook to allow for no shows. When everyone shows up…chaos. The provider prefers that over sitting around but guess what? In a customer service industry (and yes, medicine is customer service based), the customers needs and wants should be the priority. > > It is unfortunate that you have this attitude because I like to see my staff treat our patients like they would want to be treated and it seems you have no problem waiting for an hour or two. > > I personally, leave after 30 minutes unless I have been specifically told of an emergency and the exact wait time. The provider’s insurance negotiation skills regarding contracts are not the patients’ problem. The patient is paying for a service and is expecting it in a reasonable amount of time. > > I agree that it is the administrator’s or provider’s fault if they are the one that sets the schedule but it is the obligation of the staff to inform those people if patients are unhappy with the services they are receiving. And you would have me do… what? In my office it’s not advisable to lecture the doctors you work for. We do let patients waiting know if there’s going to be a long wait, but as far as “fixing” the problem, that’s really not in my job description. ---
**Author:** ![Ichini\_Sanshigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/d9b06d/32.png) [@Ichini\_Sanshigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ichini_Sanshigo)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2009, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconsiderate-medical-offices-and-morning-talk-shows/491683/37 "2009-04-03T01:18:46Z")
How many docs in your office, **Alice**? If we’re running long or have an emergency, we ask the next patient if they want to wait x amount of time, or if they want to reschedule. We’re downtown, so if it’s a long wait they have the option of getting coffee or shopping or something, and then coming back. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2009, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconsiderate-medical-offices-and-morning-talk-shows/491683/38 "2009-04-03T01:22:30Z")
> [@Earthworm\_Jim](#): > > This is crap… > Idiots who can’t figure out how to build the paperwork into the scheduled appointment are the problem. Huzzah! Author! Author! There are tons of professions that one makes appointments for that often require paperwork to be filled out. It is pure inconsiderate overbooking if the doctors and staff can’t figure out how to schedule 10-15 minutes into their appointment flow. _rings office_ “Hello, I’d like to make an appointment” “Excellent, your appointment is at 9:00. The doctor will see you shortly after your paperwork is completed.” _shows up at 9:00, fills out forms, sees doctor at 9:15, leaves the clinic happier for having stumbled upon an asshat-free oasis of mutual doctor-patient respect_ ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2009, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconsiderate-medical-offices-and-morning-talk-shows/491683/39 "2009-04-03T01:55:44Z")
> [@Alice\_The\_Goon](#): > > No, he came in two minutes before his appointment time, instead of the required 10 minutes before. My office needs 15. It takes time to do your paperwork and things- so you’re actually missing your appointment time, which in the op’s case was 10:00. What are you talking about? How is he supposed to just magically know that his 10:00 appointment is really a 9:50 appointment? I’ve been told the “your appointment is at 10:00 but come in 10 minutes early for paperwork” thing before too. And yeah, I always think “well, then why didn’t you just make the appointment for 9:50?” But whatevs. At least they’re bothering to communicate to me that I need to be there at 9:50 in some way other than telepathy. Your attitude is appalling. I’m not sure why your perspective on this is so skewed. The doctors you work for sound like assholes, but that’s not necessarily normal. I used to have at least two miscellaneous doctor’s appointments per week, and excessive wait times were not the norm. At times, I was informed that there had been an emergency and the wait would be longer, but that was unusual. One doctor routinely had wait times of over an hour, so I switched doctors. I know that not everybody has the option to switch doctors in all cases, but in general, patients should not accept being shat on. They should be flexible and understanding, and in return, the doctor and the staff should respect them and the value of their time. ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2009, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconsiderate-medical-offices-and-morning-talk-shows/491683/40 "2009-04-03T01:57:01Z")
> [@Alice\_The\_Goon](#): > > So it’s okay for you to be late but the doctor damn well better be on time? I work in a doctor’s office, and when patient after patient is 10, 15 or more minutes late, and they all think, “oh, hey, no big deal”, well, it adds up No it doesn’t. If everyone is fifteen minutes late it’s still just 15 minutes at the end of the day. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconsiderate-medical-offices-and-morning-talk-shows/491683.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconsiderate-medical-offices-and-morning-talk-shows/491683.md?page=3)