What do you think of a television showing movies in the doctor’s waiting room? I got to the office today and discovered that the staff had decided to bring in a television set and a selection of (family-friendly) movies. We don’t see children but occasionally a patient will show up with her children, but they assured me they would not show anything controversial.
My initial response is not to do this. My rationale is that some people would consider it distracting; they like to read or work while waiting and my belief is that you should cater to the most restrictive request in order to avoid offending anybody.
The staff disagrees. They feel that people want to have something to keep them busy aside from magazines or whatever they bring in themselves. Before summarily banning the television, I thought I’d solicit a few opinions. If the consensus is overwhelming that people think that this is a good thing then I’m willing to reconsider.
I don’t have a problem with it. The TVs in my doctors’ offices are generally set to some sort of talk show or soap opera. I usually bring my own book to read. The TV doesn’t bother me, but I wouldn’t miss it either.
One doctor I see has some sort of MedTV which shows only health programming. The other shows the networks. Since I always read, I’ve never paid much attention except to note that they were there. I’ve never found it distracting in the least.
I think it’s a good way to keep little ones distracted, especially kids who are too young to read and find a doctor’s office to be a very boring place. Personally, I’d much rather have them watching a cartoon or a movie than running around the waiting room yelling.
I honetly can’t imagine anyone but a Super Prig complaining about family-friendly movies. And yes, you’ll probably run across one of them someday, but you’ll probably have someone complain one of these days about your selection of magazines too. And I imagine the same prigs might complain if you had the MedTV because it discusses things like breast exams.
I would like it, I think. I am one of those people who always has a book, but if I’m at the doctor’s office I’m often nervous and distracted, and a TV would be better. I wish my eye doctor would get one – whenever I get the drops that make one’s pupils dilate, I can’t read and I feel like a goofball sitting there staring into space (out of focus). At least with a TV I could listen to it.
My vet has one that shows nature documentaries, I always get a kick out of that.
As a patient, I wouldn’t like it, both because it would be distracting and the odds that I’d actually want to see what’s being shown is low. And movies? Who wants to see the middle 20 minutes of some random movie?
As a professional, I’d be worried that some patients would think it tacky, or that staff would be watching along with the patients.
(Note: I’m assuming a standard doctors’ office setting. My opinion changes a bit if this is something like an ER, where people might have to wait for hours.)
I am OK with having a tv on in the waiting room. I can pretty much focus on whatever I am reading if that is what I choose to do. I wouldn’t think any less of the doctor if they had a tv.
I understand Random’s comment of why would anyone want to watch the middle 20 minutes of a movie. I had a 45 minute wait earlier this week and they had on probably the worst tv show or movie I have ever seen. I believe it was one of those Lifetime for Women movies and it was painful to watch any of it, much less see the putrid middle 20 minutes. (By the way, it was the story of this woman in a small town who takes in women who have been abused by their husbands and then suddenly the abusive men end up dying in hunting accidents one by one. The old cop thinks the woman did it and wants her feminist ass out of town, the younger cop is not sure and seems to be sweet on her, but then she almost gets run over while jogging by a mysterious pick up truck…can someone please post what happens…thanks…shhhhhh).
It turned out the woman’s own abusive ex was setting her up. And the old cop was his old buddy who owed him a favor from when he (the main woman’s abusive ex) offed the old cop’s wife twenty years ago when she was about to testify against him for abusing her and get him kicked off the force. A riveting movie.
There are TVs in the waiting rooms in hospitals here (last time I knew) so one in a doctor’s waiting room wouldn’t be a problem. Better than listening to muzak radio stations. (ugh!)
You know, every time I’ve seen a TV in a waiting room, the sound has been off or at least too low to be heard (and no, I’m not deaf).
Makes me wonder what’s the freaking point. I mean, other than perhaps a study showing that human beings are attracted by movement, most people were staring at the screen, zombie-like…
My last doctor’s visit resulted in a trip to the A&E section of the eye hospital, and three hours waiting to see a doc there. I was so bored! Still, I doubt I’d have been bored enough to take that much notice of a television, I was too concerned about my ulcerated eye and the fact I couldn’t keep it open in bright light.
We have television on the train now, it was a pilot project started on the train line that I use every day. Now I have to avoid those particular trains and use a different service so I can avoid pointless broadcasting that gets in the way of whichever very good book I happen to have with me.
I’ve been in a lot of Dr.'s offices in the past few years. Some used to have radio w/ Rush, or some other distasteful talkie on. I’ve made my complaints about that. There have been a few TV’s, usually tuned to a soap, or the 700 Club (yuck). These days they seem to have removed a audio/visual entertainment. I’ve got to believe that there were too many complaints.
If they must have noise I’d prefer some subdued muzak, although my real preference would be a good selection of magazines, even old ones.
Unless it’s an office that caters to children, I’d say no TV, I don’t expect to normally be there for more that 10-20 minutes.
Now in a hospital, or other situation, where people might be there for several hours, a TV might be appropriate.
I hate TVs in waiting rooms. The programs are never anything I want to see, and I find soap operas particularly obnoxious. If I wasn’t feeling oogy when I entered the waiting room, I will before I’m called to the exam room. There’s very, very little that I want to see on TV anyway. I don’t mind MedTV too much, though, as long as the programs aren’t too dumbed down.
Even worse are restaurants with TVs in them…particularly when there’s more than one TV, each turned to a different station, AND music in the background. Overload, overload!
I work in a medical center, and our department (one which sees all ages) has TVs in the waiting rooms, volume up but not blasting, with appropriate-content movies in the DVD player. Patients who have expressed opinions about it to staff say they love it.
Personally I find it annoying. It prevents me from reading or thinking. There are TVs all over the place, in waiting rooms, supermarkets, airports, etc. When will it all end? But probably most people like it and there’s nothing to stop it.
I hate televisions in waiting rooms. Often they are too loud, or if they are not to begin with some moron turns them up to the point that I go wait in the hall or outside. They often have drivel on that is hard to ignore. At my OB once it was on a cooking show, which might sound ok, but I was nauseated. If I am the only patient waiting, I turn the damn thing off. I have had the office workers turn the damn thing back on as they were watching their soaps. Playing movies sounds particularly nasty as so often they have blasting music and sound affects and mumbling actors.
I would much rather have the time to think my own thought and read, even an ancient copy of highlights would be better.
I have been in waiting rooms with a TV and have not had a problem with it. I can watch if I want, or read a magazine if I choose not to watch what is on.
That being said, if staff members are bringing DVDs from home, or even purchasing them for the office, there is definitely a legal issue involved, since the DVDs are licensed for private in-home viewing only, which a doctor’s office is NOT.
It’s highly unlikely that you would be caught or charged, but the legal issue is there nonetheless.
I wish there’d been a TV in the doc’s waiting area when my little girl and I had to see the doctor. We were there for six hours*. Any of you who think a TV is distracting when you’re trying to read should try reading with a bored and restless four year old next to you saying, “Mother! Moth-ER! MOM!” Yes, I brought her something to do–she behaved fairly well for a while. But still, she’s an active child and she wanted to play! She will watch TV for a longer time, if she likes what’s on. And I’ve taken to bringing my portable DVD player with us when we have doctor visits. This time, I got in a hurry and forgot. :smack: Next time, I’ll put the damned thing in the car the night before!
*They were full to the gills and this doctor takes time with her patients (no rushing out the door when you’re trying to ask a question!), so it took a loooong time to be seen. But she’s worth waiting on!