Whiny bitch at dr's office

[Mighty Girl]

Ok, so I took my daughter to the specialist today. We got there a few minutes early with all our necessary paperwork, insurance card and a check for our co-pay. We're on the ball.

About 5 min. after we sit down, this woman and her sperm donor come in with their two kids. They're sitting there for less than 15 min. when she goes up there and raises such a fuss about the wait, she demands to speak to the office manager, pitches a fit when they ask for her referral form. The whole time the pseudo-dad is just sitting there staring at the ceiling while the older kid runs amok. The woman is complaining because there is a delay- and she scheduled more appointments immediately following this appt. The woman next to me said that this office always runs about 30 min. behind. The bitchy woman is ranting and raving about how she was here last year and she had all her forms then and they shouldn't need them again, etc. Hmmmmm, if she was there before, then she SHOULD KNOW that they run a little behind.

Now for the crappy part. Because this woman bitched to no end, she was ushered in asap, and her appt . WAS AFTER MINE. So, I approach the desk and very nicely inform them that if that's what it takes to get seen immediately, I'll be sure to exhibit that kind of behavior myself for our next appt. They apologized, and said that she would get seen sooner, but they thought puttting her in an exam room away from the other patients in the waiting room would (1) appease her a little and (2) keep her away from the other patients.

[JustADude]

Oooh, nice solution there. Stick the trouble-maker in a box and let her simmer where she can't ruin everyone else's mood. Makes me wish we could do that with other jobs... 'WHERE'S MY HAMBURGER?!' 'It's right over there in that box, sir.' *CLANK*

[Kiwi]

good for you on standing up for yourself

I hate it when bad behaviour begets rewards.....

[ditchdj]

What pisses me off is that a lot of doctor's offices will overbook their appointments schedules (like the airlines do). The problem is that if everyone shows up then you're stuck sitting there for as long as two freakin' hours to be seen. It dont hurt the doctor's office because they get to run non-stop all day and make more money. I cracked up when I heard about the guy that sued his doctor's office for having him wait three hours.

[protege]

I totally agree with that. 15 minutes? Ok, things can run late. Half hour? Again, no big deal. But, I draw the line at an hour. I hate to sound like a sucky customer, but I don't have the time to wait around for hours at the doctor's office. I quit going to various "specialists" for that very reason. I'd make the appointment, go over there early...then sit around for an hour or two. Now, I simply go to my regular doctor, and can usually be seen with very little time spent waiting. Not only do I *not* get charged alot, but since my doctor is located in the same building as the gym I belong to... I can get a good workout after being poked and prodded

[Librarybabe]

I fired a dentist over this...

When it got to the point where I'd arrive a few minutes before a long-standing appointment and greet the receptionist, head for the waiting room, take off my shoes and lay down on the sofa for what would be at least a 60 minute nap, I'd had enough. I took my business elsewhere. The dentist was really shocked (Shocked! I tell you!) that I would leave his practice over something so trivial....like MY time had no value, and HIS office manager couldn't be troubled to TELL me they were running late and give me the option to reschedule. There were other issues, of course, but to be kept waiting REPEATEDLY was the final straw.

[wagegoth]

Good job, Mighty Girl

That's awesome the way you stood up for yourself.

To everyone here: One thing to remember with doctors, especially specialists, is that they sometimes have emergencies. If your wait is usually under half an hour, especially later in the day, then that's normal. Doctors' offices often overbook for the same reason airlines do, a certain number of patients won't show up. And the costs of having an office are high.

For a short time, I worked in a surgical office. The doctors could be called into the hospital at any time if a patient was having a problem. Surgery could run over if there were complications. We always tried to contact patients, but we couldn't always reach them.

And even general practitioners may have to go to the hospital if one of their patients has an emergency.

Unfortunately, with many private insurance plans, a patient, who may really need to go to emergency or see a specialist, can't do it until they have been referred by their primary care physician. Those patients are either going to just drop in to the office, or the receptionist/scheduler is going to squeeze them in so the patient can get the referral.

[Sientara]

That's awesome the way you stood up for yourself.

To everyone here: One thing to remember with doctors, especially specialists, is that they sometimes have emergencies. If your wait is usually under half an hour, especially later in the day, then that's normal. Doctors' offices often overbook for the same reason airlines do, a certain number of patients won't show up. And the costs of having an office are high.

The doctor that I had that was the worst about being late was a dermatologist. It was to the point that he was a half an hour late for the first appointment of the day.

My biggest complaint is that most of the doctor offices I have been in never admit that the doctor is running late or that they have had to deal with an emergency, you just wait and wait and wait . . .

[protege]

I don't think anyone here would be upset if it *was* an emergency. I mean, stuff happens. What we're referring to is when you go to a doctor/specialist, and you have to wait an hour or more *every* time you go there. I have a problem with that. I have more important things (like *my* job) to do than wait around for hours--most of the time, I have to take my appointments during my lunch hour.