WAITING FOR THE DOCTOR

[Mark Joel Lane]

     Yesterday,being off from work this week before Thanksgiving, I went with my 25 year old daughter to a doctor,(internist), she and my wife have been before. He takes their Bd. of Education medical plan which our family doctor doesn't for any of his appointments  or  our annual checkups.

 

I always call the office of our family doctor for any visit to minimize the time I have to wait before my appointment as he always runs late. I do the same with any doctors or dentists or specialists I see. Even with calling, the wait is usually about a half hour when I get there..sometimes a lot longer at our family doctor which is annoying when I'm told to come in and still wait about an hour. I understand you can't rush a doctor,emergencies sometimes happen, but a long wait every time I go is inexcusable.

 

Anyway, to make a short story long, as we live only 10 minutes away from this doctor to see my daughter whose had flu-like symptoms and missed work for 2 days.  I called the office about 15 minutes before the scheduled appointment and specifically asked when to come in saying we live just a few minutes away and don't want to wait there if the doctor was running late. I was told to come in for my daughter's 12:00 appointment. 

 

So arriving at noon. I noticed 9 people waiting in the office, 6 of them patients yet to be seen before us by the doctor my daughter was there to see!!. He was the only doctor there at the time. I'm a very patient person but became more angry and annoyed with each passing minute and my daughter asked me not to say anything to the one young woman behind a window and counter answering phones and handling other paper work and duties.

 

After everyone had been seen before us, my daughter was called after waiting an hour and 15 minutes. I don't blame the doctor but blame his receptionist or whatever title she has for the long wait. We could have arrived at 1PM and been taken the same time. With my daughter inside an examining room, I asked the receptionist why she said to come in at noon with so many people ahead of us. She replied "I'm sorry. It got busy." 

 

I was very angry but nothing I could do about the unnecessary wait. it turned out my daughter had an upper respiratory infection which was quite obvious to her and my wife with her coughing and sneezing and sore throat. YES . I think even Sherlock Holmes would come up with the same diagnosis and send her out with prescriptions for an antibiotic, nasal spray, and cough syrup.  At least the antibiotic was prescribed which was basically what she was waiting for and a note to bring into her school.

 

I expect to wait at any doctor I see. You can't exactly time every patient and some doctors do have the gift of gab and really talk to the person giving them the time they need and deserve. Fine. But this receptionist should poke her head out the window and see how many people are waiting..plus the names are on a sheet in order. But I suppose it's easier to tell someone phoning in to just come in and sit for 90 minutes or longer in a crowded stuffy room with outdated skiing and body builder magazines to read, than to tell them there are several patients ahead of them yet to be seen. YES. I am P.O.d big time.

 

I guess  I  could complain to the doctor or we could find another doctor,not easy as many do not accept my wife and daughter's med plan. Since we rarely go to this guy and my not wanting to antagonize anyone, I  said nothing else and the receptionist  girl left shortly after my daughter was examined. Again,,I don't blame the doctor, but this receptionist is either oblivious to who is in the waiting room, doesn't care, or both. I hope she waits four  hours in the freezing cold next time she gets a flat tire or breakdown on a highway.