There's another good reason for insisting on the first appointment of the day.

 

Less germs.

 

Additionally you should be getting the Doc at peak performance.

 

I normally try to get something immediately after their lunch break.

Awesome stories lneck!

 

I called the office, the first little girl told me nicely that it was in the financial agreement I signed. I wanted to tell her you know what but instead told her that was unacceptable and I want to speak the office manager. I told the officer manager that it was unacceptable and she told me she would adjust/waive the fee because we had never missed an appointment. I thanked her and that was that. It was only after I got off the phone that I put two and two together and realized it was their mistake on the dual appointments. I know one thing, if I was going to nickle and dime a long standing, good customer, you can bet I would make sure I was right (which in this case they dropped the ball).

 

And lneck, going to a different Doc sounds all fine and dandy but the divorced world doesn't work the way the married world works. In the married world the husband and wife would probably collect the pennies and march, in the divorced world often times the parents disagree and something like this becomes one big cluster.

 

It is a doctor/family owned/operated practice and I will bring it to the owners attention next time I see him. He probably won't give two hoots but I will still bring it up.

 

Not too many of those around any more Ru. I miss my old single practice physician, that would take the time to ask about my mental health as well as treat the physical. I guess I was lucky, he was the football team's Doc at the HS I attended.

Doctor's offices routinely double and triple book their patients also because they know they will have some cancellations and no shows. So those of us that do show up on time still have to sit there and wait. Steams me up.

 

Client retention is based on how you treat your clients personally as much as how well you perform the job you are hired to do.

 

I don't blame you for being upset about the charge initially, but it sounds like they did the right thing by removing it when you brought it to their attention. What was the office manager's attitude about it when they agreed to adjust the bill? Apologetic, snotty, indifferent?

There's another good reason for insisting on the first appointment of the day.

 

Less germs.

 

 

That's if you honestly believe the office sanitizes everything every evening.

I actually walked out from an appointment about 10 years back, Summit Medical Group on Buttermilk. After waiting 60 minutes past my appointment time I was finally called back, had height and weight checked, got in the exam room had blood pressure and temperature taken. Waited another 20+ in the exam room and had enough. I walked out and told the receptionist I've waited long enough and I would callback and reschedule. She had the most puzzled look on her face and then had the nerve to ask, "what about your co-pay", I looked at her and said when the Doc pays for wasting my time I'll pay the co-pay. It wasn't long after they started collecting the co-pay when you 1st arrived.

I wish you hadn't got me started on doctors Ru. I represent some and are friends with some. They still really hack me off. They stack you up like cord wood because they want to see as many patients as possible to make as much money as possible. Their wallet is more important than their patients time. Or at least they think so.

 

don't).

 

LN, this probably will not come as a surprise but I, too, have left the doctor's office after being in the back waiting. It's unacceptable.

Had it not been for the office making an obvious error, I would be completely in favor of them charging you for the missed appointment. I don't care if a person has had a perrfect attendance record for 100 years -- the rules are clear. They put that charge there for the same reason we charge for speeding tickets, and that is to deter violations. There's very rarely a good excuse for missing an appointment without, at least letting the doctor know.

 

The person being charged may not appreciate the fee, but the person who is very ill and needs to see the doctor that day appreciates it a lot! Those cancellations provide opportunities for people who need to be seen right away, but are not at the level of needing a trip to the ER. I recently had to reschedule a cardiologist appointment and had to wait a month. Then, the doctor got called to an emergency and he cancelled. So I had to wait another month. All this time, I was on a list hoping to get a spot that someone else had cancelled...but it didn't happen.

 

I'm all for doctors charging a reasonable peanalty for just not bothering to show up. I don't think that applies to your situation though.

I went through 4 years of braces, tooth extractions and related dental work when I was a teenager. I once missed an appointment because I was out playing in the neighborhood; just forgot about it.

 

My parents made me call the dentist, apologize for missing the appointment and reschedule.

 

That being said, I don't think charging for a missed appointment was all that common 40+ years ago.

I would be happy to pay any cancellation or rescheduling fee if the Doctor's would credit my bill $1 a minute for every minute I wait past my appt in the waiting room and $3 a minute I wait in the medical room for them to come in.

Had it not been for the office making an obvious error, I would be completely in favor of them charging you for the missed appointment. I don't care if a person has had a perrfect attendance record for 100 years -- the rules are clear. They put that charge there for the same reason we charge for speeding tickets, and that is to deter violations. There's very rarely a good excuse for missing an appointment without, at least letting the doctor know.

 

The person being charged may not appreciate the fee, but the person who is very ill and needs to see the doctor that day appreciates it a lot! Those cancellations provide opportunities for people who need to be seen right away, but are not at the level of needing a trip to the ER. I recently had to reschedule a cardiologist appointment and had to wait a month. Then, the doctor got called to an emergency and he cancelled. So I had to wait another month. All this time, I was on a list hoping to get a spot that someone else had cancelled...but it didn't happen.

 

I'm all for doctors charging a reasonable peanalty for just not bothering to show up. I don't think that applies to your situation though.

 

I don't disagree with your point as long as I get to charge them my hourly rate when I'm not seen at my scheduled time. And I'll even give them a 15 minute grace period. Their time is not more important than mine.

I still go to a single-doctor, family-owned business. It's great and haven't really encountered any of the issues there that everyone speaks of. I really don't go for anything other than physicals and round trip is about 30-40 minutes, I usually take an 1:30-:45 minute lunch (with a routine Laha's visit thrown in). HOWEVER, at other places a minimum of a 30 minute wait PAST the scheduled appt is the norm.

I don't disagree with your point as long as I get to charge them my hourly rate when I'm not seen at my scheduled time. And I'll even give them a 15 minute grace period. Their time is not more important than mine.

I guess you have to understand the nature of the business. Personally, I don't want to be treated by a doctor who has his eye on a stopwatch. The occasional long wait is just an unavoidable hazard of seeing the doctor...and always has been. (Btw, I hate waiting as much as anyone.)

Loyalty and it isn't worth 20 dollars to lose a customer and get bad pub from the person.

Ru, I'd take $20 of pennies in a bag to pay them

 

:lol::thumb:

Loyalty and it isn't worth 20 dollars to lose a customer and get bad pub from the person.

 

Especially when that customer owns a popular Internet forum.