Have you ever run a business?

 

Not sure how that plays a part in whether or not my opinion is valid or should carry any weight but no I'm not much of a pediatric entrepreneur at the present time. Don't think that matters, which again is why I word my previous post the way that I did. I see NOTHING wrong with them billing the fee.

 

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.

 

What do you suggest is common folk without an "hourly rate" use as leverage?

 

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Especially when that customer owns a popular Internet forum.

 

When it's someone who buys gigs by the barrel. (Come on. Someone gets that reference!)

 

When it's someone who buys gigs by the barrel. (Come on. Someone gets that reference!)

 

"Ink by the barrel?"

"Ink by the barrel?"

 

There we go!

What do you suggest is common folk without an "hourly rate" use as leverage?

 

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A tazer; your charming personality; forcing the doctor to sit next to you during a Trinity game; a threat that you'll start a thread about the doctor on BGP?

 

Being serious, if you're salary, divide it by 2000; if you hourly, go with your OT rate.

My kid's dentist has a similar policy but they typically will give you a pass on the first one. They send you a letter explaining the policy and that moving forward the charge would be applied. I think that is Fair to be quite honest. However, nowdays offices are having their staff call with reminders sometimes 2 times the day before the appointment. My own personal dentist is even pretty savvy with technology and has Text messages sent 24 hrs prior. They ask you to confirm by replying with a C. Which reminds me i have a dreaded appointment there this morning at 9am.

 

Ru in your case it sounds like miscommunication and something that can be fixed.

In this particular instance, where you were double scheduled, they should definitely give you a pass. It wasn't like you didn't show up AT ALL. No harm, no foul. Pay your co-pay and both parties move on.

As to the general question, I can see both sides. I can see how doctors only have so much time in the day to see patients, and when that's gone, there's no getting it back. So, from both a financial and a service aspect, I can see where they would STRONGLY encourage (threaten with a fine/charge) people to keep those made appointments.

However, on the other hand, as has been quite clearly stated already, they seem to be taking this "see as many patients in a day as you possible can" a bit too far. If you have people make an appointment for a specific time, it's not unreasonable that that person should be seen at approximately that time. Making people wait over an hour because YOU double/triple booked the previous two or three hours and are running behind, is not a good way to build a positive reputation.

This is where the small mom/pop doctors (who are not tied to a big corporation) SHOULD have an advantage. They should be able to make/adjust policy decisions a whole lot easier. Everybody else will just say they're toeing the company line.

 

But, to borrow Clyde's line of questioning from another thread...for those of you who say the doctor should "reward" (not charge) a loyal patient...how much time has to pass for that patient to be considered "loyal"? I would think the 30 years (or 2 x 15, in this case) would undoubtedly be considered loyal. But, what if it was just one patient for 15 years? Or 10? Because the question that immediately follows whatever number you give...is what happens if a patient comes in/misses just one week shy of that mark? Is someone with 9 years and 51 weeks of faithful attendance really THAT less valuable than someone with 10 years and 1 week? I think it would be very hard to draw a line in the sand and stick with it.

In this particular instance, where you were double scheduled, they should definitely give you a pass. It wasn't like you didn't show up AT ALL. No harm, no foul. Pay your co-pay and both parties move on.

As to the general question, I can see both sides. I can see how doctors only have so much time in the day to see patients, and when that's gone, there's no getting it back. So, from both a financial and a service aspect, I can see where they would STRONGLY encourage (threaten with a fine/charge) people to keep those made appointments.

However, on the other hand, as has been quite clearly stated already, they seem to be taking this "see as many patients in a day as you possible can" a bit too far. If you have people make an appointment for a specific time, it's not unreasonable that that person should be seen at approximately that time. Making people wait over an hour because YOU double/triple booked the previous two or three hours and are running behind, is not a good way to build a positive reputation.

This is where the small mom/pop doctors (who are not tied to a big corporation) SHOULD have an advantage. They should be able to make/adjust policy decisions a whole lot easier. Everybody else will just say they're toeing the company line.

 

But, to borrow Clyde's line of questioning from another thread...for those of you who say the doctor should "reward" (not charge) a loyal patient...how much time has to pass for that patient to be considered "loyal"? I would think the 30 years (or 2 x 15, in this case) would undoubtedly be considered loyal. But, what if it was just one patient for 15 years? Or 10? Because the question that immediately follows whatever number you give...is what happens if a patient comes in/misses just one week shy of that mark? Is someone with 9 years and 51 weeks of faithful attendance really THAT less valuable than someone with 10 years and 1 week? I think it would be very hard to draw a line in the sand and stick with it.

 

I don't think you need a hard and fast number. A business owner should just use common sense.

I run a business. I seldom ever am behind. I have fired staff because they can't keep stuff going on time. With that said, I've never charged a patient with a no-show fee. If it's repetitive I simply don't ever schedule you again. Let me give you my perspective since most of you are on Ru's side of the discussion. Try to fill a schedule and confirm an appointment, be told that a patient will show up then they don't darken the door. It costs me money. Call it what you want, it costs me money and other patients who could be in that slot and receive the treatment that I've scheduled them out for because there wasn't an appointment available, because you were in it. If you called to cancel the appointment, that makes a difference. If you just didn't show, I understand why they dinged you.

I run a business. I seldom ever am behind. I have fired staff because they can't keep stuff going on time. With that said, I've never charged a patient with a no-show fee. If it's repetitive I simply don't ever schedule you again. Let me give you my perspective since most of you are on Ru's side of the discussion. Try to fill a schedule and confirm an appointment, be told that a patient will show up then they don't darken the door. It costs me money. Call it what you want, it costs me money and other patients who could be in that slot and receive the treatment that I've scheduled them out for because there wasn't an appointment available, because you were in it. If you called to cancel the appointment, that makes a difference. If you just didn't show, I understand why they dinged you.

 

 

Man, I bet you have fired a bunch of people too. :lol::lol:

 

I'd work for you though. We'd get a lot done at work and on BGP. What kind of healthcare we talking about?

Let me give you my perspective since most of you are on Ru's side of the discussion.

 

What is wrong with that?

Not sure how that plays a part in whether or not my opinion is valid or should carry any weight but no I'm not much of a pediatric entrepreneur at the present time. Don't think that matters, which again is why I word my previous post the way that I did. I see NOTHING wrong with them billing the fee.

 

Based on the question asked in the title and your response I was curious. I strongly assumed no but if the answer was yes I had some follow up questions for you.

What is wrong with that?

 

Nothing, but your pediatrician isn't here to defend himself now is he?

 

Did you call and cancel or just not show?

Nothing, but your pediatrician isn't here to defend himself now is he?

 

Did you call and cancel or just not show?

 

Obviously you haven't read the whole thread...