Medicare has recently started a program where reimbursement for physicians and hospitals is directly related to patient satisfaction scores. Hopefully, it will improve these waits.

 

I can see both sides of this. Doctors get calls all the time with patients begging to “get worked in today”. TylerDurden very accurately described scenarios that happen almost daily.

 

Would you want to be in pain and be told you have to wait a month and be seen immediately, or wait in pain for two hours at the office?

 

On the other hand, arrogant surgeons (and surgeons are the most arrogant of the medical profession IMO), who are habitually late need to realize how rude they are.

 

Lastly, as someone mentioned, staff members need to be better trained to cater to their patients. Keeping them informed, and showing caring and kindness go a long way. People need to be heard and their concerns acknowledged. Good support staff go a long way to a patient’s perception of his/her care. We had mandatory training at our hospital for just this same thing. Keep the patient happy.

 

I have seen examples of this new policy in my personal life at various physicians offices. Maybe Orthopedic docs haven’t caught up, or are in such demand they don’t care.

If it is the office I think you are referencing, They used t do it all until they started specializing. In order to make money due to outrageous insurance costs they had to keep expanding the staff. I know one of the docs over there and he has done some outstanding favors for me. Including seeing my son when there were no appointments left and he was about to catch a plane to go on vacation.

I'm still mad.

 

Guess I'm going to hold a grudge on this one.

I'm still mad.

 

Guess I'm going to hold a grudge on this one.

 

Well, you are supposed to get an emailed or snail mailed questionnaire after your visit. Would be a good way to get your revenge :angrybird7::angrybird7::angrybird7::taz:

Take some reading materials, and don’t get excited when they finally call you back. You can end up waiting longer back there than in the waiting room.

 

I was in and out this morning in 34 minutes and that included 10 minutes of chit chatting with the doc about various topics.

I was in and out this morning in 34 minutes and that included 10 minutes of chit chatting with the doc about various topics.

 

Early appointment. If you're one of the first 3 appointments, you're good.

One of my biggest pet peeves in life is when people are late for things. What makes you think your time is more important than mine? Infuriating and disrespectful. This is more of a general thing, not related to Drs.

I would have preferred the in/out non-personal deal since this isn't a doctor I will see on a regular basis. I don't need pampering and the warm fuzzy stuff. Address the issue and we'll both move on with our day.

 

As for the other scenario and the actual visit, if someone would have come in and said "The doctors running behind", "The doctor is caught up with an emergency and will be a few more minutes" and then "Thank you for your patience", I probably would've just chalked it up. The fact that his response was "I'm doing the best I can" didn't fly with me.

 

Standard operating procedure. A simple thanks for being patient we are running behind goes a long way. Common courtesy really, but it's normal for them so they don't think anything of it.