Damned Doctor's Office!

Yesterday was my 4 month check up with my VSG surgeon.  I got to the office at 9:55, 5 minutes before my appointment time and signed in.  The office was fairly full, but most of the people were called in pretty quickly. I was the only one waiting till about 10:10.  Then patients started coming in and the office waiting room got very full.  Two people that came in after me were celled in before I was, and they finally called my name at 10:35.  My daughter was with me, and she and I decided, after waiting an additional 15 minutes that we were going to leave at 11:00, come Hell or high water.  We walked out at 11:00 and I made an appointment for next week, same time, same day.

As I was walking out the doctor finished up with his patient and I was told I was next.  I said I didn't care and left anyway.  The woman the doctor exited the exam room with was a woman who came in 10 minutes after I did.  It is seriously the most inefficient doctor's office I have ever been too.  ****** me off! 

People will sometimes show up for their appointment, be told the doctor is busy, then they sign in and leave and come back at a later time.  So those two women who came in after you might have actually been scheduled before you.

Did you at no point ask the receptionist what was going on? 

I talked to the receptionist twice, asking when he would be seeing me.  She said,"You're next, I don't know why he's taking so long".  An hour is way too long to wait, so I left.  If this happens again, I'll just have to find someone else to give me my aftercare.  

This is the same doctor's office that lost my submission to the insurance company, and changed appointment times, but didn't bother to contact me.

Having worked in healthcare and clinics I can testify that this is a back office problem - not usually a doctor problem.  His back office staff is responsible for clinic flow so they're not putting charts in the right order or they are directing him to patients they believe will be a quick "in and out".  

Granted, he may not be manging his time well either and may be spending too much time chatting it up, which then throws off the whole schedule.  But having other patients pulled in front of you who are there for exactly the same thing is frustrating.  

I don't know what type of practice he has (solely bariatric?) but some patients don't necessarily need to see the doc so they get pulled back before you because they are seeing the PA the NP or just need a quick injection or something else that doesn't actually require doctor face ime.  It appears from the front lobby that they are getting pushed ahead of you when actually they are there for a completely different service that doesn't require them to see the same person you're seeing. 

Still - I get it - frustrating!!  Complain to the office manager and the doctor so they are aware the back office staff may not be handling things right. 

Also important to remember that patients with urgent issues may get pulled back (and squeezed in) before you.

My personal rule is I never wait for ANYONE for more than 30 minutes tops.  And for me to wait that long, I require a polite explanation, and an apology for the inconvenience.  My time is valuable too.  But I would never just sit there while the time ticked by and watch others who came in after me get taken care of before me.  

Frustrating!  I waited for my GP doc once for 4 hours!  Office refused to let me leave and come back.  I either wait or leave to come back later and lose my spot.

That is terrible! You could start this policy.... after so many minutes, go up to the front desk and say, "From this minute on, I am taking $$ off my bill for every minute the doctor is LATE seeing ME!! I have heard of people doing that and it worked! Hey, our time is just as valuable. If our appointment is at 10:00, then allow ten minutes then start charging the doctor!! :)

My time is much more valuable than doctor's think it is.  His office has been so unorganized that I need to see if my PCP can recommend someone else for my aftercare.