There should be a way to "back charge" our wait time at
the doctor's office.
************************************************** **************

Like you, I hate to wait more than a few minutes for ANY scheduled
appointment... My time is valuable just like yours... I try (really,
really try) to run my office on time...

Lessee, let me remember yesterday... Sara was scheduled in for a blood
pressure check and to refill her meds (BP and arthritis), she told the
receptionist that she had no other problems when she made the
appointment two days before, 'routine check up with three or less
meds' - ten minutes is blocked off for her by the scheduler... She has
no transportation so she rides the County Commission on Aging buses,
they drop her at 8:15 and are scheduled to pick her back up at 8:50...
Appointment was 8:30, I walked into the room at 8:28... 8:35 I had
checked the BP (OK), listened to heart and lungs (OK), squeezed ankles
for signs of edema (NONE), asked her how her arthritis was behaving
(OK), wrote her prescriptions, and I'm edging towards the door... I'm
gonna get out of here with a couple minutes to spare, yippee Then she
whips out the dreaded L I S T... AARP tells her to put everything on
a list and DEMAND that I cover each and every item before I leave the
room... So, with a sigh I dig into her list... By really pushing her
not to describe the history of each item back to 1941 in agonizing
detail I manage to finish her list and push her to the checkout desk by
8:55... I am now one full 15 minute appointment behind (and the bus
driver is not thrilled either, I can see his lips moving as he sits
slumped over his wheel)...

The next two 'routine visit with refills' go well and I recover 5
minutes on the schedule, but I'm still 10 minutes behind, though I have
hopes of making a miracle recovery... All I need is a couple of sports
physicals and I can 'almost' close the gap... Then the show stopper
walks in... Scheduled for a 15 minute block (she always takes extra
time) for a simple one prescription refill she is weeping and shaking
when I walk into the room... long tale of woe will be skipped here
By the time I push her out the door I am a full 30 minutes behind...
The patients are now snarling at me when I stagger into the exam
room... By 11:00 I'm snarling back... Thank Gawd for lunch where I can
at least restart on time...

The afternoon goes better, but I still slowly slip about 20 minutes
behind by 5:00 Oh, hey doc I also need you to fill out this inurance
form for that week I was off last month and it has to be in the mail
today or I won't get my sick pay in time to make the mortgage payment
on the house. jeez...

I agree that some docs should have their rear end kicked because they
over book patients, yak on the phone with their golfing buddy, etc.,
etc. until the office looks like a parking lot.. But most docs try
hard to run on time we like to go home before it is pitch black
outside, just like you... The realities of running a n office in the
21st century is that it is a business... There are seven people on the
time clock every hour the office is open, the heat and lights are on,
the lot is plowed free of snow, the malpractice insurance premium is
paid up, the slip and fall insurance is paid, the accountant gets paid
every month, and on, and on... As a family doc I don't have the luxury
of being paid 300 hundred dollars for a routine visit and two
prescriptions, so to make the overhead we have to keep the appointment
book full, or go out of business... Simple as that...

denny