Dr. Bond was an attending physician where I trained, known for insanely long wait times (like 3 hours or more). Although I never really understood why (and still don't) he had a loyal following of patients who put up with it and came armed with books, magazine, and coolers.
They'd wait in the lobby, then get taken back to an exam room where they'd wait a few more hours... and at some point he'd see them.
Until one night.
I was the neurology resident on call, and around 11:00 that night was paged by the head of the hospital's janitorial services.
Apparently, Dr. Bond's 4:45 patient had been put in a room... and forgotten. The staff left around 6:00, and the patient, used to Dr. Bond's usual waiting times, just stayed in there. Eventually he fell asleep (the badly-rattled cleaning lady actually thought she'd found a body).
So I walked across the street to the clinic (not exactly a great idea in that area) and briefly met with the patient. After determining that he wasn't dead (he'd just left his hearing aids at home) I called Dr. Bond to ask him what to do.
To his credit, he drove in to see the patient for the regular appointment that had been scheduled for that afternoon.
We had an oncologist like that back in Arkansas - you brought a book, planned for a long wait, and he had TVs and snacks in the waiting area (he KNEW he was always running behind). We went back to visit last time we were home, about 3 years since the last time we'd been in, and he'd gotten an assistant and wait times were down to less than an hour. The doctor looked fifteen years younger.
ReplyDeleteI had an internist like that, too. Lovely, courtly old gentleman but always several hours behind. We did the same thing (bring work, books, food) but we did one other thing: We'd call his receptionist at hourly intervals for an update and when she judged he was within 15 minutes of actually seeing you, she'd tell you to come to the office. You'd still wait, but maybe an hour rather than four. Let's face it. If you like your doctor, you'll put up with anything to keep seeing him.
ReplyDeleteMy Ob/Gyn can be like that. I have waited for three hours or more on so many occasions I couldn't count. But I know this: when my pregnancy was in trouble, he was right there and he wasn't going anywhere until we were okay. And the first visit that I saw him after my breast cancer diagnosis, he took the time to make sure I knew what I needed to know. When I need the time, he isn't stingy with it. So when someone else needs the time, I am more than willing to wait or reschedule to accommodate that.
ReplyDeleteHere's to those of us who have found - and seen - patients in exam rooms 'forgotten" by others...that is never a good feeling or moment of pride.....just relief that it was not a "next morning "
ReplyDeletefind...
but an especial thanks to those patients and families who willing wait to be seen in all conditions and situations.
I've been forgotten in exam rooms before. Never for that long, though. I'll never forget the one time that a doctor said, "I'll be right back!" walked out, and closed the door behind them.
ReplyDeleteA half hour later the door opened again. A nurse walked in and screamed like I was a ghost. (She'd been told the room was empty.)
Or maybe I am a ghost?! ooOoOooooOoOoooOooOOOoooOOOoo
Casper the Friendly Moose
I never get forgotten because I'm the one who probably annoys the crap out of the staff. If I'm in a room for 15 minutes I'll stick my head out the door and look around. Then every 10 minutes or so I'll pop my head out the door again.
ReplyDeleteHe's never early; he's always late. First thing you learn is that you always gotta wait.
ReplyDeleteI went to the office of a renowned ENT here in the city where I live. He came highly recommended by several physicians I know. When I arrived in his office to make the appointment, there was nobody there except his receptionist. I made my appointment for his next open slot which was several weeks later. When I arrived at the appointed date and time, his waiting room was standing room only. Okay, he must be as good as they say, thought I. So I filled out the required new-patient paperwork and waited.
ReplyDeleteAn hour went by. Then two. Then three. At three and a half hours beyond my appointed time, I inquired about the wait and asked how much longer it would be. The receptionist counted seven folders till she got to mine and said: "About 45 minutes."
Now stop and think about that. 45 minutes divided by seven patients ahead of me equals about 6 1/2 minutes apiece.
He might be good, but he wasn't that good. I demanded the folder with all of my personal info in it and then I abandoned the appointment. I have never been back. I found a perfectly good ENT elsewhere who had more respect for my time.
And by the way. At the beginning of the "The Caine Mutiny", there is a short vignette about the main character being forgotten in an examination room overnight. He was there to get a medical variance so he could join the Navy. The doctor was so horrified and embarrassed about his mistake, he signed the variance without even performing the exam. (If you haven't read it, "The Caine Mutiny", by Herman Wouk, is one of the best books ever.)
To the chagrin (and profound embarrassment of her children--at least this one), my mother would take her eight children for their annual physical all in one slot of time, and she'd bring along a paper shopping bag of mending. Darning socks is not so bad, but to be repairing underwear and other personal items in a mixed-age waiting room is acute mortification for an early teen.
ReplyDeleteOf course, we were all armed with games, books, homework, and other amusements. My mother obtained her teaching license after attending Plymouth Normal College and taught in a one-room school the first few years of her career. She set limits to wild kid behavior tolerated in public. I think that big brown grocery sack was part of her strategy.
I heard of a patient that fell asleep in the CT, and had a tricky time finding a way out of the office when the department closed for the day.
On the other hand, I do understand my physician's policy of not seeing me when I showed up twenty minutes late for a visit a couple weeks ago. I worked a night shift and thought I'd have enough time to get home, get some sleep, and get to the appointment, but on the way to the office, I discovered I was heading to her old office in the opposite direction in town. Normally, if I find myself late for scheduled appointments I call the office to explain and find out what the schedule is like, if they have a later opening, etc. But, I think I was too tired to expend my executive functioning, so, after I arrived and was told that I needed to reschedule, I went home and fell asleep for the rest of the day. By the time I saw my doc again the ailment had resolved and she was able to spend more time on another more important issue.
I saw a new doctor recently and got very concerned when after nearly an hour wait in the exam room, I was brought back to the exam room, which had a flat screen tv mounted to the wall that the MA handed me a remote to.
ReplyDeleteThe hospital I work at has horrid long wait times in our outpatient clinics. The patients get beepers and can go to the cafeteria or the gardens, and there's a hospitality room with coffee and muffins. There's usually volunteer musicians entertaining and often volunteer artists leading simple craft projects in the lobby.
This happened to my husband at an orthopedic appt. Late afternoon appt.put in the exam room. He fell asleep and woke up to a closed office. But that MD didn't come back to see him!
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in high school, I accidentally got thrown into a wall during wrestling practice. Two days later, we went to our family practice doctor because I was having trouble walking without pain.
ReplyDeleteHe sent us over to get xrays, with "I doubt it is broken, you can't break your heel."
90 minutes later, the X-ray technician was kind of frantic, because the Doctor had left the office to go shopping (pre-cell phone days) and no one could find him. We weren't told what was wrong, but we were supposed to go home and wait for the doctor to call us the next morning. "Don't walk on that foot" was the parting instruction.
I had a nice big chip broken off the side of my heel bone. It healed fine, but the Doctor did admit that he had forgotten about the X-ray because he didn't think it would show anything.
The one time I was kept waiting (over an hour) for a post-procedure follow up, I left a note for the doc saying I was fine, and left.
ReplyDeleteWhen he saw me in the hospital where I worked a few days later, he chewed me out about it. I told him my time was just as important as his, and that to keep pts. waiting like that was unforgivably rude AND unprofessional.
He apologized ~
Got stranded years ago during infertility treatment. Procedure was done, had to remain in certain position for 20 minutes....and waited what seemed like forever for someone to come back. I was at the end of the hall, so even when I got up my courage to yell ('didn't want to be a pest") no one heard me. Eventually the doc came back, quickly finished up and left the room. Walking down the hall I noticed that other exam rooms were empty and dark...when I asked receptionist for the time she didn't answer....got to waiting area..it was empty...dug my watch out of my purse and discovered I'd been stranded over an hour! After that I always asked to be sure someone would check on me...and was told they would not forget, they used a kitchen timer as a reminder. I KNEW that was a new development.
ReplyDeleteyup...happened to me. GYN appt.late in the day. Obviously I was forgotten, Undressed and gowned left on the table. After about 2 hours I left but not before writing a nast note on the exam table paper!
ReplyDeleteAnon 12:57 thanks for sharing the story of your mending mama. She sounds like an incredible woman and I'd love to read more of your stories about growing up with her.
ReplyDeleteAnd lots of credit to the doctor for going back to see the patient. Although he ultimately bears responsibility for not seeing the patient (as all doctors do when nearly any error is made in their office), it was his staff's job to keep track of who is waiting to be seen.
I've had an ob/gyn ask either to strip quick, the office lady will figure out the insurance after, or reschedule...she had an emergency on the way in, and only had 5 mins before she had to run to the OR...I stripped quick, I hate that visit, pushing it off wasn't an option in my mind
ReplyDeleteWe have one ortho who is usually late; we've had afternoon 2pm appointments where we weren't taken back until after 3, and didn't see him until after 5. On the other hand, he's good at what he does, we like him as a person, and he's the only pediatric spine doc within an hour's drive. (I've got a kid with scoliosis.) So we try to schedule appointments in the morning, and we bring a book or other stuff to keep us busy.
ReplyDeleteThe pediatrician's office on the other hand....
We had a 9am appointment, weren't taken called back until after 9:30, which was very unusual for that office, and then abandonded in a waiting room. At 10:30 I asked what was going on to find out that our doc had had a "routine" visit turn out to be one of those where he had to contact numerous specialists at the nearest teaching hospital and set up numerous appointments for a child who problem wasn't routine. Which I was fine with. As others have said, you want the doctor to spend the time he/she needs to spend on a patient.
I was not fine with the staff not understanding why I was pissed. If they'd just told me at 9:30 what was going on, I would have rescheduled. As it was they appeared to think that I'd be happy waiting in a small bare exam room indefinitely with a toddler. I wasted nearly two hours of my time (which was time off of work), and still had to reschedule as they didn't know when he'd be free and no one else in the practice could fit us in either. Between that visit and them not sending us to ortho when we first noticed my kid's scoliosis, waiting until I demanded a referral saying that it was time to get it looked at but they were sure it was just at the "wait and see" stage when it was at the "if the brace doesn't work, we'll need surgery" stage? I shifted the girls over to a women's practice that sees teens as soon as they were old enough. The practice then tried to make me pay over $50 to have one of the girl's records sent over. Which I know they don't normally do if someone moves or ages out of the practice.
I show up 10-20 minutes early for any doctor's apppointment, and I don't wait more than half an hour. If an MD can't see me on time, I'll find one who can.
ReplyDeleteNobody's good enough to keep patients waiting for hours and hours.
@bobbie - YES!! that is exactly how it should be handled. People who chronically run late think their time is more important than others. I do understand an occasional lateness, due to one unusual happenstance, but otherwise, if craziness is a normal part of the day, YOU BUDGET TIME FOR IT. If your doctor tries to fit every last-minute appointment in, then s/he should BUDGET TIME FOR IT. Lack of planning / ability to foresee the perfectly inevitable does not impress me in someone I'm entrusting with my health.
ReplyDelete