Common Sense Blog No. 6: Excuse Me, Doctor, I've Been Waiting A Long Time ...

This blog series deals with things that we routinely experience in our dealings with businesses, professions, governments and institutions that make no sense as seen through the eyes of consumers. The focus will be on the consumer’s point of view.  

 Of all the professions, it seems to me that Doctors are the worst at keeping patients waiting, sometimes for hours. Is it something they learn in medical school?

I had such an experience with my Doctor. I made an appointment, then called an hour in advance of the appointment to make sure the Doctor was “in”. When I arrived and signed in, I asked if the Doctor was running on schedule and the receptionist said sweetly, “Just have a seat and he will be with you as soon as possible.” I waited for about two hours without so much as a, “Hello, are you still there?” Finally I got up and left. When I got home, I sent an invoice to the Doctor for two hours of my time. A few days later the nurse called and said, “The Doctor got a big kick out of your invoice!” I quickly responded, “Well, tell the Doctor to pay it. After all, my time is just as valuable to me as the Doctor’s time is to him.” When the Doctor didn’t pay the invoice, I found another doctor who was comfortable with this arrangement.

It all boils down to courtesy and common sense. A Doctor, or any professional, sometimes develops an attitude of importance that keeps them from recognizing that their patients or clients are the reason why they have a practice. As patients and consumers, we recognize that some people miss their appointments, or show up late. We also understand that a Doctor has to maximize his or her time and sometimes there are emergencies that take precedent. But the practice of scheduling several patients at the same time, or the lack of timely updates to patients, makes no sense and shows a wanton disregard for a patient’s personal time.  

It only makes sense, common sense, to follow the Golden Rule and treat everyone the same way as you would like to be treated.