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Started By
Message
Waiting at a professional's office - how long is too long to be kept waiting?
Posted on 8/15/19 at 11:01 am
Posted on 8/15/19 at 11:01 am
Let's say you have an appointment at a professional's office (Doctor, Attorney, Dentist, Accountant, etc.) You arrive a few minutes early and are sitting in the waiting area.
How long is too long to be kept waiting where you say 'frick it' and leave?
How long is too long to be kept waiting where you say 'frick it' and leave?
This post was edited on 8/15/19 at 11:01 am
19
Posted on 8/15/19 at 11:01 am to LSUbase13
I guess until you decide you don’t really need to see them that bad?
Posted on 8/15/19 at 11:02 am to LSUbase13
They never keep me waiting.
Posted on 8/15/19 at 11:02 am to LSUbase13
quote:
You arrive a few minutes early
quote:
How long is too long to be kept waiting
At least until your appointment time.
Posted on 8/15/19 at 11:02 am to LSUbase13
I keep them waiting.
Posted on 8/15/19 at 11:03 am to CaptSpaulding
quote:
I guess until you decide you don’t really need to see them that bad?
Obviously, this wouldn't be an emergency situation (ex: abscessed tooth)
This post was edited on 8/15/19 at 11:03 am
Posted on 8/15/19 at 11:04 am to LSUbase13
15 minutes for me. If I’m at least notified that they are behind then I’ll wait longer. It’s a respect thing I guess.
Posted on 8/15/19 at 11:04 am to LSUbase13
quote:
professional's office (Doctor, Attorney, Dentist, Accountant, etc.)
Well which is one is it? and how many professionals available?
Single operator Dr. or Dentist can't exactly up and end a procedure in the middle
Would have to be an emergency for an Attorney or Accountant to make one appointment wait for a previous one.
This post was edited on 8/15/19 at 11:05 am
Posted on 8/15/19 at 11:06 am to LSUbase13
I charge them late fees.
Posted on 8/15/19 at 11:06 am to LSUbase13
I plan ahead so I have some flexibility in case they are behind.
Posted on 8/15/19 at 11:08 am to LSUbase13
Depends on how good the professional is and how bad you need
Posted on 8/15/19 at 11:08 am to LSUbase13
There is a real lack of customer service in today's professional offices. Some say it's due to low insurance reimbursements and the subsequent need to over book. I for one feel a patient's re. client's time is worth something so in spite of the economic ramifications will rarely over book. In my practice if there are extenuating circumstances that put me behind I make sure my office manager lets the waiting patient know and apologize. This goes along way to satisfying those waiting.
Posted on 8/15/19 at 11:08 am to LSUbase13
This reminds me of one of my dad's old doctors. In his waiting area there was a sign posted that read, "If your wait has been longer than 15 minutes past your appointment, please let us know. It will be corrected."
That simple sign changed the entire feel of the place. They made every effort to stand behind that. If, by chance you did have a long wait, they made sure that you knew why and they apologized.
Of all the docs we had in my dad's fight with ALS, he was one of the best.
That simple sign changed the entire feel of the place. They made every effort to stand behind that. If, by chance you did have a long wait, they made sure that you knew why and they apologized.
Of all the docs we had in my dad's fight with ALS, he was one of the best.
This post was edited on 8/15/19 at 11:21 am
Posted on 8/15/19 at 11:09 am to LSUbase13
For doctors/dentist I get the first appointment of the day.
Posted on 8/15/19 at 11:22 am to LegendInMyMind
quote:
that 15 minutes past your appointment, please let us know. It will be corrected
How was it corrected? Did they immediately take you into the exam room? Did they correct it by adjusting your appointment time to the next "available" time? Did they reimburse you for your time left waiting? Just curious because if "made sure you knew why and they apologized" is all they did then that's not exactly correcting it.
Posted on 8/15/19 at 11:27 am to LSUbase13
I always try to not make my clients wait more than 5 min past their appointment time. If they get there early and I'm not busy, we can start early, but that's not always possible.
If I'm going to be more than 5 min, I always have someone let them know and give them the option to reschedule, but that rarely happens.
If I'm going to be more than 5 min, I always have someone let them know and give them the option to reschedule, but that rarely happens.
Posted on 8/15/19 at 11:27 am to RebelRye
To be honest, we never had the problem. It was the most organized, well run doctor's office I have ever been in. There were never more than 3 or 4 patients in the waiting area, which he shared with another doc, and our wait was never long. It is still unbelievable, actually.
I think it comes down to whomever does his scheduling.
I think it comes down to whomever does his scheduling.
Posted on 8/15/19 at 11:30 am to LSUbase13
No one waits in my office more than 2 or 3 minutes, at most, beyond their scheduled appointment time. I also refuse to have a robot answer the phone. If a client calls, a person answers the phone. There is no voicemail and no selecting numbers.
And if I have to wait at someone else's office more than a few minutes, I leave.
And if I have to wait at someone else's office more than a few minutes, I leave.
Posted on 8/15/19 at 11:35 am to jcaz
quote:
15 minutes for me. If I’m at least notified that they are behind then I’ll wait longer. It’s a respect thing I guess
That’s reasonable. If my patients were more than 15 minutes late, I’d have to reschedule them. It cost me money, but seeing them would force everyone else to have to wait for the rest of the morning or evening. I tried to keep on schedule - only booked 1 patient at a time and scheduled ample time for their procedures. Naturally, shite happens and at times you’ll get behind. But if I were running more than a few minutes late, I’d keep anyone in the waiting room readily informed about the wait time and would apologize to them for keeping them waiting. Likewise, it’s fair play for the person waiting to leave after 15 minutes and be pissed about it.
One of the main reasons I was able to keep on schedule was that I didn’t accept any of the crappy dental insurances that screw both the patient and the dentist. My fees were already reasonable, so I wasn’t going to accept an insurance plan that greatly reduced my fee. Thus, I could see 10-12 patients a day and not have to see a couple dozen, running from chair to chair to try to make a living. Crappy insurance plans (in addition to greed) are what causes crowded offices and long wait times - and also reduces the quality of care.
This post was edited on 8/15/19 at 11:40 am
Posted on 8/15/19 at 11:38 am to LSUbase13
My dad limped out of an ortho's office on a fractured ankle after waiting two hours.
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