We’ve been to the doctor a lot in the past 3 years. Prenatal visits, well baby visits, sick visits, you know how it goes. Waiting usually isn’t a big deal, UNLESS you have a hungry, sick, sleepy, fed up baby or 2 year old. (So basically waiting stinks unless we’re kidless. ha!)
When we lived in Central Texas, we went to Scott & White clinics and hospitals. Most S&W clinics have a sign that says “If you’ve waited 15 minutes past your appointment time, please let someone at the front desk know.” (or something like that) Most of the time we didn’t wait the 15 minutes past our appointment time, but a couple of times we did. We NEVER waited an hour or longer. EVER.
Then we moved and the wait time got longer. And longer. And longer. Then we moved again and the other day, we waited two hours past our appointment time to see the doctor. The nurse said that wasn’t normal, but I talked to another patient and she said that she had waited THREE AND A HALF HOURS before. At a pediatrician’s office…with a CHILD. Are you kidding me? And it seems like in this area, the wait times are longer, for all kinds of doctors.
So what was it about Scott & White that they were able to stay on schedule? These doctors probably aren’t paid any differently… Is the cost of renting a building more expensive? Maybe that’s it. Doctors around here have to pay for their own space and thus, have to jam patients in and get to them when they can. I don’t know….but either way, it’s ridiculous to expect a sick kid to wait longer than 30 minutes. Just ridiculous.
I know my family members are probably rolling their eyes as they read this (ha! you are, aren’t you??), because we had this discussion the other day. It’s just the way things are and always have been.
But, to my friends in other areas of the country, how long do YOU typically have to wait to be seen by the doctor?