So we go to the Dr. for my wife. When she signs in they make her read and sign a form stating that she understands if she cancels with less than 24 hours notice they will charge us $30 if she is more than 15 minutes late with out calling they will consider it a missed appointment and charge us $30. If she is is more than 30 minutes late even with calling it is up to their discretion to either keep or charge us. So her Dr. Strolls in from lunch 40 minutes after her appointment and I go to the desk and ask for my $30, the bitch behind the counter actually had the balls to get angry at me over it. So I waved the paper in her face and said that I thought turn about was only fair. She wasn’t amused at all. How often are we on time to see the Dr and end up sitting there for an hour after our scheduled time. I don’t think we should have to pay our copay for these visits.
Yep. Every time. I hate it. They over-schedule appointments knowing full well that patients don’t have a choice and will have to wait. But heaven forbid we do anything like that.
Oh yea I know exactly what you mean… Used to happen to us a lot… We have a pretty good family doc now but my fiance’s current neurologist is an idiot
Ha ha, that’s a good one. They couldn’t afford paying for all the waiting people do, that’s for sure. I’ve never waited less than two hours at my doctor’s office, totally disrespectful! 
I was thinking this through. Yeah it bloody sucks agreed. But just look at it this way.
Imagine a new medical centre opens up and says if your late you have to still pay however, if we are late we won’t change. Right so you go in to the new clinic the doctor calls you in, getting about 8minutes in the doctor starts cutting corners he doesn’t want to risk losing money but he also wants to give you good treatment what does he do. Would you go there.
Listen, I hadn’t thought about it before. Whilst it’s a hypocritical system I just can’t see how you could fix it. Maybe someone else could co e up with a clever model to overcome the problem. Mind you the lady snearing at you is being an arse, great customer service I think not. I’m always wary about pissing off doctors but I’ve got one I’m happy with and now seen for 3 or so years now. He’s always late. I tease him about it.
My doctor has 1800 patients on his list and that is where I think the problem is. If they weren’t allowed to have more than say 800, they could actually keep up. Perhaps. Maybe. Could be. Nah…
If you know you are in good shape, eat right, not over weight, exercise and get plenty of rest you are relegated to patronize a profession which sometimes main purpose is to get you into their system. Getting you into their system takes place under the guise of precautionary- proactive medicine. Oh yes, you and your insurance put up with it and pay for it and everyone puts up with the waiting. See if the doctors office puts up with the waiting for your payment.
Sorry, one of my buttons got pressed.
I was just thinking a couple of things when I put that here
- If the Dr has patients scheduled at 1:00 He should be there at 1:00
- If the Dr. office only scheduled say 4 instead of 6 patients per hour, and yes there is going to be the exception to the rule when the Dr has something come up with a patient that causes the appointment to run long, but if a. they weren’t trying to see so many patients it wouldn’t be so bad and b. having the courtesy to be on time when they expect you to is only fair.
We are very lucky to have the NHS (long may it continue) and don’t have to pay other than National Insurance. Saying that, I’ve never been into an appointment on time and for somebody with anxiety and agoraphobia that can be a real pain in the butt.
You should have told them you were a “mystery shopper” for the government and that they were about to get their cards grrrrr
Wow 10 minutes. My centre does 12min appointments, it’s crazy. Should be 4 as you say. They have become factories, the only thing that keeps doctors not rebelling is the hefty pay packets. Impossible to find private practices in Oz anymore. US? Medical systems in absolute disarray under all models in all countries is what I’m gathering.