Can I bill the doctor for the long wait?
- Thread starter tscruggs
- Start date
I had that happen at my neurosurgeon. My appt. was at 8:30 and at 9 they told me that he was in surgery and may take a while. They were kind enough to ask if I wanted to reschedule. He showed up at 11, and I later found out why. There had been a serious auto accident about 5am where the driver had serious brain injuries and my doctor was in charge of that person.
Sometimes, there's a good reason to be late.
Sometimes, there's a good reason to be late.
That's an acceptable circumstance.
My father sat in an exam room last year, waiting and listening to the doctor shoot the **** with a pharmaceutical rep in the next room. I don't know how late the doc was for pop's appointment, but it pissed off pop enough that he left and didn't do so without a few words to the doc. Don't piss off old men! :biggrin:
But yes, I do feel that we should be able to bill doctors for our time. they will bill us if we don't make a scheduled appointment.
Not me--I DO NOT wait
15 minutes past my appointment time and I'm leaving--assuming I'm able to.
Have done it more than once!!!!!!
Hacks me off, how you make an appointment and the doctors are an hour or more late. The other day we were the first appointment and they actually told us they were already running behind. How? WTH
15 minutes past my appointment time and I'm leaving--assuming I'm able to.
Have done it more than once!!!!!!
Sore point with me.
As stated sometimes there is a good reason to be late and all the receptionist has to do is explain it and offer a reschedule no harm no foul.
But most docs schedule 2-3 people at the same time. Dentists do it all the time. Then they bounce between patients because their time is more valuable then yours. Just ask them!
As a contractor who bills between $50-100/hr making me wait unnecessarily costs me more than the docs bill.
Yea I have walked out.
Mikey
As stated sometimes there is a good reason to be late and all the receptionist has to do is explain it and offer a reschedule no harm no foul.
But most docs schedule 2-3 people at the same time. Dentists do it all the time. Then they bounce between patients because their time is more valuable then yours. Just ask them!
As a contractor who bills between $50-100/hr making me wait unnecessarily costs me more than the docs bill.
Yea I have walked out.
Mikey
LMAO, my dentists was running 15 min late once. On my follow-up appt. I was 2 minutes late and they called on my cell when I was in the parking lot. I told them that I had to wait for 15 minutes the last time and they way I see it, they still owe me 12 minutes !!! They found the humor in that !! BTW, I try to schedule my appt. first thing in the AM so I can get on with my day.
Silver Fox
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Apr 17, 2003
When I was in the military I missed a medical appointment and was sent a "no-show" letter. So I had to explain to my commander why I failed to show for the appointment. A few years later, I showed up for a doctor's appointment and after waiting for about 30 minutes, a receptionist came out and said the doctor had the day off and my appointment was now cancelled.
I said we need to go see your commander, and when I met him I told I him I was submitting a verbal no-show letter on the doctor who failed to show up for my appointment. The commander did not like my sense of humor, although his staff had wasted my time.
Rob
I said we need to go see your commander, and when I met him I told I him I was submitting a verbal no-show letter on the doctor who failed to show up for my appointment. The commander did not like my sense of humor, although his staff had wasted my time.
Rob
Pronto
Believe nothing you hear and half of what you see.
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2002
My wife is a hygenist and for years has to had to deal with the stress of keeping on time. Actually it has given her stomache issue from the stress. Sometimes she gets behind because the patient comes late or an elderly patient is slow. Many times the reason she gets behind is the patient talks too much. She's like a therapist. People tell her all sorts of information she really doesn't want to know or give advice to. Another issue is the dr coming late to check the patient. Inbetween all that she has to clean the chair, get new instruments and maybe even sneak off to the bathroom for a second. It can be a vicious cycle. Worst thing is the dr's wife is the office manager and they sticklers for staying on time even though they know it never happens. From taking my Mom to the dr I have learned don't bother going early. Get there right on time. They never take you early.
I had an appointment a couple weeks back at a doctor's office that is a good 40 minute drive from my house, get there on time (actually I was like 15 mins early) and was told "sorry something came up and your doctor couldn't come in." I asked the woman why they couldn't have at least had the common courtesy to give me a call and tell me I need to reschedule and her reply was "It's not our policy." So I asked her for the name of the office manager and a phone # so I could give them a piece of my mind about their "policies". She relunctantly gave me the information and I called the office manager the following morning and it turns out this lady lied to me, the doctor had a medical conference he was attending and the lady I spoke with scheduled me on that day and then realized it was wrong and tried to cover it up without admitting she screwed up. Needless to say, I didn't see her in the office during my next appointment!
So I asked her for the name of the office manager and a phone # so I could give them a piece of my mind about their "policies". She relunctantly gave me the information and I called the office manager the following morning and it turns out this lady lied to me, the doctor had a medical conference he was attending and the lady I spoke with scheduled me on that day and then realized it was wrong and tried to cover it up without admitting she screwed up. Needless to say, I didn't see her in the office during my next appointment!The wife and I own a medical equipment supply company, I stop by Dr.'s offices all the time, Dr.'s have a lot of red tape when it comes to paperwork, just from us the signatures we require from Dr.'s in know can be bothersome. I can't imagine how much paperwork is required for each patient they see each day, chart notes, paperwork for the pharmacy, paperwork for test that might be required, paperwork for insurance, phone calls from hospitals regarding there patient etc.
I do know they do waste time, but if you spend most of your day with sick, injured and demanding patients it's nice to spend time with someone that just want to help you and your patients and show you the latest and greatest when it comes to patient care or Dr. office equipment.
know here is a little secret that might help cut down on your wait time.
1. never schedule an appointment on Monday, Dr.'s get tons of walk ins from people that were hurt or got sick over the weekend, tons. Me, if im in the area i drop off donuts with a card in the lunch room and leave i dont even say a word to anyone unless they speak to me first, and even then i keep it brief.
2. schedule your appointment just before lunch or just before they close. they want to go eat or go home, they will normally schedule less appointments around those times.
3. first appointments in the AM or after lunch are a hit or miss, some Dr will grab lunch and see patients in hospital and do run late to there first appointments.
4. this one is pretty important, BE NICE TO THE STAFF they are the ones that make sure the paperwork get sent to the lab, pharmacy etc... and they can make your wait time longer, they can "accidentally" forget to tell the Dr your in the waiting room, seen it done, they can also bump you to the front of the line when your in the back office :wink:
you might still have to wait but chances are it will be far less.
I do know they do waste time, but if you spend most of your day with sick, injured and demanding patients it's nice to spend time with someone that just want to help you and your patients and show you the latest and greatest when it comes to patient care or Dr. office equipment.
know here is a little secret that might help cut down on your wait time.
1. never schedule an appointment on Monday, Dr.'s get tons of walk ins from people that were hurt or got sick over the weekend, tons. Me, if im in the area i drop off donuts with a card in the lunch room and leave i dont even say a word to anyone unless they speak to me first, and even then i keep it brief.
2. schedule your appointment just before lunch or just before they close. they want to go eat or go home, they will normally schedule less appointments around those times.
3. first appointments in the AM or after lunch are a hit or miss, some Dr will grab lunch and see patients in hospital and do run late to there first appointments.
4. this one is pretty important, BE NICE TO THE STAFF they are the ones that make sure the paperwork get sent to the lab, pharmacy etc... and they can make your wait time longer, they can "accidentally" forget to tell the Dr your in the waiting room
, seen it done, they can also bump you to the front of the line when your in the back office :wink:you might still have to wait but chances are it will be far less.
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