Why bother making an apt?!?

k3montel · July 2014

My OB apt was at 11:10...it's now 12:10, and I haven't seen the dr yet. This is ridiculous. I have my 28 week lab stuff, and I am very tempted to just leave.

erinchrisitne424 · July 2014

I would just leave. I get really annoyed by that kind of thing. I feel ya, why even make an appointment at least the office should give you the courtesy of telling you the doctor is running behind. Would you like to reschedule or wait. My office is really too about letting their patients know of the doctor is running behind for some reason.

JayneMouse · July 2014

It's rough when appointments run late but in an OB practice, you never know what's going on. Especially if it's a smaller practice with fewer OB's. Sure there are times the doctor is just being a jerk and taking a long lunch but other times some mom just found out that she's lost her baby and is an emotional wreck or there's some other medical emergency.

I had the experience of going in for my first pre-natal appointment to get bad news. It certainly tied up the room and the doctor beyond my scheduled appointment time.

slsl509 · July 2014

Must be something going on today. I never have a long wait but did today. All it takes is 1 person to show up a little late, the next person to have 3 concerns they didn't mention when making the appointment and boom - they get behind. But they should definitely give you some notice.

hgielrebmik · July 2014

Most likely your OB is on call and had a baby to deliver. It's annoying, but understandable.... I had to wait an hour and a half a few months ago to see my OB for all of 2 minutes. Really wish the staff would communicate this better, or send in another doc or nurse practitioner to see you. Sorry.

[Deleted User] · July 2014

Eh, I think it happens and you should get over it. I know it sucks to wait, but you don't know why you are waiting. You could be that patient one day with an emergency, and you would be grateful your doc made time to see you.

MrsL2B · July 2014

At my MFM, I had to sign a waiver stating that I understood that emergencies arise and that makes it nearly impossible for them to stay on schedule. So I just make my appointments early in the afternoon there and then take the whole afternoon off from work. But my regular OB practice is usually on schedule. The only time I've ever had to wait over an hour was when the doc had an appointment right before mine with a pregnant teenager and her very angry mother. I felt pretty bad for the girl, as her mom was not shy about letting the entire building know how upset she was.

ashie0610 · July 2014

I am the type to get easily frustrated about that kind of thing too. I am super punctual so I hate it even more when others make we wait.

My perspective has changed a little since my loss though so I am working on being more patient with people. I won't go into detail, but my appointment when my loss was confirmed definitely took a lot longer than expected and saved me from having to go through a D&C. If I had walked out afterward and seen or heard a pregnant woman with a beautiful bump complaining about waiting, I might have strangled her.

ETA: words

BeanNut · July 2014

I'm very punctual and would be annoyed. An emergency or being overbooked is perfectly understandable--but it's not ok for the staff to leave you waiting that long with no explanation.

Dubsgirlie · July 2014

My OBs office is usually awesome about timeliness, but one time I had to wait 1.5 hours and was getting very annoyed until I learned it was because the doctor got tied up at the hospital due to an emergency. I realized then that I'm grateful he didn't just rush through the emergency to get back to us nonemergent appointments - I would want the same courtesy. Granted, they did let me know that he would be late, but they couldn't tell me how late. Just be patient. If you leave, you still won't be seen so what's the point?

golfingdarwinfish · July 2014

I was once the patient who made my previous peri/MFM run late - she was running late because she was explaining to me that my LO was missing his cerebellum and posterior fossa; we were waiting for a different ultrasound technician to join so that she could perform an amnio. It's not fun being the patient putting the doctor behind.

My new MFM runs late sometimes and I just shrug it off. I pay for parking and end up spending upwards of $30 a visit on parking sometimes because he is an hour or so late. I may get frustrated, but he's worth it, and I know if he's running behind it's because he devotes ALL his time to his patient when she is in the room with him. If he needs to call a lab and check on a result, schedule a follow-up, review other u/s images, consult fetal surgery, he does it all while the patient is right there so that the patient knows that he is there for them and that they get answers.

DreadGamerWife · July 2014

Luckily, my OB rarely runs late at her satelite office - the main office at the hospital is a different story. However, my former MFM always ran late and the staff never let us know. I don't mind if they can give us a decent estimate of wait time (especially if it is near lunch and it would allow one of us go to and pick something up), but one time I was waiting in the ultrasound exam room for the doctor to show up (after the tech left) for over an hour was unacceptable. Especially when DH went to go find someone to ask if I could use the bathroom, the staff didn't even know we were still there.

BreandMikewedding · July 2014

I know it's frustrating, but I would say 95% of the time it isn't the dr's fault. Most offices have a cut off time of how late patients can be for their appt and still be seen. This is the biggest cause of drs running behind. If every pt is 15 minutes late to their appt and then they have to pee in the cup and get in a room, that alone puts the dr at least 20 minutes late for each pt. Other times someone will come in for something routine and it turns into an emergency. I remember a pt that came into the ob I worked at because she "wasn't feeling good" and it turned out she was in labor and crowning. They ended up delivering in the exam room before an abulance could even get there. We did have one dr who was always behind. She was just slow and she was disciplined for it and we modified her schedule to force her to be on time.

cozybluebear · July 2014

I've learned to make my appointments for the very end of the day... usually have less wait time. That's how it is in my OB's office anyway.

lrobi13 · July 2014

cozybluebear said:

I've learned to make my appointments for the very end of the day... usually have less wait time. That's how it is in my OB's office anyway.

I make mine late in the day, not because the wait is shorter but because it is on my time not my boss's.

Being pregnant has given me a new appreciation for waiting because I realize that my doctor is making sure she is there for her patients (in office and in l&d).

When I am done having babies, I will probably switch to a doctor that just a gyn so the chances of being super off schedule are reduced (but the appointments will be less frequent so it may not matter much!)

MrsSarahRenee · July 2014

My Obgyn office had a sign when you walk in with how late people are running or if they are on time. If they are running late, you can leave and come back or take a walk to get a snack or book within the complex etc.

I get we have to be understanding but I think there is a way to be respectful of our time too and my office has taken steps to be respectful of it.

That said I have never waited more than 10 min past appt time.

rae76 · July 2014

I used to feel that way as well at the OB office but when I lost my last baby at 25 weeks, they took a lot of time with me and it was very appreciated. Now I always hope that the delay is because they are delivering a healthy baby, not having to break the news to an expectant woman that there is no heartbeat.

hippohat · July 2014

I too am usually frustrated, but I think the OB is very different. You just have no idea what the doctor has needed to address in the day - I've been 'that' pregnant woman needing an emergency appointment and was extremely glad for their immediate time/attention. And ditto that I make my appointments early which seems to help. Most of my pg appointments while I was working last time were 7:30am, but it worked and I didn't have to miss much time.

heathera1979 · July 2014

This happens every time at my ob, but she did warn me at the first app that she typically runs late b/c she always gives pts the time they need and never cuts them off. I have found that to be the case with me, so it doesn't really bother me that much.

k3montel · July 2014

I'm sorry for the vent. This is a regular occurrence at this office. The shortest I ever waited was 40 minutes, and I was gone 5 minutes later. I do really like my OB, which is why I haven't switched. I do appreciate that when needed, she spends as much time as you need, I was just frustrated today.

kindacrunchy · July 2014

I understand being frustrated. I have waited an hour or more at all my appointments this time and I generally have my three year old with me. It's frustrating! But I love my doctor and when I finally do get to see her I get my time without feeling rushed by her so it's worth it to me, I just expect it to take all morning now.

keenkamsmom · July 2014

I work in a clinic so I undersand that things happen, but the staff should have the courtesy to let you know the doctor is running late and give you the option to reschedule if you can't or don't want to wait. I would be annoyed too that no one even took the time to say hey I'm sorry you're still waiting do you need to reschedule?

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