Why don't patients respect that doctors have schedules and can't build them around one individual? Someone told me today that they were just going to come at 4 pm instead of 2 pm tomorrow to see the doctor, and when I explained that 4 pm was not available and gave them our next available openings, they said that we have poor customer service... are you kidding?

The patient is always right attitude has allowed people to feel entitled for too long.

Well for starters most patients have no idea how healthcare actually work. They compare it to the only similar experiences they have had, which is retail shopping. So they fundamentally think it should work in a similar fashion. They see themselves as customer, which is why I often refer to them as such. I think many in healthcare do not see themselves in this way. It’s why we call them patient. I think this does a disservice to the reality we work in. It distorts our responses and decision.

Second, as seen elsewhere we as and industry don’t treat patients well. Doctors tend to be dismissive and arrogant. The billing and records processes are labyrinthine and complicated. Systems are also spread to thin and under compensate. As much as people complain about $50 Tylenol they fail to realize that $50 pays for the pharmacy tech to dispense it, nurse to administer it, and the system to monitor you while under it and other drugs. It isn’t your house, where you can shove handfuls of whatever is not your body for free. Healthcare is required legally and ethically to do things that make things more expensive because when cut corners you could die.

Third, people suck and entitlement has been rising since the 1980’s. When Greed is good we all get greedy and entitle.

I could say the same about my time not being respected…. I’ve sat in lobbies and exam rooms for extended periods of time (like an hour beyond my appointment time) waiting to be seen.

I see both sides to this as a patient and a healthcare administrator. I understand the time of others is valuable. Being in the field I have learned that a number of things can be happening at once, I’ve had providers having to deliver unpleasant news to their patients which can take longer than expected or a medical urgency can come up during the visit. Or the doctor getting to the clinic late due to a complicated surgery, some doctors round at the hospital or have hospital hours that might run into their clinic hours due to a complication. Meanwhile I also see how as a patient myself I’ve had to be rescheduled multiple times due to provider scheduling conflicts or having to wait to be seen for only 5 min. Bottom line I try to be understanding and unless it’s a ridiculous amount of occurrences I’m thankful not to be the patient delaying others care and just patiently wait.

There is always something wrong in what we do when they can’t get there way.People expect us to work magic sorry boo I didn’t go to school to be magician to make all your mental and unstable conditions to disappear!!! 🤷🏽‍♀️

Imagine how the patient feels. Having to be reliant on a medical system that equates their worth to a numbered value of reimbursement. Now imagine that patient being your Mom or other loved one…I think it may humble your scheduling times rather than souls

People only care about themselves. They wanna vote like communists but they want personalized concierge care for themselves

I see it from both sides. I run a very busy endo office. We see patients with complex issues and some times they are stable and it's a quick check of labs, reorder meds and see you in 3 months. Other times it is not so easy, we have a patient come in with blood sugars in the 600 and we can't let them leave, or someone who is having a low and again can't let them leave. They then take up an exam room and that doctor is then left with 1 instead of 2 so the patients have to wait in the lobby instead of back in the exam room. They aren't waiting more then 5-7 minutes after there appointment time usually to go back but because we have a patient in 1 room being tended to by an MA and the doc in with the other patient where do I put them? So they wait in the lobby 10-15 minutes and then get mad at us because we are running late. No we just can't room you and you will be as soon as we have a spot.

I've also waited 2 hours for my ortho doctor to give me an injection in my hand that took 5 minutes. I waited in an uncomfortable chair in the exam room and not the lobby, i was worried someone forgot about me but I then learned he had a complicated surgery before my appointment. Communication is the best answer for any of these situations though

Whether a provider or a patient, it is easy to see that the Healthcare system is in need of repair. It isn't designed for relationships between patients and doctors. But I, and many like me, have dedicated our lives to serving others and have created good relations, trust, and accountability with our patients. It's not an easy job, but many of us would not change it for the world. The bottom line is that we have to operate in a system that is broken.
So, we make the best of it by giving respect and setting expectations for our patients. Quality time with them is always better than quantity. Sure! I'd love more time, but financially, the system makes it difficult to do so, unless you are in an environment that is funded by other resources. Regarless, quality interactions during that time makes all the differance. In my experience, making sure patients feel heard during visits is VITAL.

On the other hand, reminding them of your expectations and boundaries when they act like spoiled brats is also important. I can't tell you how many times I've heard, " I'm leaving" after standing my ground about a policy. Magically, a few months later, they return and admit that the provider they went to didn't care for them in the same way.

We are not going to be a perfect fit for everyone. I'd rather that person find the provider that clicks with them, than to feel miserable with me.

At the end of the day, providers are human beings too. We get sick, tired, sad, depressed, anxious, overwhelmed, etc... just like our patients. We have families that miss us when we are still in the office late at night working on charts and refills and messages, and paperwork. Just like the patient, we are doing our best to survive this system. But we show up day after day because we want to make a difference in people's lives.
My deal with my patients is that I will listen to their concerns and meet them where they are. We will create a care plan together and I'll walk with them on that journey. I, in return, ask that they be respectful of the time we are together, respectful of my staff, and respectful of the rules we have set in place. Because rules aren't to make things difficult, they are to keep us all safe.

Omg! I’m so sorry that’s happened to you. I remember working with my mom and I would sometimes hear her try to explain the same thing to the person on the phone and she’d loose her own patience with the patient till finally I’d hear my mom slam the phone down. People think they own the schedule..I just relayed this to my mom and she just said, “I would’ve told them that they’re welcome to go somewhere else” She hated dealing with patients.
There was one incident where my dad as the doctor, he had to take a Valium before dealing with one difficult patient, I saw him walk outside to deal with a patient .

The customer/patient is NOT always right. Each of my patients deserves the 45 minutes I try to give them.

Blame Obama Care. Health care went down the tubes when that passed and was enacted. Doctors panels started to overflow because people were losing the PCP because of it.

Here’s a typical clinic day. Arrive at 7. Spend an hour reviewing lab results and in-basket patients communications and requests. Office hours 8-12, fifteen patients on the four hour morning. That’s just under 4 per hour. Typically several people will be late, some will have problems in addition to the main concern and will need to be addressed so the visit runs longer than scheduled, the MA rooming patients takes longer to take vitals and review the patient’s medication list because the patient didn’t bring their list and can’t recall all or they simply chat too long ( trying to keep the patient satisfaction score high) . Noon comes and goes, I finish seeing the last morning patient at 1pm. The first afternoon patient is scheduled at one. I need to return phone calls to patients, the lab, the pharmacy. There are new lab results to address. I need to place referral orders. I skip lunch because I’m now a hour behind. Rinse and repeat for the afternoon. Finish seeing patients at 6. Review more labs while eating my stale lunch. Review the charts for tomorrow’s 25-30 patients. Leave the office at 8. I have no control over my schedule, administrators monitor my productivity. I live in terror of missing something during the 6-10 minutes I actually get to spend with the patient. Don’t forget to stay cheerful and smile when the 2 pm patient shows up at 4, I‘m required to fit them in so our patient satisfaction score stays high. Thankfully I was able to become a hospitalist the last 5 years of my career, clinic was killing me.

Sadly we are living in a world where corporate care is taking over. And doctors have no say in how they practice medicine. With everyonethinkingthat it'slike instantmessaging.we all need to take a step back and prioritize what is important. We are dealing with patients, human beings. Not just numbers to make the most profit for shareholders.

The worst scenarios always boil down to the doctor having a God complex and assuming his/her time is more valuable to society than yours. I understand that graduating medical school carries a certain amount of pride but if you were in the "below average" tier of graduates, (50% of doctors fall into this category) don't expect me to buy into your delusion. I can see what you're failing at and will take my business elsewhere. I do it all the time. And I enjoy a world where the appointments are on time and the doctor has taken the time to review my Epic clinical data to a point where they can recite my medical history from memory.
Things happen and even great doctors run afoul of complications. But trying to BS your way around taking a long lunch is more obvious to your patients than you realize.

Intresting part is even though they wouldn't take you if you are more than 10 min lates it downt mean that if you arrive on time you would be seen immediately. They would still let you sit around for almost an hr to be seen.

Happens daily in our office. Patients expect doctors to adjust their schedules for them, if they are late or forget about there appointment, we have to work them in somewhere because they have to get in. When will it be time the patients take responsibilities for their appointments, and taking care of themselves, instead of expecting miracles.

Don’t take this seriously, I’m absolutely sure that you are a excellent professional, but understand that the patients are consulting for a reason, they feel they need a instantly solution and for them they need or the options habilitated. So… is just to have patience and have compassion for them.

They have to options takes or leaves or go to other providers 🤣 it’s what it’s.

If this helps, please add it to the mix:
Over thr last decade, the arrogance of some doctors has become commonplace. They expect and instruct those setting appointments with them - thinking that they are untouchable - to state X or Y. A patient may be warned that they will miss a chance to have their health evaluated if late. However, the doctor can make them wait a good 45 mins or hour to "see them" or to "be seen". Hello everyone, there is give and take in everyone's schedule.

If we are apologetic about an off schedule and willing to offer care to our best or to reschedule ad relational leaders, we build trust instead of discontent and malignant relationships. This includes insurance companies too and nurses wh

Don’t take this seriously, I’m absolutely sure that you are a excellent professional, but understand that the patients are consulting for a reason, they feel they need a instantly solution and for them they need or the options habilitated. So… is just to have patience and have compassion for them.

They have to options takes or leaves or go to other providers 🤣 it’s what it’s.