Doctors keeping me waiting for more than 15 minutes is rude, since, if I'M late or miss my appointment, they charge a fee for the visit anyway.

I've been kept waiting in doctors' offices for as long as 2 hours. (That time, I was 17 and at my pediatrician's office -- yeah, I had a pediatrician -- for a shot for a summer job I was getting.) The shot literally took about 10 seconds to administer, but every kid with a runny nose got in ahead of me.

I'm frequently left waiting for more than 30 minutes at my OB/GYN office, which is obnoxious because I schedule these visits during my lunch hour and need to get back to work. I've had to start scheduling my dentist appointments for after work, because even with basic cleanings, I'm left waiting an hour before he even starts.

I get that emergencies happen, and sometimes offices overbook, but I would like these people to realize that my time is also valuable, and if they can't take me at my appointed time, to call me in advance so I can plan ahead or reschedule my appointment.

Posted by: MonicaP at September 1, 2010 2:27 PM

Oh, one more: Last year I was in the ER waiting room for a possible concussion. I had a massive headache, and I rested my head against the back of the seat. I hadn't realized it overflowed into the next seat. (They were back to back.) A man sat down on that seat and bashed me in the back of the head with his, yelling about how damn rude people were. He went on for a bit, and a security guard had to escort him to the other side of the ER. This was not the guy's first outburst.

Yeah, I was probably rude for taking up more than my seat. Simply pointing out my error and asking me to move would have sufficed. This is why I don't generally answer rudeness with rudeness. Sometimes, people actually don't realize they are being rude, and a simple request will resolve the problem, whereas rudeness makes them angry for no good reason.

BTW: Amy, have you considered collecting stories of good manners? I've seen lots of really excellent examples of those, as well.

Posted by: MonicaP at September 1, 2010 2:55 PM

BTW: Amy, have you considered collecting stories of good manners? I've seen lots of really excellent examples of those, as well.

I was going to write those myself. But, that's a great idea. I wonder if it's too late to do that here.

Posted by: Amy Alkon at September 1, 2010 4:05 PM

Definitely talk to "Dr. Grumpy", he blogs about this. He recently posted this message to his patients about his waiting room. Here's the link: http://drgrumpyinthehouse.blogspot.com/2010/08/your-appointment-is-over.html

and here's the message:

However, please DO NOT USE my lobby for any of the following activities:

To use a phone (mine or yours) to make political calls on behalf of whatever candidate you're supporting this year. I respect your right to be involved in politics, but my waiting room isn't the place to do it. Not everyone out there agrees with you.

To have the sandwich, pickle, and bag of chips you've been carrying around in your purse. I don't mind you grabbing lunch in a hurry, but spending an hour here eating, calling friends, and using my magazines as napkins is a bit much (If this sounds familiar to you, asking Mary if we had any salt and a can of Sprite was over the line).

To call several local restaurants to set up catering for a party.

To try and sell real estate opportunities to other patients who are waiting to see me.

To see how much more (or less) your specialist co-pay is compared to other patients.

To hand out flyers to see your band play at Bubba's Roadhouse this weekend.

To argue about ANYTHING featured in "People" magazine.

To wait and see if a drug rep with samples of your medicine wanders in, and then assault them.

To ask my other patients what they think of your stock-market investment picks.

To appoint yourself schedule monitor, and tell Mary who signed in before whom.

To get out a scissor and cut coupons, articles, pictures, and anything else that strikes your fancy out of my lobby magazines.

Thank you.

Posted by: Jewels at September 1, 2010 4:42 PM

We spent a very unhappy month in the ICU waiting room of our local Children's Hospital when my daughter was very sick. There were sooooo many stories to tell, good and bad. We made some lifelong friends and met some really horrible people too (like the family who got into a fist fight over the granddad whose boot print was on the baby's back). But the whole thing was made most awful by the waiting room itself: chairs with high wooden arms, TVs and lights that wouldn't turn off, etc. etc. So the hospital gets the first vote for rude for purposely attempting to make traumatized parents even more uncomfortable. I finally just unscrewed the light bulb above my chair when I wanted to sleep.
They brought a small child in with them another night (no one under 14 allowed! say the large signs) who ran around and around screaming at 11:30 pm and they kept trying to give her candy to get her to be still.

Here's my favorite family from somewhere in the country in Alabama (FYI their kid came through fine):
-The TV fell over on their two year old and the ambulance brought him to the hospital. They drove their car and stopped on the way for cigarettes.
-Once they got the word their kid was OK, they had a near-hoe down/party in the ICU waiting room. At 2am. I knew from lots of experience that families get noisy when the good news comes. But after an hour I VERY SWEETLY said "I'm so happy for you all, but I think you'll realize after a couple of days how important sleep is, and between 11pm and 4am is the only time it's quiet here. Would you guys mind going to the lobby for a while?" They stared at me like I'd cussed them out (and then cussed me out). Finally they left en masse for a smoke, and when they returned, they stunk the whole waiting room up. But the next day they were all moaning about how tired they were.
- Lots of people/churches would bring baskets of snacks to the waiting room for the families. When the tacky redneck family left, they picked up the ENTIRE basket and took it with them.

I still enjoy thinking about that family, even two years later. Any my daughter is doing very well (she has mitochondrial disease).

Posted by: Lesley at September 10, 2010 9:53 PM

just realized that somehow the comment re. the small child at 11:30pm is in the wrong paragraph.

Posted by: Lesley at September 16, 2010 5:49 PM

Though this might come as a shock to some ... I would rather choose when to watch television and when not to watch television.

I would especially rather choose when to watch a particular TV channel with a distinctive political viewpoint that does not generally agree with my views.

I cannot count the number of waiting rooms in which I am forced to listen to (even if I keep my eyes studiously elsewhere) TV ... and WHY IS IT ALWAYS THAT SAME @q)(#*!) CHANNEL?! Doctors' offices, day surgery waiting rooms, the place where I get my oil changed.

At one place, I quietly informed the receptionist that I would be waiting in the hallway outside when it was my turn ... and she looked at me as though I'd grown another head.

Is there no escape?

Posted by: Beth at February 19, 2012 11:00 PM