Patients patience

[sofadoc]

I whined about this in another post last week.
It happened again today.

The "Office manager" from a local dentist office called me to come out and give them an estimate. Because I've played this game before, I asked "When would be a good time?"

"Oh, just drop by ANY time" she said. "Any time at all".

She neglected to tell me that in addition to being the office manager, her duties also included cleaning teeth. So naturally, when she said "any time", she meant "Come any time.......and sit in the waiting room with the rest of the patients".

Like most of us, I have very little patience when I AM a patient. And I REALLY don't have any when I'm not one. How many times have we all showed up for a 9:00 appointment, only to look out the window, and see the Doctor pull up in his Mercedes a half hour later.

To top it off, I walked outside to take a phone call, and spotted her around the corner smoking a cig.

Then.......to REALLY top things off, it turns out they just wanted a cheap, half-assed patch job done on the exam seats.

Then......to REALLY REALLY top things off, she "warned" me that another upholsterer was coming out later in the day to give them a bid.
I know the other guy very well. If they treat him the same way they treated me, he will absolutely EXPLODE!

One thing is for sure though. He won't have any trouble under-cutting the bid that I laid on them.

[Mike]

I feel your pain I used to work with a large national boat dealership and many times u got called to come over to give the service manager some pricesl so ok I drive over at least a 20 minute drive and stood in the showroom for several minute while the manager dealt with a customer something the number of service writer could have done while I stand there loosing patients they have since closed that location and don't have to deal with them 9 9hated when I didn't get a job because they tacked on 30%

[byhammerandhand]

That's one of my pet peeves, when people think their time is more important than my time.   We both get 24 hours a day.

A few years ago, I went to a surgeon's office for a minor procedure.   I arrived about 5 minutes early and the waiting room was packed with about 20 people.   No one came in after me.   I sat there for two hours and was the last one called.  My impression is they had everyone come at 2:00 and just took them in some order.   We wouldn't want them to finish one patient early and have to wait 5 minutes for the next patient to show up now, would we?

[Mike]

that how my dogs groomer work bring her in at 9 am or 1100 then they call when there done

[bobbin]

I specifically state that any app't. I make with a medical professional will be the first app't. of the day.  I will accept any "open" app't. as long as it's the first app't. of the day.  I get paid by the hour, sitting in a waiting room on what's a work day for me means I lose the opportunity to work productively (i.e. for "money") and since my work is as important as is the doctor's, it's to our mutual benefit that we BOTH be "on time" and "get the job done".  Our GP is in his office at 6 AM (love him)!

I will also say that my business is "by app't.".  I have had a few customers who have historically always "been late".  And it's irritated me!  I no longer have any compunction about telling someone who's late that we'll have to reschedule since there won't be adequate time to do what must be done without inconveniencing the NEXT APP'T..  I am "brutal" about this! I work from my home and failure to be strict about app't. times would mean that my HOME would quickly become a "drive through".  It's my way or NO WAY.

[sofadoc]

From a patient's point of view, what always infuriates me is:

1) You show up at 8:45 for a 9:00 appt. They make you fill a bunch of stupid forms that you've filled out a thousand times before.

2) At around 9:55, they finally call you back to the exam room. The nurse then asks you all the same stupid questions that you answered on the stupid forms.

3) At around 10:30, the Doctor walks into your exam room. At this point, you are about 8 minutes from being back in your car on your way home. 

[Mike]

how about jury duty and getting paid $15

[kodydog]

Will Obama-care make the wait longer or shorter?

[Mojo]

I have a buddy who is a dentist and one of his patients was a lawyer. The lawyer had to wait 45 minutes once and a week later my buddy got a bill in the mail from him for 3/4's of an hour of professional services time.

My buddy sent him back a letter saying " sue me " along with a P.S. that said " find yourself a new dentist Counselor. :)

Chris

[byhammerandhand]

Trump.   The legal system has to be even worse than medical.

Cost $10 to park.  Can't take the bus because if you get done outside rush hour, it's the local and takes 1.5 hours to go the 25 minute ride.

Show up at 8:30am.   At 11:30, they either tell you
1) They don't have anything for you today, go home and have a nice day.
2) They have a case, go to lunch and be back at 1pm.

In which case
1) You sit through voir dire, get rejected and go home and have a nice day.
2) Get selected.   Maybe start the case today, maybe not.

In which case,
sit through boring back and forth between the lawyers and judge

You might make it though the trial and sent to deliberate.
During deliberation or any part of the trial, you might get dismissed because they've reached a plea bargain.  Nevermind, go home and have a nice day.
Or you might end up with a stubborn a$$ in the jury and have to spend way too much time deliberating.  Go home, have a nice day and come back tomorrow


Repeat for 2 or 3 weeks.



=topic=12681.msg102585#msg102585 date=1381537126]
how about jury duty and getting paid $15
[/quote]

[gene]

Dear God,

It the fervent desire of my heart that you grant me your grace by bestowing upon me the cherished gift of patience.

Amen

PS: And hurry up with it, would you!

(Name withheld in case the Almighty reads these posts.)

[Upholstery Clinic]

For me any medical or dental office is the first appointment of the day, usually 20 to 30 minutes before any patients arrive.  I never wait longer then 15 minutes, and if it's going to be longer then that I leave and they can email me pictures or tell me the make and model number of the piece.  Then they can expect a padded estimate.  I may make exceptions for the large Hospital systems that I am on their Vendor's List, but that is because they all spend a solid 5 figure amount year in and year out.  But honestly I don't really run into the problem all that often.

[kodydog]

Dear God,

It the fervent desire of my heart that you grant me your grace by bestowing upon me the cherished gift of patience.

Amen

PS: And hurry up with it, would you!

(Name withheld in case the Almighty reads these posts.)

Um Gene, your name is in the top left hand corner. Everybody knows who you are.

[sofadoc]

...........but that is because they all spend a solid 5 figure amount year in and year out.

Believe me, if I were talking about 5 figure clients, I would have NO problem waiting patiently. They could even give me the anal probe while I wait. :o

[Upholstery Clinic]

Sofa, luckily I have been able to avoid the anal probe, but I just turned 50 so my Doctor told me that colonoscopy is coming soon, but there has been more then a few times I have had to go to one of their offices 50 miles away for a stool or one sitting chair.  But it's the price that has to be paid to keep on their vendor's list.  Have to do a bunch of little ones here and there to get the big ones.  I'll admit for the most part, most the vendor's lists I am on were done by being in the right place at the right time and I bend over backwards to stay on them.