Saturday, May 06, 2006

Appointments

What's the point of appointments if they're not to be respected?

I had a doctor's appointment last Thursday at around lunchtime. I was there exactly 2 minutes before my appointment. I filled out the form and sat down. And I waited. And waited. And waited.

At one point I realised that the doctor wasn't even in her office! So I asked one of the nurses who tells me "yes madam, she is in the elvator now". That was around 40 minutes after my appointment time!

Why did the clinic give me an appointment if the doctor was not even going to be in her office at the time? I'm sorry, but my time is precious (especially when I take time off work to go to this appointment) and I made it a point to show up on time, so why can't the doctor also make an effort?

This phenomenon is obviously not UAE-specific. In Montreal, I used to get my nails done at a small salon down the street from where I lived. I'd always call ahead and make an appointment, and one out of two times, I'd have to wait anywhere between 15 and 30 minutes before finally getting my manicure!

Waiting at an appointment is definitely one of my pet peeves!

5 comments:

grapeshisha said...

I know exactly what you mean. Once, while waiting for hour to see the doc, we come up with the conclusion that the reception staff have been told to fill on all available appointments, because once they are filled, that is revenue for the doctor and practice/hospital. No-one really cares that you have to wait - all they care about is maximising revenue and sometimes that may even be for a cruddy doctor!

What really bugs me is people who are obviously behind you in the appointment list, try and gazump your place, by trying to qualify the importance of why they have to be seen first. The REALLY pisses me off!

Seabee said...

Gets me mad too. I can understand if the doc is running late because s/he has spent extra time with an earlier patient who needed the attention, but when they're late simply because they're late it's unacceptable. If you arrived 40 minutes late would they see you?!

nzm said...

My doctor in NZ was notorious for running late with his patients. I always used to phone ahead and check to see if he was on time.

So far I haven't experienced this problem in Dubai. The longest I've waited for my dentist is about 10mins.

However, I haven't had to go to a doctor yet!

Mar said...

Funny! I saw 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' episode tonight and in a couple of scenes, Larry David has a Dr's appt.He goes in on time but forgets to sign the sign in sheet and argues with this chic who got there before him and signs in even though her appt was after his and was allowed to go see the Dr before Larry did.

He goes for another appt and races the same girl to the sign in sheet to find out that the policy has changed from a first come first served basis to appt basis.Of course, she has an earlier appt and goes in before him.

I know it's not the same situation DS, but I hate sign sheets.I never remember to sign in.It's a lose lose situation.

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