"Specialists"

[puppyluv]

So the b/f had a specialist apppointment yesterdya, Has been booked for a long time. I think he had to even call them a nu,ber of times to get them to tell him when it was.
He waited 2 hours yesterday, and he still hadnt gotten in. They werent giving any reasons why the wait, nothing. So he had to leave. He took the afternoon off without pay to go to this stupid appointment. It was schedualed for 2pm.

My point is, why on earth do they over book like that?? Or why can't the secretary have some common courtesy and explain why the wait or how great it will be? Doesnt anyone think about the time they are costing their patients? He owuldnt have been there if there wasnt anything wrong!

[Goin4Coffee]

Grrr..not that I could wait that long, or a fraction of it. but ... I would have said Something, & left long before that,.. Obviously if he had to see a specialist, something is interferring with his daily routine,,so wait forever to get an appointment, wait forever in the waiting room,..Now he will no doubt have a hard time getting another, because of the fact that he Left. Another forever waiting game. That's just rude on the receptionists behalf. Hope he gets back in & explains that his time is just as precious as theirs.

[marriedchickie]

my sister had carpul tunnel (?) syndrome in both hands. She had to leave work (without compensation, because they said it wasn't a repetitivew job HA) and had one hand done. They said it wouldn't be too long until they got her other hand done. That was 19 months ago. She had to move home with our parents, and only got minimal EI. She finally went out and got a new job, she really didn't have a choice, and they FINALLY called her and booked her for (get this) the END of APRIL. They say it's only a quick proceedure, (30 mins tops). So why did they make her wait so long?

[sugadip]

My b/f had a specialist appt in Hampton scheduled by his work. He waited over an hour and a half to see him and when asked when he'd get in he was told the dr. was still on the phone. While he was up at the desk he noticed on the appt book that his company's name was slotted for the whole afternoon for appt's and the office was full, not sure if all the patients there were from the same company or not. He eventually had to leave because he drive had to be back in town so he didn't get to see the specialist. That's just rude to make people who are in pain or discomfort sit and wait forever. I told him to call his work and let them know he didn't get in to see the dr., but most likely the dr. billed them anyway.

[Cartersmom]

yes, the wait for a specialist can be substantial. I have waited over 4 hours before, that was for a surgeon, it's normally about 1/2h to 1.5 hours at the GI..can be really long at the obgyn too.

Nobody likes to wait, but I expect a long wait at the specialist's office. That way, if they're running early (yeah right! ) it will be a bonus.

I've never heard of them keeping people abreast of wait times. So while it was annoying, I wouldnt fault them. Perhaps they could have given bf a timeline if he had've asked directly?

Its a shame he had to leave becasue it can take forever to even get in, I would have done all possible to wait it out. Most employers would be empathetic if they knew you were goig to see the specialist- everyone knows how hard it is to even get in.

[care1978]

i was reffered to an ENT, i was reffered in October, saw her in december, they determined that i needed to have an operation called rhinoplasty, may rolled around i never got a call about when my operation was scheduled for so i called, the recording said the office was closed until June... finalyl i got a call i june and was supposed to get my operation on the 22.... on the 20th the receptionist called and told me that they had to cancel my appointment bc effective immediately that particular doctor's practice was closing!!!!!!!!!!!, so now im waiting again to see how long before i see another specialist. GRRRRR!

[Cherry Pop]

It's called our wonderful health care system and it's all about making the patient wait and suffer. Been there too many times to count! Although my last appointment with my surgeon, I waited 3 hours. She was running behind because due to personal matters but I was in no hurray. It was an appointment to get the staples taken out of my incision, all 29 of them. I told her she could take as long as she wanted, that I would be happy to wait in the waiting room! One word -OUCH!

[LiLLY]

I rember when I had to see my obgyn when i was pregnant for my daughter almost every appt. I had i had tyo wait at least an hour one day in the July it was 2 1/2. A room full of pregnant woman in a tiny swealtering office is no fun!lol,.

[Mwills]

I'm a single mother and my son has various medical conditions and we have at least 2 appointments on average per week. I work fultime and the amount of time I take off to attend these appointments is tremendous. There is nothing more frustrating than arriving on time for an appointment (specialist or not) and having to wait hours. Do Doctor's not realize they in some cases jeoprodize our jobs and our sanity by being so inconsiderate? I doubt they do. I share your frustration. I'm off to yet another appointment.

[tred816]

My mother just spent the past six months off work due to a severe onset of - well, we still don't know. :confused: Her hands, feet and knees swelled up overnight and the pain is unbearable. She also has huge, visible lumps sticking out of her wrists.

It took 5 months on a waiting list just to get in to see a rheumatologist who sent her for blood tests and told her to come back in two months!!!

She still doesn't know what's wrong, but they've thought it was Lupus, Fibromyalgia, Rheumatoid Arthritis and she is still in pain.

The worst is seeing her suffer in pain and not even know why? It's ridiculous because she started going to Dr. Heyho, a naturopathic doctor who she pays for herself and he's been much more helpful than the rheumatologist or her family doctor. Dr. Heyho immediately discovered she was sensitive to wheat. She's been on a Gluten free diet for a couple of months now and is starting to get better. So, we've added Celiac Disease to the top of the list, but man! what's a person to do?

She's already been in for blood tests, but each doctor needs to send her again and again. All she's gotten so far is prednisone and they just gradually took her off it and put her on medication that they use for chemo!!! But, they still haven't told her what's causing it. Wouldn't that be more logical?

[painlessjoe]

Many doctors do not believe in Alternative Medicine. If there were more people seing specialists in Alternative Medicine, there would be a lot less pain and people waiting in hospitals or at doctor's offices.

It is a shame that doctors do not refere people to Alternative Medicine Specialists.

Good Luck

Joe