Your Dr had to bump your appointment, last minute, for an emergency patient: You would... ?

[Mika]

Being in health care, I'm interested. :o

Thanks for voting and/or posting your thoughts on this. :hi:

[kestrel91316]

1. The only people I've ever had NOT be sympathetic to this situation

are occasional new clients who appear to be Prima Donnas, and the rare existing client who is pulling Prima Donna crap and is gonna get a divorce letter from me soon enough.

If someone wants to hire me for their exclusive use so that I don't have any of those other annoying clients, my fee is $200k per year, cash, in advance.

[harun]

2. Other: I would think my doctor is lying that they had an emergency patient.

[Bonn1997]

58. Why would you start with that assumption? If I felt that way about my doctor, I'd pick a new doctor.

[rocktivity]

3. My dentist did that to me once.

I was able to wait an hour, so I did. Had I not been able to wait, I would have re-scheduled.

Medical emergencies happen.

:headbang:
rocktivity

[backscatter712]

6. I've seen it happen too.

I went to a dentist appointment, and when I was waiting, some kid came in who smashed his teeth on the concrete, and needed emergency oral surgery now, so he wouldn't lose teeth.

I'm not going to begrudge that.

[Stellabella]

48. That just happened last month!

I had a crown scheduled, and a little girl came in with an emergency. No way I wasn't going to wait.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

4. I work in a clinic

I've seen real emergencies happen, like when a lady was helping a friend clean up a house the friend had just purchased. The lady opened a cabinet and inhaled a substance that burned her lungs and made it so she could barely breathe. She came in right away and we cleared the decks and did emergency treatment on her. I even got to get involved in helping shuttle her from one place to another. The patients who were there took one look at the lady's face and GLADLY gave us the time.

[hayu_lol]

8. Mika, the only correct answer is the one...

that presently has the most votes. Someone else's emergency might someday be mine or a member of my family.

For the common good, we all defer to emergencies.

Sorry you had that cluck who was a no-show for a 4 hour time block.

[Mika]

13. I agree. Did you see the responses on the thread you mentioned?

:wow:

Who knew the level of vitriol for Drs on DU. ;)

Thanks for you sympathies. Everything will work out.

:hi:

---

[jayfish]

5. Other. Your Hypothetical Is A Straw-man And...

your being disingenuous as to your reasons for posing the question. After some of the stinging comments from your previous post on the topic; your coloring your question in some quest for self-affirmation.

Jay

[Mika]

22. And your fee for this psychoanalysis is?

Not worth 2 cents, imo.

Thanks anyway.

Cheers

[jayfish]

24. See Post #13.

Looks like I was right on the money. No charge this time.

Jay

[Billy Burnett]

30. Good grief.

Jeez. Go all out negative on a good man. :puke:

Lets see you do this ...

http://216.44.52.122/SmileTrain_VOD/VOD/haiti.wmv

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hw4FXLeE6Vc

This is what Dr Mika does instead of vacationing.

If a little affirmation is what it takes to keep people like him continuing on doing this, then I'm all in favor of giving this affirmation. Bless them all.

It takes money too.

[jayfish]

37. "All Out Negative" Is A Bit Of An Overstatement.

Affirm away. Just don't disguise it as some effort to gauge public (DU) sentiment on an issue.

Jay

[Billy Burnett]

41. So this DU poll is not a gauge of DU sentiment on this issue?

I saw the other thread but the responses here don't reflect many of the posts there. To me, and thankfully, the results of this poll so far aren't the results I expected considering the other thread.

I'm not an analyst. I just don't see the need for trying to call out/flame this poll, or this poster. That's all.

Regards

[uppityperson]

50. How can an OP be a strawman?

You seem to be carrying over from another topic rather than answering the question.

[harun]

56. It isn't.

[jayfish]

76. Because, based on the content...

of the other thread, the poll hypothetical was constructed to present a sympathetic viewpoint toward one of the subjects of said poll. The question would have been better asked if it had not included details as to the reason for the delay.

Jay

[uppityperson]

79. since this poll did include a reason for the delay, it is therefor not an

offshoot of the other thread, and not a strawman. People can post various polls, phrased various ways. If you'd like to post one without knowing the reason, that would probably get different answers and could be an interesting contrast.

This poll was with knowing the reason.

[MUAD_DIB]

7. I had to wait for my Dr years ago only to find out

that he was trying diagnose a patient that later turned out to have arsenic poisoning.


I'd rather have my DR being thorough than rushed.

[imdjh]

9. I answered "other". It all depends. Staff can make or break the situation too.

I had one doctor in Tampa, a group practice actually, which took as little as 20 minutes in and out to as long as 5 hours. Being a surgical practice next to the hospital, they had a number of emergencies, but they also had a lot of staffing issues. The one thing that annoyed me about that was, that if they were running 1-3 hours behind then they knew earlier in the day that they had problems and they could have called me to see if I wanted to reschedule or wait. Instead, they wanted to get us all in there and hope that they could catch up and crank us out.

So even though there was an emergency, this was still inconsiderate on the doctor/staff part. Of course, prosumers of healthcare know that booking the first appointment of the day minimizes the possibility of extended wait times- but the geezers are hip to this and they take all the 8am appointments. So I took the other route, booking as close to the end of the day as possible. People are people, and whether it's the DMV or the Surgical Clinic they want to go home at closing time.

A huge part of the problem as I see it is that the medical profession is in an evolutionary flux combined with self-serving behavior on the part of the AMA, insurance companies, and junkyard lawyers. There is no reason most people couldn't be well served by seeing a nurse practitioner diagnostic specialist. One of the best practices I have ever used was a well oiled machine when it came to resource management. But for this to work, you have to have sensible patients who understand their needs and the method of meeting them. If you have frightened people who don't trust skilled staff, who demand to see the doctor for every visit, then it doesn't work.

I have been an annoyed patient who was kept waiting an unreasonable amount of time in a small practice due to ineffective management and inadequate staff, and I have been a happy camper in a madhouse practice that was turning out over 20 patients an hour. Some places get it and some don't.

[knitter4democracy]

40. This is all very true. I've found it best to ask.

At my former GI's office, they would only tell you how late he was running and offer to reschedule if you asked for it. So, I made sure to ask. People shouldn't have to know the system in order to get good care. If I'd been the head of that practice, I would've fired all of the front office staff--total incompetents. I don't go there anymore.

[imdjh]

10. dupe

nn

[electron_blue]

11. Reminds me of the day my daughter was born.

I had an appt with my doc to schedule an induction, as she was almost 2 weeks overdue. The night before my appt I went into labor and ended up having a quasi-emergency c-section at the very end, for which my doctor was called in. Coincidentally, the csection started the same time that my original appt had been made to start the induction. When we got home later that weekend, there was a msg on our machine from the doc's nurse saying that my 9am appt had to be cancelled bcs the doctor had an emergency crop up. We just laughed, bcs of course *I* was the emergency that cancelled my other appt.

Anyway..... I generally assume people are telling me the truth until proven otherwise. So no problem with rescheduling.

[blaze]

71. LOL! Great story! nt

[Horse with no Name]

12. I have had this happen several times. Doesn't bother me.

However, there was one who did this routinely, he was a dentist. We made multiple appointments and it seemed that every one of them (about 6-7 in the span of a year) was bumped, last minute (same day). In fact, one was even canceled and they didn't contact us so we drove 45 miles to be told there was no dentist in the office. On most of these occasions, we asked for an appointment later in the day and were told he was out the entire day. That smacked more of "personal" emergencies than professional.
I did find another dentist, because honestly, since these were usually first morning appointments, I seriously wondered if he had a substance abuse problem.
I understand emergencies--whether they are personal or professional, but I don't understand a reckless disregard for wasting the time of anyone (at my rate of pay, I could do some serious billing as well :evilgrin:)--be it a doctor, a dentist, or a patient.
A missed appointment or two (most of my practitioners have a policy of two no-show appointments and you get a registered letter stating they will not see you anymore)...and I think 2 incidences is enough to prove a willful disregard--whether you are the patient or the doctor.

[kjackson227]

14. If you're a lady, then you've probably experienced this more times than not at the...

ob-gyn's office, LOL!

[EFerrari]

23. I was just thinking that. Twice, those emergencies were *me*, lol,

and there's no way either of my kids were going to bother with an appointment. :)

[sutz12]

15. I can't lie...I would be upset...initially...

An emergency is an emergency. I would wait or re-shedule. With a minute or two of contemplation, I usually remember that I'm not the center of the universe.

:)

I'd sure be pissed if I found out his "emergency" was an unplanned tee time. though. But generally I'd give the doc the benefit of the doubt.

[imdjh]

16. So Mika, with no idea what your practice is, I would ask how your staff would handle a problem.

If you have an unexpected long appointment, and you are now an hour behind, is your staff going to call the afternoon patients and tell them the delay in motion and give them the choice to risk it? Or are you going to work through lunch and hope for the best, even if the afternoon patients are going to be kept waiting?

[Mika]

29. Dentistry.

Interestingly, after years of experience, I book more time than is usually needed for any procedure. Shit happens.

I never double book nor overlap appointments.

Of course my staff keeps everyone informed. We work with them as easily as possible. Most of my patients (and there's never a stack of them waiting) like my waiting environment. There's plenty for them to do and my staff are truly enjoyable, very caring, and well informed. They learn a lot from my staff, and bring them gifts, cards, flowers and things. We try to make the entire experience an enjoyable one, despite the fact that some dentistry is uncomfortable. Quite often patients will stick around and chat with my staff long after their appointment is done, or come in early to pick their brains or share some news or information. If I have time and get done early I do the same with them.

I will do what I have to do to keep as many people happy and satisfied as possible, although I really wouldn't want a Dr performing a procedure if they aren't thinking straight because they're going without food.

Gotta run now. My 1pm just showed up (late). lol


:hi:

---

[Vickers]

17. If it was TRULY an emergency...why didn't they go to the emergency room?

:shrug:

[imdjh]

21. it all depends on the kind of emergency

Not every emergency is life or death, and not every patient knows a life or death emergency when he sees it.

The best examples I can think of are dermatology and dentistry. You can wake up with something really gross and painful on your face that happened over night. Yes, the ER would lance it for you but it will cost you a fortune when your dermatologist could do the same thing for the price of an office visit which would be covered by insurance.

You can break a tooth off and need to see the dentist.

I got up one morning and my dog was blind. I considered that an emergency, called the vet and took her right in. As it was, her sight was restored by afternoon with simple treatment. But someone had to wait, including my lawyer with whom I had an appointment that morning.

[Ms. Toad]

68. We have, on occasion, been waiting for an appointment

and been "stood up" by the doctor who was called to the ER (or had some other emergency in a location other than his/her office - at least once during surgery which was scheduled prior to afternoon or late morning office visits). When physicians have offices in or adjacent to the hospital, this is not an uncommon occurrence.

For the record, if it truly an emergency, whether in his office or elsewhere that s/he has to attend to I am always willing to wait or reschedule.

[w8liftinglady]

27. I am a nurse in a hospital-they are already admitted.

I've had cardiac patients who needed immediate evaluation,surgical patients who eviscerated,and medical patients who suddenly became unstable-requiring a doctor's evaluation.

[knitter4democracy]

35. Doctors can admit to the ER from the office, but it takes awhile.

STBX-husband's an internist. He's had people show up at the office for an appointment only for him to realize they're in the midst of a heart attack or something equally serious. He's had to code people in the office while his staff calls for the ambulance, and once, he had to go see a patient out in her car and then keep her stable until the ambulance got there.

All of that throws off a schedule, to say the least.

[Billy Burnett]

38. Looks like some people think that after the emergency the Dr should start writing checks.

I can't think of a better incentive to get Drs to treat people in an emergency than having the Dr pay for it. :crazy:

[knitter4democracy]

39. Yeah, well, I've seen the other side. They haven't.

It's like people judging all teachers based on what they remember about being in school as students themselves. They never knew about the rest of the story at the time or what teachers did outside of school, and they still believe all that crap about how teachers work part-time or whatever. Same here: they can't figure out what's happening on the other side of the door.

[Posteritatis]

55. My doctor's down the street and takes walk-ins

If it's not a really obvious emergency ("I can't find my left arm!") I'll generally go to him first. I'm a bit more inclined to assume emergency than I probably should, so it'd filter out false positives, and if it's something really bad it only takes another 15-20 minutes that I'd spend in the waiting room anyway.

[mainer]

66. E..R. docs aren't surgeons

If a trauma case comes in, they may have to call in a general surgeon, a thoracic surgeon, a neurosurgeon, an eye surgeon, whatever. Those people may happen to be seeing clinic outpatients at the time. They're the ones who'll have to scrub in and do the cutting and patching up -- which means canceling their outpatient appointments.

It's happened to my mom when she goes in to see her ophthalmologist. He was called by the E.R. to come in and attend to an eye emergency (traumatically ruptured eyeball, anyone?) and of course a routine clinic visit isn't as important as saving someone's eye.

[Billy Burnett]

18. Emergency rooms are for emergencies.

:sarcasm:

Bless the kind souls who care for us in our time of greatest needs, quite often at their own sacrifice.

- -

On the other hand, it's the damn charity work my dentist does that really hacks me off. Smile Train and Operation Smile, my ass. You just go to places like Haiti and Nicaragua and Detroit for fancy vacations.
:sarcasm: :sarcasm:


:loveya:

[Hekate]

19. I'd expect the staff to let me know and would ask to be rescheduled if...

... it was going to take too long for me to wait that day. This is professional courtesy.

I appreciate that my doctor gives me enough time to actually talk to him -- and also that his waiting room, while showing signs that he and his partner are busy, does not stack up endlessly. This is professional courtesy, too.

Hekate

[Hepburn]

20. I would like to be told why the doctor is late and be given the choice of...

...waiting or re-scheduling.

JMHO

[w8liftinglady]

25. I've had to call doctors away from the office many,many times

I've always appreciated the ones who didn't try to treat by remote.In the case of surgeons,there often times isn't an option.By the way,I see a cardiologist,neurologist,rheumatologist,and internal med doc..and have had to wait multiple times.I've been on the other side,listening to doctors talk to their patients on the phone,which also takes time,and hearing the doc try to procure samples of a med for a patient,which takes time.I've heard docs calling multiple family members to explain "mommy's" condition,which takes time.

[HughMoran]

26. I was wondering where the "kick his ass" choice was?

Heh, I'm only joking - I just think like a city kid at times. :)

I'm glad the doctor can prioritize.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

28. Other:

I would DEMAND two Vicodin and a couple pulls off the Nitrous tank.

[ItNerd4life]

31. How about some medical marijuana instead to calm the nerves? lol nt

[Hassin Bin Sober]

47. That's for PotHeads!!

:)

[Catherine Vincent]

32. Actually, the patient would do nothing but wait because he/she wouldn't know they were bumped

It happens all the time. If an emergency arose, every patient after the emergency is bumped down 30 minutes or so.

[QueenOfCalifornia]

33. So-

Did you find out why the patient was a no show?

That thread went wild ---

For the record, I would be understanding of an emergency and reschedule. I have a good friend who is a well know OBGYN here - he has had to leave his office full of patients to go and deliver babies numerous times - the little things just do not follow a schedule.

It's waiting for a doctor for 90 minutes due to overbooking that is infuriating to some of us.

[gkhouston]

42. The patient got a bad case of nerves at the last minute. And yes, I'd rather not think about the

amount of time I've spent waiting over the years in the offices of medical professionals who are overbooked. Emergencies, I don't have any problem with. People who overbook don't get my business again.

[Fire1]

75. Yeah I had one of those many years ago. You had to bring

a bagged lunch or dinner. I was SO glad when I found the new one. On time every time.

[Bobbie Jo]

34. It's called LIFE....I would adjust my schedule accordingly and move on.

If it becomes a pattern, I would find another doctor.

[knitter4democracy]

36. I've had it happen to me. No problem. I just waited or rescheduled.

It happens a lot in Ob/Gyn, especially if the doctor's known as a good one. I'd just wait until he got back or rescheduled if I didn't have the time to wait. No biggie.

Maybe it's also because my soon-to-be-ex-husband's an internist, though. After being there from pre-med through his becoming an attending, I've seen the other side.

[carlyhippy]

43. emergencies happen, it's the nature of the beast

patients have emergencies, doctors have personal emergencies, doctors get sick too, there is only one of them and hundreds of patients. Most people would just understand and reschedule, it happens. I have worked in a medical office.

[kickysnana]

44. Nevermind didn't know this was dentistry (LOL) n/t

[kirby]

45. Misleading poll...

We all know that a lot of delays at a doctors office is caused by overbooking, slow staff, other patients that are late, lack of communication, etc. That is what most people complain about.

Typically my Dentist is late because the hygienist overslept or was extra talkative with the person before me. Very rarely has the delay been due to an emergency crown or something like that.

[Mika]

49. Huh?

The poll was about an appointment being bumped for an emergency.

Nothing misleading about it.

Now if you want to do a different poll on how DUers feel about overbooking at Drs offices, go right ahead. Different issue.

Cheers

[kirby]

53. You know what I'm talking about...

On your thread from yesterday, you complained about a dental patient who did not show up, how angry you were that your time/money was being wasted, and asking what people thought about charging the contemptuous no-show. However, the thread quickly turned direction into people griping about their experience at doctors offices and trying to understand why doctors feel that their time is more valuable than their patient's/customers. Your only response to that was pulling out the 'emergency' card, as if every delay is due to an emergency. That is kinda like every speeding police officer is on their way to a 'call'. Anyway, you posted on that thread for people to come over to this thread because you setup a poll? Rather than polling about what everyone was speaking about, you are polling about something different, emergency situations. Total straw man argument in my opinion.

[Mika]

57. "Your only response to that was pulling out the 'emergency' card"

Now now. You are not being honest. I had many responses, the so called "'emergency' card" was just one. Plus, I cross posted this Poll for the disgruntled abused patients on that thread to vote here. So far not that many here as there - so far.

And I invite any and all to see for themselves that your assessment just isn't accurate..

One of my patients did not show up for a 4 hour appointment! Who should pay?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x5811562


I guess that I should refrain from posting polls re: DUers medical experiences, if I have started another previous thread on a medical experience, yes?

[kirby]

62. Ok...

I should have said the majority or 'major thrust' of your responses had to do with the emergency angle. At least that was my perception. Anyone is certainly free to start whatever threads they like, but as a reminder, you posted to that thread "I put up a poll for y'all disgruntled and abused patients here." and when I came over hear, I felt bait and switched. I want my money back! ;)

[Mika]

65. Your refund check is in the mail.

;) ;)

:hi:

[northernlights]

74. the "emergency" responses were in regard to people who wanted to be paid for their waiting time

when the doctor was running behind schedule.

Apparently in Mika's office (and in the veterinary offices for my fur and featherkids) when they run late it's because of an emergency. And most people, as this poll suggests, aren't put out by having to wait for a doctor running late due to emergencies, because most people realize that they could easily be the emergency.

[Bobbie Jo]

52. I would add drug reps to that list....

[w8liftinglady]

46. How would you feel if your doc didn't see you until after the office closes?

As a nurse on a surgical telemetry unit,I am frequently confronted by angry family members who want to know why mommy hasn't been seen by "her" doctor yet.where is the happy medium?See your patients in the hospital,and risk angering your office patients,or see your patients in the office...you get the picture.

[Ex Lurker]

51. I'd be fine with it. They do, howvever, owe me a status report

I've sometimes sat there in the exam room twiddling my thumbs without explanation, leaving me to wonder if it's an emergency or if they're just disorganized.

[LWolf]

54. Other: 3 and/or 7, depending on specifics. nt

[Obamanaut]

59. Had that happen at the dentist office when scheduled for a routine

cleaning.

Several of us were kept waiting because in the excitement of getting EMTs to the office to take care of a patient who had a seizure they forget to tell us there was an emergency in progress. Patient was taken out the side door, and all waiting patients were eventually seen.

Emergencies happen.

[Mika]

60. And afterward the Dr didn't run to the waiting room handing out wads of money?

If the Dr didn't hand out money to the delayed patients - find another Dr.. :sarcasm:

[Javaman]

61. "The delicate genius had to go skiing!!!"

sorry, couldn't resist.

[LynneSin]

63. As someone who had her doctor bump a patient to get me in for an emergency...

I would hope we all have a bit of patience.

And my issue was legit although my doctor was upset I didn't come in a few days earlier for testing. Now I'm on mongo-sized anti-biotics in hopes that I don't end up with a kidney infection.

But I adore my doctors, been going to her for years back when she was with one of those oversized practices that processes patients like animals. She finally branched out on her own and I agreed to drive the extra 5 miles to continue using her.

[stranger81]

64. Happens to me all the time with my ob/gyn.

The triage system is the only fair way for doctors to deal with the situation. Can't plan when a baby arrives, after all, even if it's when my yearly exam is scheduled. How on earth could someone be upset about being bumped by a legitimate healthcare emergency?

[colinmom71]

67. While I agree generally with the leading answer,

I also know that some people have had negative experiences with being denied an appointment or an emergency call. In fact, I was one. Except that I was denied an emergency call...

Went into pre-term labor with my son. I called my OB/GYN's office thinking at first it was just some minor cramping. I was told to just lay down with my feet up and drink some water. Repeated calls describing further problems garnered only the same advice. I finally quit calling and just had my H drive me to the office and I demanded to be seen. The OB in the office (not my regular physician) finally caved and heard me out. Exam revealed a prolapsed amniotic sac and true labor. I was sent to the hospital and my son was born via emergency C-section two hours later.

I found out later that the OB who saw me (not the OB who delivered) in the office had a regular habit of telling the staff to not bother him with outside calls - no matter what - when he was on staff alone or really whenever he felt like it. Seems he had that same nasty habit while previously working for the OB/GYN office my mom works at, which is how I found about it after the fact. He'd been asked to leave the firm by the other docs for that reason...

So yeah, I tend to be somewhat skeptical when appointments are suddenly cancelled or rescheduled with no offered reason. I'm not at all saying they owe me an explanation, but my initial reaction tends to be a skeptical one.

[Lorien]

69. That happened to me yesterday

and I was in a time crunch as it was-but so what? Emergencies happen. I'm glad that she took care of him.

[LooseWilly]

70. Other... I would wake up and realize that I have no Dr to make appointments with.

[aikoaiko]

72. I think it would be swell if doctors knocked down the price of services as compensation for waiting

I also think it would swell for patients who don't show up for appointment to pay anyway.


Of course all of this should be spelled out ahead of time in policy if one were expect it.

[supernova]

73. Context is everything with me

Whether I'm pissed or not depends on

1) If my time is constrained. That's why I usually get dental appts at the end of the day. I can leave work or wherever I am and go to the dentist. From there all I have to do is go home. So, that part of it is less stressful for me. I wouldn't mind being held up in that case. But, if I get a morning or lunchtime appt and have to be somewhere afterwards, and the Dr is behind, that's way more stressful for me.

2) I try to wait rather than reschedule, because I take antibiotics and I don't want to do that too many times in a row.

[rainbow4321]

77. Heh...in my clinic

A pretty good percentage would curse at us staff members, then curse at the doc, then file a complaint with administration, all while continuing to tell the staff to go into the room where the emergency is happening and tell the doc what is wrong with the pissed off patient...and if we say "if it was you having the emergency would you want us to interupt the doctor with questions and have them go see other patients?" the pisssed off pt gives us a look like "yes, of course, now GO get the doctor for me". Welcome to my world (county hospital).

[Mika]

78. How about a..

.. a :kick: for the evening crowd.


:hi:

---

[AngryOldDem]

80. Of course I would have no problem with an appointment being changed...

...due to an emergency. I think the heartburn comes from being made to wait forever for an appointment -- often made weeks in advance -- with no explanation nor apology, or being made to wait when it is obvious that there has been overbooking. My time is just as valuable as the doctor's.