I charged my orthodontist for being late!

[vhoffman]

*****************************************************

 

[kennancat]

Good for you! I can't believe they offered to "waive" the fee and not charge you!

 

[ohiominnie]

My ds's ortho ticked me off the other day. We showed up 3 minutes early for our appointment. A little girl got there 5 mintues later---she was 28 minutes LATE for her appointment. They saw her first and bumped my ds.

Grrrr. I'm tempted to write to them and tell them their office practices suck.

I did feel bad for the girl though b/c it more than likely wasn't her fault---it was probably her parent's fault, but the parent didn't come back with her....so the assistant person wasn't so friendly with the girl. Kept telling her "you know you're late, right?" and "if you had gotten here on time...." and "next time don't be late."

 

[ohiominnie]

I insisted on speaking with the office manager and got them to take $25 off today's charge to compensate me for their mistake.

They charge you per visit? Ours, and most I know of, have a flat up front fee and you don't get charged each time.

And another question....did they make you wait until they officialy "opened" at 9am or did someone come out of the meeting to help you and get you on your way?

 

[AnnetteF]

Good for you! Last week my DH had a dentist appointment at 4:00 P.M. As it turns out, there was a traffic accident in the same area so bad that it made the news and traffic everywhere was backed up for miles in all directions - and backroads too. So he was 25 minutes late. When he got there, they told him they would have to reschedule him. I understand it's the end of the day and everyone wants to go home, but all I could think of was how many times we waited 20 minutes or more in the same office. And where did they think they would be able to go with all of that traffic? And this cost DH money because he has been doing contract work for his old company after his regular job and didn't go that night because of the appointment - plus now he will miss another night when he has to go for the rescheduled appointment. Just infuriating!

 

[snowy76]

High five for you, vhoffman! That would make my week.

Our DS's ped just irked me when his office called to reschedule DS's 12 month. The appointment was scheduled for the day after his 1st birthday and they pushed it back by two weeks. I'm not thrilled because DS continues to have weight issues and I want to make sure he's doing all right. The ped's office wouldn't let me have an appointment even a day or two before his birthday because they said he has to be at least a year old. Keep in mind that DS was born 10 weeks premature, so basically all their milestones and measurements won't mean squat until his "adjusted" birthday in May anyway! At least they called me ahead of time, but you can't tell me the ped didn't know he was taking a vacation in March when I made the appointment in the last week of January.

 

[I'mNoPrince]

I hear you . And Good for you.

Another one that gets me is Car repair shops ( I have my Jeep in for body repair.)

They tell you 5 days and if they end up delayed and keep it for 2 or more they just shrug it off and smile. Then they have a hugh sign stating that after 24hr of 1st notice you will be charged $79 every 24hrs for car that is not picked up.

So they can all put demands on you but you just have to wait for them. I don't think so. bestBuy is just as bad they have 2 weeks before I get down and dirty with them because of their screwup.

 

[luvsmickeymouse]

Good for you!

 

[ilovepooh]

Good for you! If everyone did this, maybe those doctors who have no regard for the patients waiting in the waiting room would respect their patients' time. I understand the occasional emergency, but in some offices no matter what time your appointment is, the wait is at least an hour or longer.

 

[ohiominnie]

It's not just emergencies that back up offices. Dh is a pediatrician and oftentimes parents come in with one kid and while they are there they ask if the other child can be seen for some other reason. Then the kids have to have their chart pulled, weighed, temp taken, etc etc and it puts the docs behind.

 

[vhoffman]

It's not just emergencies that back up offices. Dh is a pediatrician and oftentimes parents come in with one kid and while they are there they ask if the other child can be seen for some other reason. Then the kids have to have their chart pulled, weighed, temp taken, etc etc and it puts the docs behind.

Well, your dh should just tell patients that he can't see siblings in the same visit if not scheduled. Or he could say he could get to them, if they care to wait until the end of the day if he could fit them in, for an extended hours fee, etc. I'll bet that would stop the practice of two-for-the-price-of-one!

 

[vhoffman]

They charge you per visit? Ours, and most I know of, have a flat up front fee and you don't get charged each time.

And another question....did they make you wait until they officialy "opened" at 9am or did someone come out of the meeting to help you and get you on your way?

**************

 

[ohiominnie]

Well, your dh should just tell patients that he can't see siblings in the same visit if not scheduled. Or he could say he could get to them, if they care to wait until the end of the day if he could fit them in, for an extended hours fee, etc. I'll bet that would stop the practice of two-for-the-price-of-one!

Wel, it's definitely NOT two for the price of one. Each child will be charged the co-pay. It just puts dh in a bad position....especially if the sibling looks pretty sick. It's called "liability." Dh eyeballs a sick kid that mom wants seen, and tells her "wait till the end of the day" and kid gets even sicker and something bad happens....who do you think will have their name on the lawsuit???

He had one the other day. Mom brought in a child because her "pee smelled funny." Did the urine test on the child in question, nothing seemed out of sorts, but dh asks mom "is that child feeling ok?" Mom had a younger kid on her lap who was lethargic and drooling. Mom says "oh, she climbed on a chair last night and got into some of boyfriend's medication, and she's been like this ever since." Mom did NOT come in for that child. She came in for "pee smelled funny" kid.

Start flurry of activity here with rapid assessment of lethargic drooling child, arrange transport to ER, speak with ER physician on phone as child transported there.

Kinda put the schedule behind a bit.

 

[vhoffman]

Wel, it's definitely NOT two for the price of one. Each child will be charged the co-pay. It just puts dh in a bad position....especially if the sibling looks pretty sick. It's called "liability." Dh eyeballs a sick kid that mom wants seen, and tells her "wait till the end of the day" and kid gets even sicker and something bad happens....who do you think will have their name on the lawsuit???

He had one the other day. Mom brought in a child because her "pee smelled funny." Did the urine test on the child in question, nothing seemed out of sorts, but dh asks mom "is that child feeling ok?" Mom had a younger kid on her lap who was lethargic and drooling. Mom says "oh, she climbed on a chair last night and got into some of boyfriend's medication, and she's been like this ever since." Mom did NOT come in for that child. She came in for "pee smelled funny" kid.

Start flurry of activity here with rapid assessment of lethargic drooling child, arrange transport to ER, speak with ER physician on phone as child transported there.

Kinda put the schedule behind a bit.

****

 

[sharlon]

To OP, good for you! I know that there are some great docs out there who have high regard for their patients and their schedules. Unfortunately, there are the bad ones too. I am in the process of looking for a new Ped, as ours is moving 2.5 hours away to work at a hospital, and I am not happy with the others docs in his practice or the direction the practice is taking. A lot of patients are jumping ship now that he is leaving. Anyway, in asking around, a friend told me just yesterday about an encounter she had with a doctor. She took her son in for a sick visit, and for an hour was told that Dr. C was in an emergency. She finally told them that they either see her son now or she was leaving and taking all 3 kids out of the practice. They said Dr. C was still in the emergency, but Dr. X could see them immediately. After leaving there, she stopped at the bagel shop down the street, and guess who was in line ahead of her? Yep, Dr. C. Some emergency, huh!

 

[hello kitty]

Hahaha!

I've always thought about doing that but have never gotten up the nerve! Good for you!

I wish I had another ortho to take my daughter to. Ours is the only one within an hour of here. The only time we've been seen on time was for the free consultation. Every time since then has been well over an hours wait. Ugh.

Don't even get me started about our pediatrician.

 

[ohiominnie]

They said Dr. C was still in the emergency, but Dr. X could see them immediately. After leaving there, she stopped at the bagel shop down the street, and guess who was in line ahead of her? Yep, Dr. C. Some emergency, huh!

Playing devil's advocate here (which is always fun on the DIS b/c ya never know which direction it will take)
But consider that Dr. C WAS actually in an emergency. Now he has to head back to the office but he needs a bite to eat to make it through his afternoon.

Although, I'll admit, if I was your friend, I'd have probably been livid too, but there may have been a perfect explanation for it.

After all, if the bagel shop WAS his "emergency" wouldn't he have been in the line over an hour before that?

(dh keeps slimfasts in his desk for these types of situations. while he'd love to sit down and have the hour lunch he's supposed to have, sometimes that's just not possible. heck, this time of year when every other kid has strep, the flu, or strep AND flu, it's not even likely!)

 

[belle&beast]

I am lucky at the dentist and orthodontist, I rarely have to wait. And if I do, it's at the orthodontist, but I have never waited more than 10 minutes.

I did leave a pediatrician due to the waiting and rude staff. Our new pediatrician is usually pretty punctual, but when they are late they are apologetic and keep us informed. At the old office we would be sitting in the exam room wondering if we were forgotten! I guess I am not easily upset by waiting if we are treated with respect and I would not want to be rushed if my child were the one with the emergency.

 

[jennilouwho]

I think first appt of the day with an orthodontist and going to a pediatrician are two different things. I think the OP was right to demand respect for her time as well. My DH, DS, and I all go to the same family practitioner. She doesn't over book and we've never had to wait more than 20 minutes for an appt. However, we do understand that if she has a baby to deliver or other emergency come up that we will be waiting and we feel she's worth that risk. I feel that situation is different than what the OP was describing.

 

[ducklite]

Another one that gets me is Car repair shops ( I have my Jeep in for body repair.)

They tell you 5 days and if they end up delayed and keep it for 2 or more they just shrug it off and smile.

I have to take this moment to apologize to all the people who had to wait an extra hour at a certain car dealership a few weeks ago when I stopped by without an appointment inquiring about the possibility of an oil change and was moved to the front of the line. I repeatedly told them I'd make an appointment and come back. Apparantly there is only one mechanic currently trained to work on my car and they wanted to use the opportunity to train a second mechanic while both were there that day.



That said, I've left several doctors because of the regular ridiculously long waits, or the rudeness of the staff. I had a GREAT OB/GYN once, but her staff was sooo rude, and they would keep me waiting for two or more hours for my appointment. If the doctor is late/busy/backed up/delivering a baby/whatever, call me or say so when I check in, and I'll reschedule--what's so difficult about that concept? (BTW--I wasn't pregnant, so it was just routine care)

Anne