I hate the wait at doctor's offices but not as bad as the other girl!

[jcsbama]

Yesterday, I had my yearly exam at the female doctor. My appt. was at 2:50. I got called back about 4:50, finally got to leave at 5:30.

Around 3:45 a very pretty pregnant girl walks in. She was the kind of pretty that could just pissed you off. Still thin, just with a little pregnant belly. Hair and makeup perfect. Like I said, just the type to piss you off, especially if you looked nothing like that during your own pregnancy. She looked to be about 7 months. Right after she signed in, another lady and a little girl about 4 or 5 comes in and sits next to the prego girl. I suspect the lady is her mother. I went back to wrapping up the final details to my disney vacation next week and didn't pay attention, but apparently, the girl was in labor. After sitting in the lobby for 30 minutes, the prego's mom went to the window and proceeded to tell the nurses or aids or whatever they're called that she had been sitting out there for 30 minutes and her contractions were 3 minutes apart. She had originally called expecting to go to labor and delivery, but they told her to come upstairs to the doctor's office and they would see her right away. She told them they needed somebody immediately. Needless to say, she was called back immediately, but I never found out if she had the baby. She did not look that far along and I about choked when I heard her contractions were 3 minutes apart. I didn't pay attention to the conversation, but she had been on the cellphone with her husband a couple of times. I have to commend that girl because she was doing great to have been in labor.

 

[Beth76]

Wow a two hour wait at in the waiting room? I would have left. As far as the pregnant girl, my contractions were quite manageable for about 10 hours. I could have easily sat through them and talked on the phone. But, no way would I have been sitting there in the waiting room. I can't believe they made her wait rather than go to labor and delivery.

 

[MickeyMouth]

Omg!! Is that the usual wait time at this office? If so, I would find a new Dr.! or I would mention it to the Doc at your next appt. Some docs don't realize that their patients are waiting so long. There is a scheduling problem at this office!

 

[LMC]

The OP had to wait so long 'cause they were off delivery the other ladies baby!

 

[jcsbama]

I've only waited like this once or twice. They are usually very good. My doctor apologized profusely and said that one of his partners was out yesterday so he was doubled up. There are about 5 or 6 doctors in the group. My doctor is the head guy so he is usually the one picking up the slack.

 

[debden]

Never,never,never would I sit in a Doctors office for TWO hours! Are you kidding? If you have the courtesy to be there on time they should take you in within a reasonable period of time or as least let you know it will be quite a while before they can get to you so then you can decide if you want to wait that long!!! I would have left after 30 minutes and told them to reschedule me when they have time to see me at my appointed time.
Just the thought of that burns my hump!
Debbie

 

[mchames]

Here is a short version of the story:

My water broke in the elevator of the OB's office. I walked in and went straight to the back, much to my husband's dismay. He asked "aren't you going to sign in?" and I responded "NO". The nurse started to request I give a sample and I calmly told her that my water just broke and she helped me to a room. While she went to get a doctor, my husband started to help me undress, while doing so he noticed the baby CROWNING! He SHOUTED "I'm not qualified to be at this end of the table!" and my doctor came running. It was seven minutes from the time my water broke until Kelsey was born! My doctor's office is across the street from the hospital and is connected by a tunnel. My DD and I were taken through the tunnel in a wheel chair to the hospital. Boy were the other women in the waiting room IN SHOCK when they wheeled me out!

A funny side story: The mom of my DD's best friend was sitting in the waiting room that day (we didn't know each other at the time). She tells the story from a "spectator's point of view" and it's pretty funny.

Mary

 

[OhMari]

I got smart after my first baby. I used to have appointments at 3:00 p.m. after work. I would never get in until 5:00-5:30. He worked with 3 other OB-GYN's, so these guys were really busy.

With my next 3, I made the earliest appointment you could and I still waited 20-30 minutes. Now this same clinic has over 7 Dr's. I'm so glad I am done with them, I go to an excellent Nurse Practioner and if I have a problem, then I go to them.

Sidenote: I have 2 nieces that are due in August. One weighed 96 lbs when she got pregnant, they other 106. They are both really tiny, but they are both doing great pregnancy wise.

 

[Poohbear123]

Office for 3.5 hours, that included seeing the Dr. I started going to him late in the afternoon, and it was only an hour than. When I was preggars many moons ago, I weighed about 125 and lost 20 pounds after giving birth, I was hated in the Lamaze classes.

 

[Micca]

I think two hours is too long. I think it's safe to say that if you're at the doctor's office, it's not one of your best days. To make you wait for two hours is prolonging the misery. I hope you find a new doc that treats you with more respect.

 

[ceiligh1]

The majority of the appointments that I had when I was pregnant ran behind. Many times I would get to the office and my Dr would be out delivering a baby so they would be behind. The other Doctors had their own patient so it the staff always offered to let me wait in the lobby, they could call me when she was back or they would let me reschedule. I guess I never thought about the incontinence on my part, I figured that when I went into labor I would want my Dr to be there. That it might mean that someone else would have to wait. I was right. My dr came in the day I was in labor. She was with me and not with the person she was scheduled to be in surgery with. Her other patient had to wait for 45 min for my son to be born. I was very glad she was with me. I hope her other patient didn’t mind because I really liked my Dr and didn’t want someone I didn’t know to be with us at that time.

 

[Pigeon]

I would never have waited that long for an appointment either.

My BIL is a GP. He once delivered a baby in the hospital elevator. He just happened to be the person who stepped on unknowingly with a woman who was just about to drop the baby. The woman was very apologetic, and he told her not to worry and that a few years earlier, he'd delivered a baby on the hospital front lawn. The woman burst into laughter and said, "That was me! I thought you looked familiar."

 

[MrsKreamer]

I usually expect a wait in an OBGYN's office. You can't schedule when babies want to arrive. I agree with the above poster who said that I would rather wait or reschedule to make sure the doctor is with the patient giving birth, b/c I would like the same when it is my turn. My OB was late for my C-section b/c another girl in labor had to have an emergancy c-section. The nurse came in and started apologizing. I told her that since I wasn't in labor I really didn't care, that other girl's life or her child's life was at risk...I could wait a little longer.

 

[tarmand]

The majority of the appointments that I had when I was pregnant ran behind. Many times I would get to the office and my Dr would be out delivering a baby so they would be behind. The other Doctors had their own patient so it the staff always offered to let me wait in the lobby, they could call me when she was back or they would let me reschedule. I guess I never thought about the incontinence on my part, I figured that when I went into labor I would want my Dr to be there. That it might mean that someone else would have to wait. I was right. My dr came in the day I was in labor. She was with me and not with the person she was scheduled to be in surgery with. Her other patient had to wait for 45 min for my son to be born. I was very glad she was with me. I hope her other patient didn’t mind because I really liked my Dr and didn’t want someone I didn’t know to be with us at that time.

Same here. I have the greatest OB/GYN in the world and I always have to wait at least an hour. But, the reason that I have to wait is because she is the greatest. I know that when I get back there, I will get her undivided attention for how ever long I need it. She will never rush me and for that, I can live with the wait. I am currently 27 weeks pregnant and I make sure that I take the entire afternoon off for my appointments. My doctor runs late because she takes time with her patients and I'm okay with that. Surely she could schedule fewer appointments, but then on days when things go well she would be sitting idle. She is not in a group with other OB/GYNs. Her other patients obviously don't mind either since she no longer has availability for new patients. I feel lucky that I have her to deliver my child.

 

[Pigeon]

My doctor runs late because she takes time with her patients and I'm okay with that. Surely she could schedule fewer appointments, but then on days when things go well she would be sitting idle.

My time is every bit as important as the doctor's time. I don't care how good they are. Doctors have tons of paperwork to do. With a little judicious scheduling, I hardly think they'd be twiddling their thumbs.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

That is too long for an appointment. Unless the baby was coming right then and there--she should have told them she was in labor and skedaddled to the hospital and the on call doc that day would have seen her and she could be attended to.

JMHO--but good grief. That is insane.

Overscheduling and a great bedside manner is no excuse for a recurrence of delayed appts. That is simply a scheduling issue. See less patients--expand the hours....but don't make them sit in the office for TWO HOURS!