topic Re: Wait time at the chiropractor...... in Among Friends

Wait time at the chiropractor......

Mom2Dogs — Mon, 25 Jul 2016 23:23:14 GMT

I waited 30 minutes for an x-ray at the doctor (chiropractor) today.....the doctor takes walk ins as well as appointments and I have had them explain to me several times how it works but to me it makes no sense.

If I have an appointment and 6 people just 'walk in' before my appointment they go before me....does that make sense? I will try to understand both sides of the argument.

Like I said I waited 30 minutes....the doctor came out, called me back, gave me a gown...I expressed my feelings about the wait, he apologized and tried to explain it to me again. Then his assistant came in (she also works the front desk) took the x-ray, which took 5 minutes and I left...fuming!

Now why would they make patients wait for the doctor when the assistant takes the xray?

Re: Wait time at the chiropractor......

Moonchilde — Mon, 25 Jul 2016 23:32:23 GMT

Both low end hair salons like Supercuts, and nail spas do exactly this - you can make an appointment, but it doesn't mean much - they actually take whoever is there before you physically.

It sounds like your chiropractor's practice isn't doing well financially and he doesn't want to take a chance on missing a single buck. For a medical professional, I find that tacky.

Unless his charges are very cheap or you feel he works wonders for you no one else can, I'd find another chiropractor who honors his appointments if I were you.

Re: Wait time at the chiropractor......

GCR18 — Mon, 25 Jul 2016 23:38:34 GMT

They probably shouldn't take apps if they don't honor them. My chiropractor will take people early. If I had a 1pm appt and the 115pm got there at 1255pm and I wasn't there, they would go first. It annoys me a little. They know me and know I've never been late.

Re: Wait time at the chiropractor......

Mom2Dogs — Mon, 25 Jul 2016 23:40:08 GMT

The place is pretty busy so I don't think he is hurting but I have already decided to check out the other chiropractor in my town...we have several and I know one other takes walks in too, not sure about the one I am calling in the morning....

The way he explained it to me is the walk in's don't always know what time they are getting off work so it works for them...I gave him a confused look and said I take the time to make an appointment and most people do know what time they get off work. A lot of the people I see in the office work in factories and I know they have a set beginning and end to their work day!

I don't have to visit the chiropractor often and this latest issue has lasted 2 months...longer than most episodes. I cannot believe other patients don't find this really irritating!

Re: Wait time at the chiropractor......

millieshops — Tue, 26 Jul 2016 00:07:15 GMT

30 minutes is a long wait - seems as if only an emergency should be the reason for that to happen most of the time.

I can see why they take someone in for treatment if they walk in and there's an empty treatment bed. That's highly unlikely to cause a 30 minute wait - at least not the way my doctor works. No explanation for their taking evey walk-in ahead of their appointments would please me. I'd be checking other offices. Not threatening, not running elsewhere, but looking!

Re: Wait time at the chiropractor......

Mom2Dogs — Tue, 26 Jul 2016 00:16:59 GMT

@millieshops wrote:
30 minutes is a long wait - seems as if only an emergency should be the reason for that to happen most of the time.

I can see why they take someone in for treatment if they walk in and there's an empty treatment bed. That's highly unlikely to cause a 30 minute wait - at least not the way my doctor works. No explanation for their taking evey walk-in ahead of their appointments would please me. I'd be checking other offices. Not threatening, not running elsewhere, but looking!

@millieshops...the funny thing is there is one doctor...he uses the same room over and over....it's a revolving door...what irked me the most is the assistant could have taken me in as soon as I arrived but no...they let me sit for a full 30 minutes....why a patient must wait for the doctor before getting an x ray I don't understand...especially when all he did was say hello and hand me a gown!!!

Re: Wait time at the chiropractor......

Kachina624 — Tue, 26 Jul 2016 00:44:02 GMT

@millieshops wrote:
30 minutes is a long wait - seems as if only an emergency should be the reason for that to happen most of the time.

I can see why they take someone in for treatment if they walk in and there's an empty treatment bed. That's highly unlikely to cause a 30 minute wait - at least not the way my doctor works. No explanation for their taking evey walk-in ahead of their appointments would please me. I'd be checking other offices. Not threatening, not running elsewhere, but looking!

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush philosophy?

Re: Wait time at the chiropractor......

Moonchilde — Tue, 26 Jul 2016 01:00:33 GMT

@Mom2Dogs wrote:
@millieshops wrote:
30 minutes is a long wait - seems as if only an emergency should be the reason for that to happen most of the time.

I can see why they take someone in for treatment if they walk in and there's an empty treatment bed. That's highly unlikely to cause a 30 minute wait - at least not the way my doctor works. No explanation for their taking evey walk-in ahead of their appointments would please me. I'd be checking other offices. Not threatening, not running elsewhere, but looking!

@millieshops...the funny thing is there is one doctor...he uses the same room over and over....it's a revolving door...what irked me the most is the assistant could have taken me in as soon as I arrived but no...they let me sit for a full 30 minutes....why a patient must wait for the doctor before getting an x ray I don't understand...especially when all he did was say hello and hand me a gown!!!

Because the assistant can't just do it without the doctor's say-so. He must have felt it was necessary to see you in person/answer a question or two before he ordered the x-ray. Or was an X-ray agreed upon between you and the doctor before you ever arrived?

The latter would be UNusual, the former would be the usual procedure.

Re: Wait time at the chiropractor......

Jasmine19 — Tue, 26 Jul 2016 01:07:29 GMT

One thing I've learned after many years in health care.......never make an appointment for Monday morning. Most doctor's are inundated with patients who became sick or injured over the weekend. I don't even try to call for an appointment or results or anything else on Monday.

Re: Wait time at the chiropractor......

Mom2Dogs — Tue, 26 Jul 2016 01:22:18 GMT

@Moonchilde wrote:
@Mom2Dogs wrote:
@millieshops wrote:
30 minutes is a long wait - seems as if only an emergency should be the reason for that to happen most of the time.

I can see why they take someone in for treatment if they walk in and there's an empty treatment bed. That's highly unlikely to cause a 30 minute wait - at least not the way my doctor works. No explanation for their taking evey walk-in ahead of their appointments would please me. I'd be checking other offices. Not threatening, not running elsewhere, but looking!

@millieshops...the funny thing is there is one doctor...he uses the same room over and over....it's a revolving door...what irked me the most is the assistant could have taken me in as soon as I arrived but no...they let me sit for a full 30 minutes....why a patient must wait for the doctor before getting an x ray I don't understand...especially when all he did was say hello and hand me a gown!!!

Because the assistant can't just do it without the doctor's say-so. He must have felt it was necessary to see you in person/answer a question or two before he ordered the x-ray. Or was an X-ray agreed upon between you and the doctor before you ever arrived?

The latter would be UNusual, the former would be the usual procedure.

The x-ray was agreed upon last week. I called this morning for the appointment and I stated that again when I made the appointment.

The doctor did not even need to see me today......I will see him for the results end of this week.

Re: Wait time at the chiropractor......

granddi — Tue, 26 Jul 2016 01:37:03 GMT

@Jasmine19 wrote:
One thing I've learned after many years in health care.......never make an appointment for Monday morning. Most doctor's are inundated with patients who became sick or injured over the weekend. I don't even try to call for an appointment or results or anything else on Monday.

.......And always ask for the first appt AM or PM. remember there are probably several 1 pm appts. So be there early to be the first 1 pm appt. For example the Derm may have 6- 9am appts or 6 1pm appts.

Re: Wait time at the chiropractor......

hckynut — Tue, 26 Jul 2016 01:51:07 GMT

@Mom2Dogs

I can only say that you are getting "the runaround". I know what I would do, but I don't mince words or my feelings. Why you ask? Because he obviously has enough patients that put up with it.

hckynut(john)

Re: Wait time at the chiropractor......

GrailSeeker — Tue, 26 Jul 2016 01:53:09 GMT

I work in healthcare, too. A big problem we have is people not showing up for their appointments, or showing up so late that they are in the next person's slot.

This is often what happens when the office is "backed up".

People come waltzing in half an hour or 45 minutes late, like its no big deal, and expect to be seen.

Very rarely do we make them re-appoint, because we really do need the business, and can't afford to make a patient angry. But we find the more we allow it, the more they do it. People honestly think its no big deal to show up late?

We also get many "no shows", so we never know if the person in the next slot is even going to show up.

Re: Wait time at the chiropractor......

Abrowneyegirl — Tue, 26 Jul 2016 02:02:45 GMT

The marketing concept is

If someone 'makes an appointment' they are banked $

People who walk-in are POTENTIAL $$, the retailer/provider has to capture them quickly before they lose the potential to 'convert' them a $$ client.

So the answer is "yes" walk-ins will be put before you.

The only recourse you have is to find a practice that values you and your time.

Re: Wait time at the chiropractor......

Sooner — Tue, 26 Jul 2016 02:04:37 GMT

I don't think 30 minutes is a huge wait in today's world. . . I don't think you can expect a lot better than that at many doctors. I don't think it will get better either.

Re: Wait time at the chiropractor......

VanSleepy — Tue, 26 Jul 2016 02:32:29 GMT

I don't think 30 minutes is all that long to wait in a waiting room. I feel it's my lucky day if I get called in within 15 minutes of the appointment time.

The reason the doctor said hello and handed you a gown is probably so he can charge you for an office visit on top of the xray.

Re: Wait time at the chiropractor......

Q4u — Tue, 26 Jul 2016 02:47:40 GMT

When the doctor thought I had Lymphoma, he had me go have several tests Stat. I had X-Rays, a Cat Scan and I can't remember what else but he (or his nurse) called the office where I was to go and I walked in, told them my name and walked in for the procedure ahead of all the patients waiting in the waiting room. All this so that my doctor could have the results as soon as possible. I wasn't really an emergency but in a way I was in that the doctor needed a diagnosis ASAP in order to start treatment ASAP.

I don't understand why a Chiropractor would take walk ins before appointments but maybe it's something along the same line?

Re: Wait time at the chiropractor......

missy1 — Tue, 26 Jul 2016 02:51:51 GMT

My dr. office has a urgent care and appointments at the same time.

Re: Wait time at the chiropractor......

qualitygal — Tue, 26 Jul 2016 07:39:41 GMT

quite possibly, you weren't in pain, but maybe those coming in the door were. ??

Re: Wait time at the chiropractor......

qualitygal — Tue, 26 Jul 2016 07:45:56 GMT

@GrailSeeker,

I'm so sorry you have to go through this. How thoughless!!!

I couldn't operate that way!!