When does a patient's time and comfort become a priority?…read more
My elderly mother is frail, and simply getting her to a doctor's appointment is difficult enough. Sitting for extended periods causes her significant pain, which is especially frustrating when the entire reason for the appointment is to receive an injection to help relieve that pain.
At her previous appointment, the office was running over an hour behind schedule. No communication, no explanation, and no indication of how much longer we would be waiting.
Today, we arrived for another shoulder injection appointment, and I will give credit where it's due. This time, we were informed that they were running approximately an hour behind. I genuinely appreciate the communication, but that doesn't change the fact that my mother must once again endure an extended wait while already in pain.
I understand that medical appointments don't always go as planned. Some patients require more time than anticipated. But when an office is consistently running this far behind, perhaps it's time to reconsider how many patients are scheduled. I realize seeing fewer patients may affect revenue, but shouldn't patient care, comfort, and dignity come before the number of appointments booked?
For elderly patients, getting dressed, leaving home, traveling to an appointment, and sitting in a waiting room can be physically exhausting. These aren't minor inconveniences. They can significantly affect someone's well-being.
I don't expect this review to change how the office operates, but I do hope it helps other families know what to expect.
My advice? Make absolutely certain your loved one arrives on time, because apparently their appointment time is important to the office, but respecting their time isn't nearly as important.
Our elderly patients deserve better. Their time matters. Their comfort matters. And most importantly, they matter.
