Dr. Jeremy A. Ciano
When did waiting times of 30, 45 or even 60 minutes become the accepted norm in medicine? I am amazed and, frankly, agitated when I go into a doctor’s office only to consistently have significant waiting times.
Getting to level 16 on Candy Crush to finally be called back, just to wait in another room, to then start the Facebook newsreel while waiting on the doctor to finally come in, is too long. Waiting, waiting, waiting. Does anyone else think there should be a better way?
Now, to be fair, there are times in medicine when difficult cases come up or day-of call-ins need to be squeezed into a schedule for
emergency reasons. But these are expected parts of the scheduling process. And if you ever are one of the unlucky folks in the forementioned examples, you want your doctor’s office to be both compassionate and accommodating of your need to be seen that day. More important, you would expect your doctor to take the full time needed to address all of your ailments and/or symptoms. No one wants their doctor cutting corners or rushing through an exam simply to keep to a strict schedule.This is why, I believe, proper scheduling is the key to success. My colleagues and I are extremely cognizant of scheduling and, therefore, respectful of your valuable time. Thorough,on-time and personalized exams are the foundation of an exceptional patient experience and office culture.So, the next time you are waiting too long for your practitioner, simply ask yourself, “Why?”
Dr. Jeremy A. Ciano, an international lecturer and published author, is a Current Publishing columnist. For more information or to ask a question, he may be emailed at DrCiano@Revolution-EYES.com.
