r/mildlyinfuriating • u/transfatpikachu • 1d ago

I just wanted a hot dog Doctor’s appointment scheduled at 9:00am, still waiting almost an hour later

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I have a lot of doctor’s appointments, and I know how busy and hard these people work. I’m not mad at them and I’d never be rude. I know it’s not on purpose. Nevertheless, it’s still a bit infuriating to make time for a scheduled appointment, arrive 15 minutes early (required), and then wait this long with not even an acknowledgment of the delay from anyone. Sigh. 9:55 now, still waiting.

Edit: I really appreciate all the comments! The doctor ended up coming in shortly after 10. This was a specialist ortho appointment for my shoulder. Still no acknowledgement of the delay, which would’ve been nice, but I’m more annoyed that my concerns were pretty much brushed off again during the whole 3ish minutes he spent with me. I know waits can get long, I wouldn’t care as much if the doctor had at least seemed somewhat concerned with my issue. Sigh… gotta love American healthcare!

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u/ExoticElk 1d ago

That's why I miss my old pediatrician's office that had fold-out plastic flags next to the door. When the nurse would lead you back to the room, they'd fold out the flag telling staff you were still in there, making it nearly impossible to be forgetten. I've never seen them at another doctor's office.

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u/caput_draconus 1d ago edited 1d ago

I think these are starting to become more widespread. I have to see many different doctor/specialists at separate locations and in the last 3 years or so, all of them have transitioned to using the little flags or some kind of color coding system whenever a patient is in the room. Maybe it feels anecdotal but their operations seem to run more smoothly since they all started using them.

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u/DisposableSaviour 1d ago

My local minor med has these, and I’ve never been in and out of a clinic as fast as there

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u/r56_mk6 1d ago

Weirdly enough, I’ve only seen them at Vet’s offices lmao

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u/Vakz 1d ago

On the internet, nobody knows you're a dog. Until you give yourself away..

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u/orthopod 1d ago

Those are very, very common

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u/bb85 1d ago

Yeah, I presumed they were the norm! Simple solution.

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u/boafriend 1d ago

Yeah I have gone to places with those flags--PP and urgent cares. They are good visual indicators.

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u/Applewave22 1d ago

The clinic I go to does this; helps a lot with getting seen on time or close to it. Though my PCP is always running late but because she spends A lot of time with patients. I know this because she spends a lot of time with me when I go to her and appreciate the attention.

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u/BurgerThyme 1d ago

That's a damn good idea!

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u/LilQueenC 1d ago

In my 30 years of life I haven’t seen a doctors office that didnt have the flags.

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u/shroomride88 1d ago

At my doctor’s office they leave the clipboard with your paperwork hanging outside the door so the doctor knows which room you’re in, I didn’t realize that wasn’t common

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u/mcsangel2 1d ago

I’ve seen those flags twice, once at a Mayo Clinic and once at a PCP.