Hours of My Life

I had to take Jacob to the doctor today for a follow-up appointment to make sure everything had healed nicely from his tonsillectomy, etc. I figured it would take 2 minutes to be seen by the doctor, throw in a half-hour wait we should be back in plenty of time for Maddie to take a nap. Wrong, very wrong. We were there for almost 2 HOURS! And only saw the doctor for 45 seconds! I WAS SO MAD!!!!! It probably wouldn't have been that big of a deal if I hadn't had all three kids that I was trying to keep occupied and out of trouble, and if I wasn't 8 months pregnant, and if there was any apparent reason why it took so long, and if I hadn't spent so many hours of the last few months sitting in doctor's offices doing the exact same thing. Hours that I can never, ever get back. I think today pushed me over the edge. So I have come up with a new Patient's Bill of Rights. I know they give them to you when you go to the hospital, but this one is especially for doctor's offices. For all those future doctors out there listen up, because I have already changed doctors twice since moving here trying to find one that actually cares whether or not their patients are happy being their patients.

Stacey's Patient's Bill of Rights
1. When I call to tell you my kid is sick and needs to be seen today, it is my right to be seen the day that I call, that's what a doctor is for. I will not go to a urgent care clinic to someone I do not know just because it is inconvenient for you to see me. Urgent Care is for weekends and late nights, not the middle of the day when you are in your office. If you can't squeeze in last minute patients that are actually sick, then your workload is too heavy and you need to cut back.
2. It is my right to be seen in a timely manner. If my appointment is at 1:45 p.m. you have a 15 minutes window of time to have me in the exam room, at which time you get another 15-20 minutes maximum to see me. There is no reason, except perhaps Acts of God that would make it necessary for me to wait until 2:30 p.m. to see the doctor when my appointment was at 1:45 p.m. I was on time, I expect you to be too.
3. It is my right when going to a pediatric office that there is something to entertain my children, especially if you are going to keep me waiting for 2 hours! But you won't do that because it will violate Right #2, but still have some crayons, a few books, a movie, something to keep them from breaking your $200,000 equipment that you locked me and three kids up with for 30 minutes.
4. It is my right to receive an apology, a sincere apology, preferably coupled with an actual attempt at making my next visit not so painful. and a refund of my co-pay if any of these above rights are violated. You charge me (or my insurance) an exhoribant amount of money to see me for 45 seconds, if you pay me penny for penny what you get paid for your time, then you owe me a LOT OF MONEY. For instance, if between my insurance and my co-pay I pay $100 for that 45 seconds, you now owe me $15,840 for waiting so long for you to see me, but I'll just take my co-pay back, now isn't that fair?
5. It is my right as your patient to be a little ticked off when I feel like you have neglected me or my children, and to leave your office never to return again, hoping that many will follow in my footsteps and perharps maybe, just maybe, you'll realize that we don't come to you because we have to, there are plenty of other doctors out there.

I feel much better. I think I will hand these over each time I go to a new doctor. They make me sign a bunch of forms, how about one for them to sign? Am I really asking too much? Thanks for letting me vent. Does anyone else have this problem?