would you switch peds for this?

ATSBRIDE

I am so annoyed with the wait at our Peds. Today was 45 minutes..then another 5-10 once we got in the room. On average I wait 20 minutes. There was nobody in the waiting room when I got there today. So its not like they were busy. By the time I got called into the exam room it was packed. I can only imagine what the rest of the day was going to be like there.

melbride2005

Did they give you an explanation?  I would have asked after waiting all that time and being the only ones there.

and no, I probably wouldn't switch if it only happened once, assuming i liked everything else about them.

 

MrsDB

not because of one visit, no.  were you a sick visit? i know at our peds, well visits scheduled in advance get first priority. they'll give you an appt time, but you're kinda last on the list if they're running late.   Did you ask them why you were waiting 45 minutes in an empty waiting room? do they have a ton of rooms that were maybe filled up? or the doc was out for lunch and not even there maybe?

ATSBRIDE

Not a sick visit..no explanation. There were people in the exam rooms when I got there..There were 3 doctors on staff. When I got there the waiting rooms (sick, regular & teen) were empty.

The average wait has been 20 minutes - 1/2 hour. So while today was 45 minutes there is usually a 20-30 min wait 

TSD

Wait time would definitely be a factor. It would depend on if this is the norm and other stuff.

Pixiestx

Not for just one time. Who knows what the doctor was dealing with. 

oct11bride03

TSD:

Wait time would definitely be a factor. It would depend on if this is the norm and other stuff.

This. I understand that things come up, emergencies can add to the wait time, etc. but if no one gives you an explanation and it's the norm not the exception I might consider it. 

dmendel

If happened often I might a switch.  There may have been an emergency.

HarrietNJMommy

melbride2005:

Did they give you an explanation?  I would have asked after waiting all that time and being the only ones there.

and no, I probably wouldn't switch if it only happened once, assuming i liked everything else about them.

 

This. 

TSD

Like, wait time (pretty much zero) is of huge importance to me. I'm early for everything in my life & I like others I deal with to put promptness as a high priority. I've changed my own doctors for this reason quite a few times. But, while my peds office never has a wait more than 5 min MAYBE, it seems my ped is too busy being on GMA, writing articles, and whatever to actually be available. And hate isn't a strong enough word for the other two docs he's added to the practice. So, I'm on my way out of there. I may change my wait time priority to actually being able to see a doc I like on a more regular basis. For example, in the first week of december I went to schedule a well appt with E's reg doc, the main doc, for the end of January. Yeah, he can't see him till MARCH. Not good enough for me. That sounds ridiculous.

So, to me, everything is scales. If there are other things you're unhappy about, I'd consider trying someone new. 20-30 min is a long wait with kids, especially in a germy peds office.

ATSBRIDE

Yeah..it stinks. The service has been fine. I haven't had any extraordinary needs. I just can't handle the 20-30 min wait. And that is each visit. 

avoliss

Hmm, I am in the minority. I have pretty much always waited at least 20 min to see the ped, except maybe when we have the first appt of the day. It has never bothered me. 45 min...that would bother me but...things come up. Our doctors never rush us out the door. Once, my daughter was really sick (for her...she's generally healthy). Not only did they see us even though there were no other appointments available that day, they let us "rest" in one of the exam rooms so they could just watch her for a bit I'll take a somewhat extended wait time for this kind of service; I know they are offering the same to others.

melbride2005

At our old ped in Millburn, I waited a MINIMUM of 30 minutes every time I was there.  Sometimes it was much closer to 60.  But I liked them so much that I stuck with them.  The place was always packed and I just assumed it was the norm.

Now, we've never waited more than 5 minutes at our current ped.  it's unreal - it makes me love them even more! 

molldoll71

My ped has advised me to avoid coming in on Mondays  if possible.  I have never waited that long.  Max is maybe 15 minutes.  If it happened all the time, I would def consider switching. I do schedule well for first thing to avoid back ups.

wed2506

That was one of several reasons why I left Bella's first dr. I have never waited more than 10 minutes to see dr.