Patients Are Getting Impatient With Wait Times

Patients Are Getting Impatient With Wait Times

A recent KevinMD blog post by Dr. Pamela Wible, acknowledges the ongoing and worsening issue in which patients wait to be seen by their doctor, even when they have the first appointment of the day. In her article, Dr. Wible highlights the experiences of her friend, Elaine, who has started billing her various doctors whenever she has to wait to be seen. And her rate?  $47/hour! Has it really come to this? Are physicians so busy and unaware of time that patients are now charging them?

According to Dr. Wible, “Central to medicine is a sacred covenant built on mutual trust, respect, and integrity. What happens when physicians fall into self-interest or self-pity?  Or when physicians are so emotionally, physically or financially distraught by their profession? Patients suffer. And their wait times increase.”

So what can be done to curb patient wait times and still keep physicians financially afloat? Concierge medicine is one realistic solution. Fewer patients under a physicians care means more accessibility, ability to schedule next day appointments and little to no wait time in the waiting room for patients.

SignatureMD doctors don’t want to waste patients’ time. They want them to be able to get appointments when they need them, have an appointment last as long as needed and not feel as though their doctor doesn’t respect their time.

Our healthcare system is already too complex and too ineffective; SignatureMD sees real value in simplifying it by putting patients’ needs and time first.