Long Waits for Doctors’ Appointments Have Become the Norm

[no_hypocrisy]

27. My father had a medical practice. I worked there in the Seventies and Eighties.

His waiting room was always full, usually geriatric patients.

And they'd wait. One hour. Two hours.

They'd squirm while waiting, but they'd never leave or find a new doctor.

Because back in the day, my father would spend a good hour with you even if you had a 15 minute appointment. He'd take a full medical history. Asked about your marriage, your kids, your family. Did you engage in sports and/or recreation. Did you have a pet. Did you smoke and/or drink? How much? What kind of health did your parents have? How was your job? What did you eat for the past three days? And so on.

My father came out of the tradition that you couldn't treat a patient unless you KNEW a patient and no two were alike. He didn't whip out a prescription pad and hustle you out. Not only was he judicious with the meds, he gave out medication samples he got from the drug reps.

So when you were waiting in the waiting room, you reckoned that you would get your hour when it was your turn to see Dad.

That's the difference with today's medicine.