Dr/dentist office appointment rant

ellesan

ellesan

Cathlete
I totally get and appreciate a friendly appointment reminder call, but what is up with Dr. and dentist offices now calling and leaving a message saying, "you have an appointment on ___________ day and time. Please call to confirm your appointment."

Um...the reason I called and and made the appointment was because I wanted the appointment that day/time. The only reason for me to call is if I CAN'T make the appointment! Grrrrrr. I don't need more things on my to-do list. :confused:
 
ellesan said:
I totally get and appreciate a friendly appointment reminder call, but what is up with Dr. and dentist offices now calling and leaving a message saying, "you have an appointment on ___________ day and time. Please call to confirm your appointment."

Um...the reason I called and and made the appointment was because I wanted the appointment that day/time. The only reason for me to call is if I CAN'T make the appointment! Grrrrrr. I don't need more things on my to-do list. :confused:
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Sandra, . .I worked for a dental office for 6 years, . . the reason that we do that is because most people forget and the Dr. only makes money when someone is in the chair. When the patient does not show up the Dr. does not have money and has also given up the time that they could have given to someone else. Honestly I never call to confirm my appointment. I only call if I have to cancel. Like you I've got other things to do. I just absolutely make sure of my appointment time for fear of a cancellation fee. I hate, hate, hate going to the dentist as much as I hate doing my taxes.

By the way, . .hows the triathelon training going??
 
My hairdresser even does this for me now! I am soo happy to have them call me to remind me. Even if I don't call back, they know I will be in - it is just more of a reminder call. If you cannot make it, then I would call.

:)

Michelle
 
What bugs me about these calls is when I go for my appt. and have to wait a long time. I think it's so rude that they make sure that I'm there on time, but they don't mind if I have to wait 30-60 minutes for my appt. :mad:

Erica
 
EricaH said:
What bugs me about these calls is when I go for my appt. and have to wait a long time. I think it's so rude that they make sure that I'm there on time, but they don't mind if I have to wait 30-60 minutes for my appt. :mad:

Erica
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I used to HATE it when patients had to wait. Unfortunately sometimes a procedure that is scheduled before your appointment takes longer, . . mostly emergency patients (a little pus becomes a lot of pus or an easy extraction becomes more complicated). If I was in the chair I'd want the Dr. to take his time and not rush just because there is another appointment for a cleaning. With that said, I too hate to wait and usually when the Dr. is running behind it is because the Dr. or patient before you was late or they are just lollygaging around taking their time, . . I hate that. It sucks and is not really fair for the reasons you mentioned. I mean when you take time out of your work week to be seen at a certain time you expect to be seen at that time. I used to offer to reschedule people if they were waiting for more than 20 minutes and give them a gift card for coffee for their trouble. I once had to wait for an appointment for my son's Dr. for over an hour and right when I said I was leaving the Dr. showed up.
 
janie1234 said:
I used to HATE it when patients had to wait. Unfortunately sometimes a procedure that is scheduled before your appointment takes longer, . . mostly emergency patients (a little pus becomes a lot of pus or an easy extraction becomes more complicated). If I was in the chair I'd want the Dr. to take his time and not rush just because there is another appointment for a cleaning. With that said, I too hate to wait and usually when the Dr. is running behind it is because the Dr. or patient before you was late or they are just lollygaging around taking their time, . . I hate that. It sucks and is not really fair for the reasons you mentioned. I mean when you take time out of your work week to be seen at a certain time you expect to be seen at that time. I used to offer to reschedule people if they were waiting for more than 20 minutes and give them a gift card for coffee for their trouble. I once had to wait for an appointment for my son's Dr. for over an hour and right when I said I was leaving the Dr. showed up.
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Oh - I understand if a doctor is late for an emergency or needs to spend extra time with a patient, but some places are consistently late and it irritates me that they always make the reminder call when they have no intention of seeing me or my family at the appt. time because I feel there is no consideration for my time at all.

Erica
 
I don't think Sandra's point was that the reminder call was bothering her (she actually said she appreciated them), but the fact that she was expected to call back was annoying. I got a card in the mail today for an eye appointment I have this weekend. I JUST called and set it up last week and now this card tells me I have to call in again to confirm. I totally get what you're saying Sandra! If all my doctor's did this, I'd have a list of places to call to reconfirm appointments.
 
thanks Liann, that's exactly what I'm saying! I appreciate a reminder call, just not an expectation to call and re-confirm!
I guess I'm wondering why the messages went from "please call if you can't make it" to "please call and say you'll be there."

Oh, and to add to this, Banfield pet hosptial now calls and tells me they have me down for appointments I never made. I called and told them I didn't make an appointment and they said , "oh, your dogs were due for vaccines so we made you an appointment. Does that not work for you?" Wow. I have a life to work around, and no, it does not work for me!
 
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Sandra,

This makes me nuts!!! I thought I had the only dentist that expects you to call and confirm after a reminder message is left. This drives me crazy. I made the appointment, it is on my calendar, thank you for the reminder. I do not have time to make additional phone calls. My dentist's office once called 3 times because I did not have time to call back and confirm. it would be a lot more convenient if they used email for this purpose rather than the phone.
Jennifer
 
Just a thought - next time you go in why don't you just talk to them about it. They are likely doing this because they had issues with other people not showing up for their appointments. Next time you go in, just say "can we just put a note on my record that I show up and that you'll call and remind me, and I'll call you if I have to cancel." We're all busy and have annoyances in life, but this is really pretty minor in the scheme of life. You could live in Haiti, or Chile, or Taiwan and you'd be loving the annoyance of a reminder call requesting a call back.
 
NY25 said:
Just a thought - next time you go in why don't you just talk to them about it. They are likely doing this because they had issues with other people not showing up for their appointments. Next time you go in, just say "can we just put a note on my record that I show up and that you'll call and remind me, and I'll call you if I have to cancel." We're all busy and have annoyances in life, but this is really pretty minor in the scheme of life. You could live in Haiti, or Chile, or Taiwan and you'd be loving the annoyance of a reminder call requesting a call back.
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Yes, . . this is such great advice! Like I said. I never call back to confirm, . . .I'm pretty bad about that. I just don't remember or it is not at the top of my priority list. If you tell your office they should flag your account to not harrass you with calling them to confirm.
 
EricaH said:
What bugs me about these calls is when I go for my appt. and have to wait a long time. I think it's so rude that they make sure that I'm there on time, but they don't mind if I have to wait 30-60 minutes for my appt. :mad:

Erica
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I can understand doctors and such having something come up that takes more time than expected, but I HATE when I am left waiting, and then there is no apology, or even a simple "sorry for the wait."

One (crappy!) nurse practitioner I was seeing for a follow-up visit didn't get to me until 45 minutes after my appointment time. Then entered the room with no "sorry for the wait" or anything similar. Asked me how the wound was doing (I had sat on a pencil and it punctured the back of my leg). Then she asked if she could see the wound (in a way that sounded not just polite, but timid and unsure), then when she had looked at it, gave me a bandaid and was expecting me to put it on (the back of my leg...hard to see). I had to ask her to do it, instead of her doing it automatically (duh!).
 
kathryn said:
I HATE when I am left waiting, and then there is no apology, or even a simple "sorry for the wait."
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You see I totally agree. Something as simple as "The Dr. is running behind, . .would you like to wait?" or and "I'm sorry about the wait." The dentist I worked for would always say "stop apologizing" but I just think it is rude to not acknowledge the fact that someone has taken time out of their day and money out of their check book to see them. I now expect nothing from my Dr.'s. I think it is a shame really. The good thing is that not all Dr.'s and front desk receptionists are like this. My dog's vet receptionist is the grumpiest meanest person ever. If I didn't like the Dr. so much I'd go elsewhere.
 
ellesan said:
I totally get and appreciate a friendly appointment reminder call, but what is up with Dr. and dentist offices now calling and leaving a message saying, "you have an appointment on ___________ day and time. Please call to confirm your appointment."
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Yeah, I'm not a fan of this, either. IMO offices need to just stick with reminder calls that require a callback for cancellation only. If people don't show up, then bill 'em the cancellation fee. I don't think it makes sense to inconvenience the majority of responsible patients/clients for the actions of a few.
 
I totally agree about the callback issue - I sure don't mind getting call reminders, but to call *them* back to confirm is just ridiculous.

Regarding wait time, let me tell you what happened at my dentist's office yesterday. I went in for a "quick" fitting of my new nightguard. How long can that take, right? Usually the dentist takes a break during whatever cavity he is filling, etc to check our teeth after the hygienist cleans, etc and this is what he did yesterday. BUT, I sat in that chair for 25 minutes making small talk with the hygienist and getting really irritated. I'm a vet, I know there can be wait times, but I heard him yucking it up with his patient during the procedure, and I just got more and more steamed the longer I sat.

Well, when he came in he was apologetic and I was lukewarm but wanting to get on with it. He felt so bad, that he had the receptionists CREDIT my acct for the biteguard that I'd already paid for ($66) He told them either to cut me a check or leave a credit on the acct. He said that I'm an excellent customer and my happiness is more important than his bottom line.

How's that for customer service?

Heidi
 
I don't mind the reminder call, but hate when they want me to call back to confirm.

Usually they call me at home, so I don't get the message until the evening so then I've got to remember to call back during the next day.

It drives me nuts that they don't at least use my work number to call me. I know I've told them in the past, but you would also think that when they pull you up on the computer they see both home and work #s and try the work # 1st???
 
buckeyegirl said:
I totally agree about the callback issue - I sure don't mind getting call reminders, but to call *them* back to confirm is just ridiculous.

Regarding wait time, let me tell you what happened at my dentist's office yesterday. I went in for a "quick" fitting of my new nightguard. How long can that take, right? Usually the dentist takes a break during whatever cavity he is filling, etc to check our teeth after the hygienist cleans, etc and this is what he did yesterday. BUT, I sat in that chair for 25 minutes making small talk with the hygienist and getting really irritated. I'm a vet, I know there can be wait times, but I heard him yucking it up with his patient during the procedure, and I just got more and more steamed the longer I sat.

Well, when he came in he was apologetic and I was lukewarm but wanting to get on with it. He felt so bad, that he had the receptionists CREDIT my acct for the biteguard that I'd already paid for ($66) He told them either to cut me a check or leave a credit on the acct. He said that I'm an excellent customer and my happiness is more important than his bottom line.

How's that for customer service?

Heidi
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Heidi, . . . he shoulda given you more, . .IMO. I also really, really hate it when Dentists talk to you with crud in your mouth, . .seriously??? I'm not getting my hair done (although I hate it when I have to talk during hair appointments too) Hurry it up and get me the heck outta there for Pete's sake. Anyway nightguards cost them very little, . .trust me he still made out in the positive in the long run. $66 is a lot to adjust a nightguard.
 
No, you misunderstood me. He didn't charge me a dime to adjust and fit the nightguard. He credited my account for the actual cost of the nightguard (which I had paid for 2 weeks prior at my cleaning) So, I think that was pretty nice and made up for the wait, IMO. I think that's good customer service.

Heidi
 
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