Everyone wants the best doctors, but don't want to share. The best doctors will always be the busiest and most usually will have the furthest out appointment times and often times longer waits in the office. I am happy to have the best.

Agreed. I'll wait awhile for a good doctor but I'll wait even longer for a great doctor. Just make sure you find one that works best for you.

I always get the first appoint of the day or the first after lunch.It prevents the Domino effect

that's when the 3-4 people in front of you show up 5-10 late.

Consider outside the bubble. The cross section of patients is very different. I personally find the doctor's attitudes are very different as well.

Your Dr's apt time is only a mere suggestion as to what time you may actually be seen. Many times I just leave and no one notices .

I always request either the first appointment of the day or the first after the lunch break but often still have to wait. I understand that doctors have to juggle their schedules for emergencies, but here is what bothers me. If you are 5 minutes late for an appointment and the Doctor is ready to see you, your appointment is cancelled and you get charged anyways. If you are early but the Doctor is not ready, you might have to wait an hour or much longer and then the Doctor will hurry your appointment because they are running behind. Apparently your time and health care is not really what is valued?

I don't know that this problem is unique to The Villages. I experienced up north as well.

I had an orthopedic surgeon that was always an hour behind so when I made my next appointment I asked to be the first one in the morning. When i arrived for that appointment, I was told that he was an hour behind. I asked how that could be and was told that he was tied up. I happened to look over the counter at the appointment book to see that they had booked three patients in every 15 minute slot. I told them to cancel my appointment and that I wouldn't be back. They told me that I would be charged for the appointment as a no show and my insurance wouldn't cover it. I told them that I showed and the doctor didn't and walked out.

I never heard from them or my insurance company.

One of the problems is that many of these practices are not owned by doctors. They are by investors that only care about the bottom line. They force doctors to do things like this.

As you state, it's understandable that they can't run perfectly on time, but to be overbooking like that is inexcusable.

I've been happy with Premier Medical. The waits have been tolerable and I like my doctor there.

I think part of the problem is that at least for regular Medicare doc's have to process 4 or 5 patients an hour to keep their shop running and make and cover their own pay. If they scheduled a just single patient in each 15min slot I doubt that in practice they would even come close to that rate.

I have to admit... that's why I like The Villages Health. I've never waited more than 10 minutes for my appointment. I believe my doctor has a 30 min. time slot for me... so I am never rushed. My doctor is exceptional. If I have an issue and need to get in - I see a PA same day. I'm very pleased.

We were in TV Health System until we left for Medicare reasons. It was a pleasure going to appointments in an unhurried, on-time and comfortable environment, with two ladies handling check-ins, and another desk taking care of checkouts.

Now the practice we go to runs on time, more or less, but we spend much less time with the physician. What amazes me is that there is only one very busy person at the front doing everything: check-ins, check-outs, scheduling followup lab work and doctor appointments, and even filling out prescriptions in some cases. I hope they pay her well.

My doctors have always had their staff let us know if there is a delay. The doctor cannot call each patient before rushing off to an emergency.

My doctors do make hospital rounds.

Sometimes that 1st appt of the day can really bite you in the a$$. I had to go to Florida Cancer Specialists for 10 weeks and made every appt for 1st thing since I still had to get to work afterwards. They always got me right back, hooked my IV up real quick, and there I would sit until a doctor arrived at the office. They can’t start the drip until a doctor is on site. I would have been better off sleeping in and come in when the doctors are already there. I understand that sometimes the doctor goes to the hospital 1st or gets stuck on the phone with a patient. But I also work in a doctors office and am aware that it can also simply be that - they get there when they get there.

Fair? Fair is in the eye of the beholder
 

Truth, in my life I've only been late for a doctor's appointment, probably true of any appointment and that was recently in THE VILLAGES. We called the doctor's office and told them the TRUTH that our golf cart was broken down on the road. Only in the villages.

Here most people are on Medicare. What the doctor can charge is controlled by Medicare. Medicare figures 15 minutes to see a patient. You've said hello-you used up half the time the doctor can spend with you.

Far as waiting. I know I've waited over an hour. Take a book with you. For me the simple human act of the doctor saying sorry about keeping you waiting so long but...................
Is a major plus-MUTUAL RESPECT.

Gas or electric?