[ronsroni]

was the response from an elderly woman at Tri County Orthopedics. The issue arose because I was LUCKY enough to get a 10AM appointment today due to a cancellation. I injured my shoulder about 2 weeks ago and it has become progressively more and more painful.
I got to the office at 9:50AM and asked for the paperwork that I was unable to download from their website. "Oh. That never works". was what the receptionist said. That made me feel confident.
At 11:08AM, I stepped up to the desk to ask how much longer before I go in and was told, "I don't have any idea and am not inclined to check". I know you're not talking to me. I am here for more than an hour, absolutely NOBODY FROM THE STAFF addresses the patients to apologize for the wait.
I, too, have things to do and sitting in your offices, Drs Mitchell and Cook are not high on my list of desires. If these "PATIENTS; the LIFEBLOOD OF YOUR VERY PRACTICE DESERVE TO BE STILL AND WAIT, YOU WOULD BE INCORRECT."
Wait no more.
Dr. Duke in Ocala doesn't have you sit and wait. He treats you with respect and information. They are professionals in every sense of the word.
Shame on you Tri County in the Stillwell bldg. at CR466 and Rolling Acres in The Villages. SHAME ON YOU and your snotty front end, eye rolling 60ish year old receptionist.
As consumers of healthcare, by continuing to wait, we not only permit it but we enable this practice to continue.
WALK OUT THE DOOR. Stop being doormats. And, yes. The doctor is aware.
I am calling Karen, the office MANAGER to let her know of this practice. I was also confused by the slovenly attire of the reception personnel. Ill fitting; wrinkled T-Shirts should have set off an alarm. They lost $$ on me today.

[mfp509]

I can hear your frustration and disgust - I have experienced this with other agencies myself. I can't understand what has happened to courtesy and competence.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

I remember going to see an orthopedist in Massachusetts. I had the first appointment of the day. Upon arrival I was told that he was running a half hour behind. I asked how that could be possible seeing as how I was his first appointment. I was told, "He's running 1/2 hour behind." I waited and saw the doctor.
A few weeks later I had another appointment. I was told he's running an hour behind. I went up to the counter and saw that they were booking three appointments every 15 minutes. People who were waiting over an hour began to complain. One guy was told that it would another hour. After a long argument over whether he was going to pay for the visit he left saying, "Just try to bill me. You won't get a nickle."
I asked again about my appointment and was told it would be at least another hour. I also told them that I was leaving and that they were not to bill me because I showed up for the appointment and the doctor didn't. If they wanted to discuss it, they could talk to my lawyer and I gave them his name and phone number. I never got a bill and I never went to that doctor again.
I did speak to someone a few months later and was told that the guy is running on time now. It's very rare that anyone waits more then a few minutes to be seen.
I'll let you draw your own conclusions.
I saw my primary care physician here this week and I saw that he is booking two appointments every 15 minutes. The wait was reasonable so I let it go. If I start having a problem I'll find another doctor.
I talked to someone in the medical field about this and found out that it's very common. They claim that it's to make up for no shows. I have trouble believing that two people every 15 minutes don't show. I think that it's more an issue of the HMOs pressuring them to make more money. And with all the government nonsense they are now being put through it's becoming more and more difficult for these people to stay in business.
I don't have an answer, but I expect it to get worse.

[jblum315]

My internist probably has 1000 patients. I see him every three months. I have never waited more than 4 or 5 minutes even when the waiting room is full of people. And he takes his time with me, I never feel rushed.

[queasy27]

Do doctors fully realize how important their front office and nursing staff are to their practices? Sometimes I think they do not, or they wouldn't tolerate the eye-rolling, impatience, careless record keeping, and outright incompetence.

I'd also like them to really look at their office staff sometime --are ripped jeans, flip flops and a hoodie really a good representation of your own professionalism and sense of caring? I mean, "Look sharp, feel sharp. The clothes make the man. Dress for success."

I saw a surgeon recently and when I signed in, saw that another patient had been given the exact same appointment time as me. I'm pretty sure the doctor, powerful and omnipotent as she no doubt believes herself to be, cannot be in two places at once. So I was left to stew for 30 minutes.

Before I moved, I used to see Larry Foster at Leesburg Family Medicine and never waited more than 5 minutes, so I know it's possible. There are always emergencies and babies to deliver, but by and large, it shouldn't be so difficult for anyone to set a daily schedule and keep to it.

[Quixote]

A doctor can have an emergency. He or she might even have two. But when patients consistently wait for long periods of time at every single appointment, it's time to change doctors AND to publicize the experience in whatever ways are possible (TOTV being only one way). Being left to wait at every appointment constitutes abuse, IMHO, and needs to be addressed.... No doctor is so good that he or she can operate a practice in this way!

[Hancle704]

In the same group, we found that Doctor Kerina was always running late for patients office visits. That carried over to his in hospital visits. You never knew when he would show up. Never found this to be a problem with Doctor Joseph Locker in Ocala and others in The Orthopedic Institute in Ocala and Gainesville.

Can appreciate that an emergency can mess up schedules but when it occurs for every office visit there is something inherently wrong with the management of the practice.

Have also had similar problems with several area neurologists. Not all of them fortunately.

Really annoys me to see a charge posted for missed appointments but never is an apology offered to patients who must wait 1-2 hours beyond the scheduled appointment.

[asianthree]

My husband saw his urologist yesterday who is a friend...he told the doctor that he wanted to go to the other office from now on..doctor asked if they were rude or had said something....my husband told him that the staff at this office was not of a professional nature....unless someone explains to the doctor trust me he does not know.the doctor saw me and some of my coworkers this morning and asked how long this had being going on...and why had I not said anything......by the way. Big office meeting this morning at his office...as he said it will be fixed or else

[villages07]

Actually, we were also at TriCounty yesterday morning around the same time for Mr 07's rotator cuff post-op with Dr Mitchell. Appt was 9:15 and we didn't get called til about 10:00.... this is unusual for Dr Mitchell...he normally runs pretty close to schedule.

Dr Kerina.... well I've had short waits and long waits to get in to see him.

Yes, it's aggravating and yes, sometimes the office staff is less helpful than other times.... but, between Mr 07 and I we've had 3 shoulder and two knee surgeries and had excellent results from excellent surgeons at TCO.

By all accounts, Dr Duke is also an excellent surgeon. Good to hear that he also runs an efficient office.

[ronsroni]

I phoned the Office Manager in the Leesburg office; a woman named Karen. The person who took my call was lovely sounding and would give Karen the message to ring me back.
From that minute till now, almost 24 hours later, no call.
Having had experience managing 2 medical practices in NY, I speak from a solid knowledge base. I know that my docs were informed of the complaints of the day and they supported me in my tactics when dealing with poor performance from personnel and issues that impacted our client base.
It is ABSOLUTELY possible to run behind for many reasons. The point being, the patients who are waiting are deserving of an explanation as to WHY we are behind. Common courtesy. It didn't always go over well but, truth be told, the patients were grateful for the info. This shows respect for others.
2 people can be booked for the same 15minutes as one of them may require x-rays or labs prior to seeing the doc while the other goes right in. Not everything goes off to the second in any part of our lives. Doctor visits are no different.
It is HOW the delays are handled and mishandled that hurts or elevates a reputation.
I consider all possibilities. To have staff speak AT you; not TO your patients is a very poor practice. Do not think that the majority of docs don't know what's happening. Some of them love to lay blame and accept none. It happens.
As for me, I was a guaranteed series of x-rays, possible MRI with a chance of surgery peppered into the mix.
As this practice does so much of its own radiology procedures, what a bundle was lost and most often, its all about the money. Honesty being such a rare commodity, I suppose the Tri County docs don't care for the most part.
Just sayin'.

[billethkid]

I tried Dr. Karrina this morning.
My 9:30 appointment got me to see him at 11:30.
Nice guy but too much of a hurry to be paying the attention I am used to having from a specialist. I won't talk about the computer in his office not working to read an MRI or the MRI report that nobody could find and a few other picky items.

On the way out I asked the girls what caused the back up. They chuckled and said...what back up...this is the way it is all the time. With that type attitude how can there ever be any improvement.....there won't be as the apparently have an acceptable, to them, operating style.

It wasn't just me everybody in the waiting room was at least one hour behind with all the other doctors. All chairs full with at least 6-12 people standing at all times.

That is not my kind of doctoring!!! There IS NO EXCUSE for an office to be run like that. There is no excuse to have physically impaired people to wait that long and worse stand a good part of that time.

Tri County Orthopedics is off my list ....

[784caroline]

Originally Posted by ronsroni

Wait no more.
Dr. Duke in Ocala doesn't have you sit and wait. He treats you with respect and information. They are professionals in every sense of the word.
.

And I bet you never met Dr Duke..only his PA. As I said earlier, he may be good but his office protocol in not meeting with or following up with patients leaves ALOT to be desired !!

[redwitch]

Wanna get 'em really mad? Send them a bill for your waiting time with an attachment saying that small claims court will be used to collect on this item. Don't know why that doctor canned me as his patient but I certainly felt better (and did get my $50 for lost time waiting).

[Hancle704]

They get away with this stuff because most folks sit and wait. Every doctor can have an emergency come up that messes the schedule but when it is all the time and no explanation or apology is offered then it is time to go elsewhere. I have had several visits with The Orthopedic Institute in Gainesville and at the office they opened in Ocala and have never had the long waits beyond the scheduled appointment time that seems to be the case at Tri-County Orthopedics. The last time this wait over an hour past my appointment at a local cardiologist's office when no reason or apology was given for the delay, I told the doctor that I would not tolerate it again and further, I suggested when his office calls to remind me of my appointment in the future that they should also call him.

[gamby]

I did go to tri county and left after 2 hours never to return.

I try to allow only wait 30 min then leave not to return.



I never saw an area like this one , I've had 4 doctors close their practice or just disappear prior to my next appointment, no notice nothing, just gone !
We moved here 18 months ago.