Patience

The morning had lasted a lifetime. I could say it was my fault, but I won't. True, I spent a disproportionate amount of time with one patient at the expense of and with what could be perceived as callous disregard for the subsequent patients. True, she had been scheduled for a 9:45 a.m. appointment with only fifteen minutes allotted. True, I finished her evaluation at 10:30, half an hour behind in seeing my ten o'clock patient. But I still won't say it was my fault. Despite the obvious ire of my 10:15 and 10:30 appointments and one patient's expectation of being refunded his co-pay because of the protracted wait time. It still wasn't my fault.

After all, it takes time when a thirty five year old woman comes in saying that she has been having fevers and extreme fatigue for over a week. That she had urine the color of Coca Cola and stool the color of clay. That she had been unable to hold down any solid food. It all just sounded bad. And as bad as her symptoms sounded, her appearance was far worse. It wasn't just that she looked ill; I've seen that thousands of times before. It wasn't that she was cool and clammy; been there, done that. It was the less common appearance of her eyes: looking as though someone had removed them from their sockets, dipped them in the ink of a fluorescent yellow hi-liter, and returned them to their original position.

"You see, I had a patient who was sicker than expected, and unfortunately the evaluation took far longer. I'm sorry for having kept you waiting so." Most responded with understanding and sympathy, some with a less accepting "Hmmph" and a roll of the eyes or a raise of one brow, but two actually lectured me on the importance of their schedules and the lack of professionalism in my inability to stick to mine. I held my tongue; if I hadn't, it would have resulted in the hospitalization of two additional patients. And by that time, I couldn't fall any further behind in my schedule.

But finally, the morning did end, and I left for my appointment. By 1:00 pm, I had signed in and sat down on one of the benches provided, waiting expectantly for my name to be called. I looked around the room, and everywhere feet tapped impatiently, knees bounced up and down with nervous, pent-up energy, eyes darted back and forth taking stock of the surroundings.

At 1:30, I noticed how otherwise calm everyone was. So unlike my patients who frequently walk up to the receptionists for updates on when they would be called back. Patients who, on the rare occassions that I'm more than five minutes late, are all too eager to express their dissatisfaction in having had to waste their time.

At 2:00, still no one had uttered a word of anger or surprise despite the torturous wait. In my office, thirty minutes is frequently enough to send the patient to the site manager to file a formal complaint before leaving in an angry huff.

At 2:30, my name was finally called, and I sidled up to the Apple Store's Genius Bar to explain the problems I've been having with my iPod. And I thought how odd it was that no one here balked at a one and a half hour wait for repair of their computers or other such unnecessary item.

Comments

[Roy]

Isn't it ironic?? That is nuts! Patience is a trait that is lost to many...however, I do have it, and I know when I go to the doctor that shit happens, and sometimes the schedule is off... And for people not to know this, they are just ignorant and should be shot...j/k

[Chef Dean]

You know you can go the the website of your local Apple store and sign up on the Genius Bar list BEFORE you leave home... that helps cut down the wait time... just get yourself in line, THEN drive there.

And the last time I went to the Genius Bar I waited 3 hours and 15 minutes (and then went computer-less for a week).

[ThatGuy]

So what was the prognosis? Maria Carey again?

[sangroncito]

And now I'm going to be wondering all day just what kind of illness that patient had......

[Jeff]

I'm going to guess that most people don't value their iPod's health as much as their own...I certainly don't. However, it's nice to know that you're one of the healthcare providers that DO care and will spend the necessary time with a patient to help them. Good for you.

[outofctrl]

An hour and a half wait to get an iPod serviced? Wow. I think I would have been bored to tears myself.

[V]

OK as an FYI, the diagnosis wasn't all that difficult...hepatitis. The only question is what type.

[culveyhorse]

Yes, patience is a trait of the ancients, almost forgotton in today's rat-race world! The iPod wait was probably good therapy in disguise.