Seeking Sneaky Sam
By Staff
Scot Beard
I recently sat with my wife in a doctor's office. The agreed upon time for her appointment came and went without her being called back to see the doctor.
I asked my wife why doctors never seem to be able to keep to appointment times. Since she works at a doctor's office, I figured she would be able to shed a little bit of light on the subject.
Sometimes it is the doctor's fault. My wife said there are times when a procedure scheduled for that morning has complications and delays are inevitable.
What really surprised me was, more often than not, the patients caused more delays than the doctors.
There are four types of patients – Chatty Charles, Demanding Debby, Late Laura and Sneaky Sam – that cause the most delays.
First there is Chatty Charles. This patient is a talker.
Is he talking about his symptoms and a possible course of treatment?
No. He is talking about his tomato plants or how the local football team will do this year.
Instead of allowing the doctor to do his or her job, Chatty Charles consumes the doctor's time with trivial chatter.
The next patient is Demanding Debby. She feels she is the most important person in the waiting room and must be seen immediately.
Her time is too important to waste in the doctor's office.
Did she bother to schedule an adequate amount of time for her appointment?
No. She assumed the doctor could see her, run tests and suggest a course of treatment in only 15 minutes.
The rest of the patients now have to endure their ailments along with her tirades.
Late Laura is a lot like Demanding Debby. Neither think much about anybody else's time, but at least Debby is punctual.
Late Laura rolls into the office anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour and a half after her scheduled appointment time.
Does it matter that she missed her appointment?
No. She was there on the day she was supposed to be there, so she deserves to be seen. She quickly turns into a Demanding Debby.
Too bad the other patients in the lobby, who were on time or even early, will have to wait even longer.
Finally, you get Sneaky Sam.
Sam took his wife to the doctor because she is too sick to drive. The doctor treats the wife, but before he or she gets out of the room, Sam asks the dreaded question.
"While you're here, Doc, can you take a look at this?"
Now the doctor is seeing two patients – one of which never had an appointment – and the people in the waiting room are waiting even longer.
The next time you are sitting at the doctor's office see if you can figure out what kind of patients are around you.
Odds are you will see a Demanding Debby or a Sneaky Sam. Maybe one of these patients is wearing your clothes. Are you a Late Laura or a Chatty Charles?
If so, have some courtesy for your fellow patients and try to change your ways when you visit a doctor's office. The doctors will be happy, the nurses will be grateful and your fellow patients won't get angry.
