What Can I Do if My Doctor Keeps Me Waiting?

What can I do if my doctor's office keeps me waiting too long during appointments?

Having to wait to see a doctor is historically a common occurrence – and it happens for good reasons. We’re not falling behind because we left the office to meet someone for a cup of coffee or have a chat with a friend.

Doctors just never know when a medical emergency will arise, or whether, during a scheduled physical exam, we’ll find a problem that needs our immediate attention, and thus takes additional time to address.

Ask Dr. Adam

Adam B. Rosenbluth, M.D., is an internist and cardiologist in New York City. Each Monday, he’ll weigh in on your questions about how to make your body work better for you. His AARP book will be published in 2027.

Email your questions for Dr. Adam to dradam@aarp.org

When this happens, I always explain to my patient, “I apologize that you had to wait. But please understand, it’s because someone who is ill needed more time than anticipated. I’m sure you would want me to give you same care and consideration.”

Today, I think patient frustration at having to wait their turn for an appointment may be compounded because we’re now all used to getting instant gratification. But doctors don’t function like Amazon Prime or Grubhub. We are not an order and delivery service. The nature of our business is to solve problems and diagnose illnesses, and sometimes you can’t do that effectively on a tight schedule.

That said, I completely understand your frustration. I remember reading a study that said up to 30 percent of patients have left a physician’s office before being seen because of the waiting time. After all, you have other commitments and important things to do; your time is also valuable.

So, let’s talk about ways to try to avoid this predicament.

First of all, when you book your appointment, please don’t set it up thinking about it in the same way you do for a visit to the massage therapist or your exercise class and assume it’s going to start and finish exactly on time. Instead, when you make your appointment, allow for at least an additional half-hour leeway. I think it’s reasonable if you have to wait around 30 minutes. 

But if you don’t have this kind of flexibility in your day, call the office a couple of hours before leaving your home or work for your appointment and ask whether the doctor is running on time. My staff is happy to share any delays; they’ll say, “Thank you for calling. The doctor is running between 20-25 minutes behind,” when that’s the case.

I also don’t think it’s unreasonable if you’ve been waiting in the exam room for more than 30 minutes to walk back to the desk and say something like, “I had an appointment today at 11. The doctor seems to be unable to accommodate me. I understand there are emergencies, and another patient may be in need, but I have things to do today. Can you please prioritize me for a new appointment?” 

At this point, I imagine you’re probably pretty annoyed, but try not to take it out on the staff.

Another thing you can do to try to lessen waiting time is to always make your next appointment while you’re in the doctor’s office, even if it’s six months, or a year in advance. This way, you have priority and can book the first appointment of the day. It’s unlikely this will be delayed. 

The truth is, if you have an attentive doctor who is a problem-solver, he or she won’t be strictly guided by the clock. They will be focused on your issues and answering your questions. You wouldn’t want a physician to tell you to “make another appointment” when you raise another concern because he’s running out of time, especially if you’ve waited three months for this one.

I believe you want a doctor who says, “What else is bothering you? I’m here for you.”  Some of the best doctors are the ones who really listen — and listening takes time.