Aibu to not want the waiting room to know my name?

[Ohdearducks]

New system introduced at my doctors today, each patients name is flashed up when it's your turn to be seen.
Aibu to feel uncomfortable about it? For context I am shy, socially anxious and I admit a bit paranoid at times but it just feels a bit disarming for everyone to know who you are when you've not volunteered the info yourself?
I do actually sound a bit U don't I?🙈 But maybe I'm not the only one who feels this way?

I've had 4 GPs in my adult life and they all had the name system. Usually your name flashes with a beep, everyone looks up and if it's not their name goes back to their book, phone, whatever. People are there because they're ill. No one knows why anyone else is there -- it's not as though the screen says "Jane Doe Room 5 Dr John for a pelvic exam and anxiety status review"

And I was never impressed with the surgeries where a medic would struggle to pronounce names and have to shout it out several times. That is far more awkward and draws more attention imo.

I really don't see how else they could do it? What solution would you prefer, OP?

TBH unless you are creed something like Ben Dover or Mike Hunt I wouldn't worry too much. Although called out or in print it would be embarrassing.

Called not creed

You wouldn't believe how many different pronunciations of my first marriage surname I had to put up with when it was the shouty (or not so shouty) method. Some of them completely unfeasible. I used to jump up at anything vaguely resembling my name, which could lead to embarrassing results

Ha ha yes. I have a foreign name no one ever gets it right. I find it quite amusing watching them try and pronounce it.

Also I go by a shortened version of my name. Think abi instead of abigail...
Between them shouting my full name and mashing my surname I have sat there not realising it's me

My doctors surgery has always had a number system. The receptionist tells you that you are e.g. number 4 and then you wait until the doctor buzzes and look up at the screen and it says the doctor's name and which number patient is to go in next. I wouldn't be bothered if it was my name instead though.

OP, I think in many cases that would be an anxious thought.

But I can see areas where this would be problematic. What if you have a young woman from a very strict background who is at the doctor's on her own for birth control or some other 'private' reason? Doesn't take much for someone else who knows her to be there and then to comment to her parents about it.

Could there not be a system of numbers instead? Like at the deli counter?

Thanks for all your replies, some of them really made me smile. It's actually quite reassuring to hear that no one gives two fucks about it so I think it's definitely my social anxiety speaking and just realised also probably a lot to do with the fact I hate my own name (who wouldn't when your name is fucking Rumplestilzkin?)

Tempted to become 'Number One' just for shits and giggs though so I can pretend I'm a spy 😎

What's wrong with your name being flashed on the screen? Our says: Mrs OhThe Roses for Dr John Smith.

TBF at the start they used to flash up OhThe Roses for Dr John Smith which I did object to because I'm not the dr's subordinate.

Also I have a long, phonetically quaintly pronounced English name that's v unusual. My DH is well known in his field and I have seen an eyebrow raised but I much prefer the LCD to the clumsy, obvious strangulated pronounciation.

My only issue is that the display says room x, the surgery is large and the signage is awful.

Have only once taken note of another patient's name. I'd have changed it by deedpoll. DD texted me and we struggled to keep a straight face - even the waiting vicar was twitching smile but I think that was our fault.

I don't see the problem if they don't put up your date of birth and address. I am very easily findable too because there's only one of me so it's hard to hide my digital footprint completely.

This may breach the Data Protection Act as it's broadcasting personal data to all and sundry in the waiting room and you may have very good reasons for people not wanting to know you are in there (personal security, etc).

They have to let you know somehow. Probably better than the system where I am, and the doctor or nurse comes out and calls your name as they always pronounce my name wrong. Just the surname though, wonder what happens if there's two people with the same surname there...

How is it different from calling out the name though Boff. My only issue with that was when a hospital receptionist asked my name, followed by my dob, and refused to let me write it down or take it from the form I had just given her. There was a queue of strangers behind me and I think that breached the DPA. I don't think the LCD display at the doctors does though.

YANBU. My GP surgery does this. Plus when I go to my yearly Neurology appointment at a big specialist hospital everyone can see my name and the clinic I'm attending. This bothers me tbh, even if no one else cares/is looking.

I'm with you OP. I absolute dreaded any of my colleagues being there when the screen said 'BUNLOAF - MIDWIFE ROOM 2'

What happens when you go to the chemist to get any prescriptions? Because at my local Boots you're normally asked to wait or call back. If you opt to wait they shout your name when your medicines are ready. If it's a complicated medicine they may explain it's use or they may check that you've used 'x y or z' before or that you're not on any contradictory medication. So the world and his wife overhear that conversation!

mine has this system where your name flashes up on the screen and is called by an automated voice now whereas previously you were given a plastic disc with a number on it - different coloured disc depending on gp and the buzzer would go and you would see by colur and number that it was your turn - yes I did prefer this old system as it was anonymous - no one called my name.
To use the new system we have to check in on a screen by the front door so if there is a queue behind you, not only can the queue see your name but also your full date of birth so I feel there are security issues - people queue close enough to see them and the screen is bigger than a pc or laptop size so easy to see from behind.

Oh yes Pat, I agree that shouting out names is fraught with problems! As you say, many patients are chatting or engrossed in their phones and you end up shouting out names several times! Similarly, with a number of parents spelling their dcs names differently it is so easy to say it incorrectly, and you then have to endure the wrath of the parents!

I think yelling it out potentially breaches the DPA as well, particularly if it manages to identify why you are there, as in the MW example.

I've always thought calling out names or flashing them up on a screen was a breach of privacy. Numbers are much better. It different bother me that much though but YANBU

I agree. Just proves all the hype about confidentiality / privacy is all just hype.

?!! Of course it's not unreasonable for them to post patient names on the screen, how else are they going to let you know your appointment is ready?

I've worked in a few GP surgeries and there's no perfect way of doing this.

Somehow you have to call the correct patient to the correct room and in large, busy surgeries there can be hundreds of patients passing through daily. Just calling "Mrs Jones" or "Mr Brown" isn't good enough as you run the risk of having the wrong patient come in.

Calling over the tannoy can be tricky as you can have pronunciation problems, or your patient might be hard of hearing, or it might be so noisy in the waiting room you can't be heard so you waste time sitting there waiting for a patient who isn't coming.

At least with the LCD displays you have less room for error if it flashes up first name and surname. Displaying surname only might not be suitable, we had whole families across 3 or 4 generations registered with us and just displaying "Miss Smith" would have caused great confusion!

Coming out to the waiting room to call your patient can also cause delays, especially in large practices. At least with the LCD system I could hit the S button to send for them and then use the time it took them to come to my room to set up and get ready, or wash my hands or whatever.

Having said all that I would be VERY unhappy with the clinic details being displayed - no need for that!! Just "Mr Big to Room 2" would do.

Hahaha. I literally look up at the screen when a name flashes up and if it's not mine I remember that name for about 10 seconds max. I find that when I am waiting to see a GP, literally the last thing I give a shit about is the other people waiting to see the GP (except to hope that they are going to be in and out very quickly so that I don't have to wait much longer).

In my old surgery it would be fine, it was a smallish place and your name was called.

However my current surgery is a huge health centre and it would not be fine as I have moved house a few times to get away from a stalker. Sure, names are still called out but in such a way that you have to really concentrate to identify your own name which is OK. Once you have lived with that feeling of being watched and harrassed it never goes away.

Besides, does it mean you have to sit and look at the display all the time you are there. waiting for your turn to flash up?

Mine flashes up the name and says "to the nurse's room..." or "to see Dr X - Room 3" - and I have no problem with that. No one knows why I'm there and they are all waiting for similar notification.

I WOULD however have an issue if it flashed up "Alfagirl73 to Smear Clinic" - that would make me very uncomfortable and potentially creates a confidentiality issue. I know everyone is more worried about their own appointment but that doesn't mean they need to be knowing why I'm there. Phlebotomy isn't so bad - many people need blood tests etc... but some things you don't want an entire room of strangers knowing.