Was my GP being rude or am I just overreacting?

[Ozbarbie]

Hi all!!!

It's been bugging me for a couple of days. I went to my usual GP for a follow up appointment as I've have been quite ill over winter. We usually have a good rapport (or so I thought). There were a couple of issues to discuss which was listening to my chest, recurrent uti and a repeat script. I didn't think these were too major and a 15 minute appointment would be satisfactory.

Now this doctor is very popular and she mostly ALWAYS runs 20-30 mins late. It is a very expensive private clinic and is $90 for a consult in which I barely get back anything from Medicare here in Australia. I don't mind paying this money because she is an excellent doctor and it's worth the time and travel.

So I get called in my my appointment which was originally at 9.45am at 10.10am. We then start discussing my issues (she talks a lot and explains everything in detail). We discuss the first 2 and then I ask for a repeat script as I'm running out of medicine which I need. She then gets funny on me and asked me what the time was (it's now 10.25am) and then says she only has a 10 min consult and 5 mins to write up her clinical notes and now she will run late? I was a bit taken aback, I didn't think I was being demanding, I don't usually discuss more than issue at one given time and I'm quite aware of the surgery's policy on issues (no more than 3 to be discussed in a 15 min consult).

I apologised to her but I have felt quite cross afterwards because I felt it was a bit unfair and considering I'm paying good money for her time.

Was she just having an off day? I really can't work it out. It's taken me so long to find a good GP, I don't want to change to another again. I don't want to make a complaint (I don't have the time or energy).

Don't know as I am UK and don't have private health care. Happily my NHS GP is lovely. Other posters might be more helpful.

I work in a surgery it's it the UK and Nhs but we are told it's 1 problem for 1 appointment ( each appointment is 10 mins ) So if you had more than one thing to discuss we make a double appointment and I know sometimes patients come out and say doctor has said they need to book another appointment as they didn't have time for everything. I have no experience of private health care so I'm unsure but I guess if everyone takes up a extra 5 minutes then they need to write up notes ECT then they would run very late and people might complain. We sometimes get complaints about then running late but sometimes they are dealing with medical emergencys and admitting people to hospital or the labs have called with urgent results. I think it must be really hard to balance the patients needs and try to run roughly on time.

I don't think she's being unreasonable. If every patient in her clinic had the same approach she'd not get a break all day which would make catching up on other jobs outside the face to face time difficult (e.g. referrals etc). Let alone a chance to have a break and eat lunch which would make her more prone to making mistakes and unfair to other patients that day. I've had to cut a meeting short with parents of a child I was looking after as they were turning up everyday and expecting long one to ones with me (this was one of twelve children I was looking after- if I did this with every parent I would literally get nothing else done all day) I had a full afternoon of meetings & said I needed to stop the meeting to get some lunch. They looked incredulous that in the middle of the day this is something I would need to do and said "we haven't had any lunch yet!" Missing the point that I was at work (they didn't work) and to do my job effectively for all my patients I had to first make sure I was looking after myself.

Ps you can also opt to pay good money for double appointment if you want more time

I understand what you are saying...but to book a double appointment and pay $180 for perhaps a 15-20 minute appointment?
As my issues were minor I was well aware and respectful enough to believe it wouldn’t take up too much of her time, which it really didn’t as was still within the 15 minutes?

Do you mind if I ask what the minor issues were? I can understand if you don’t want to detail them, though. The main reason I ask that is that even minor issues aren’t easy to handle at five minutes a piece. Assuming she goes through the same unofficial pro forma we have here, plus any physical examinations, if she’s had to dip your urine, send anything off to a lab, write concisely in the notes, make referrals...it’s hard to get that all into one short space of time.

I’d say she was probably having an off day if you feel as though she’s usually pleasant. I probably wouldn’t be delighted at having to pay so much for such a short appointment either! I hope you’re feeling better soon anyway.

That sounds really off, especially as you were sticking to the no more than 3 things per appointment.

If you’re anywhere near me (my username is a big clue) I can highly recommend my GP. They’re always running really late but that’s because they don’t rush their patients.

It sounds as if she creates a time management issue by talking in intricate detail instead of asking for all of the issues in the beginning.

When I’ve had a lot to discuss with the gp, I have gone in with a typed up list. You can get an awfully lot done in the 10 mins time slot if the gp sees the issues clearly. They then don’t feel it’s a never ending appointment and can clear things up pretty quickly.

Next time, go in with everything written down and then she manages her time, not you. Take 2 copies.

Eg
Appointment x person x date

1 Chest issue
Brief description and symptoms

2 Recurrent Uti
Any suggestions / questions / things you are doing such as drinking 100% pure (undiluted, unsweetened) cranberry juice.

3 Repeat Prescription for x please

Littledragon...

This is exactly what I did!!! I always do this so I’m not faffing around. It was just a matter of talking nothing else involved!!

Yes I also work in a gp surgery and we book double appts for more than one issue.
The only thing I can think of is that maybe she thought the repeat prescription was a waste of time and would make her overrun.
I can completely understand your side of it but we have patients that will book an appt for a repeat prescription because it is quicker than requesting one and waiting a few days for it, maybe she was miffed you hadn't just requested it?

Speedbirdfoxtrot

It was just listening to my chest and talking about the other stuff. Didn't have to do tests etc. She talks a lot and I can never get a word in, which why she always runs late and hence why we went over time!

Thanks so much :)

Does the GP have to do the repeat prescriptions in person? Again I'm talking NHs but at our surgery we just drop off repeat requests in a box at the surgery and the GP processes them without the need for an appointment. They are just starting to introduce online prescription requests too. It sounds as if your GP was running late and feeling the pressure, but that's not your fault if that is the way the system works.

Monty27

We have to pay for private health care in Australia, so a monthly fee for insurance plus we are out of pocket when we visit the GP, Specialists etc. We aren't lucky enough to have a system like the NHS.

There is a public health system but waiting lists are long and there are bulk billed doctors (where you don't have to pay for the consult) but these are few and far between and quality of care is questionable.

OzBarbie
I mean go in the office, say hi and say you have a few issues and hand the list to the dr and say nothing until they have read it. Then they manage their time. If you did this with your 3 issues, she is to blame for going over the allotted time. If you had a long list of items she could also tell you she will deal with certain issues and ask you to make another appointment for the others. Still her managing the time.

Fishfingersandketchup.. p.

There is a system like that in Australia, but usually because they are private billed they want to see you to discuss the repeat, especially if they haven't seen you in a while and of course for a fee.
If they say it's ok to issue a repeat prescription, they will do but for a fee of $40 (25 pounds) sorry don't have a pound sign on keyboard!

I’m my surgery all repeat prescriptions have to be ordered via reception, and not while you’re in with the GP. Would this be the case with your surgery? Although it only takes 2 minutes to do - if everyone does it, it quickly adds up. When issuing repeat prescriptions, it’s not just a matter of quickly printing and signing, especially if your medication needs reauthorised. For example if you are on an anti-inflammatory, the GP will also need to check you are up to date with annual kidney bloods and a blood pressure check. The nice GPs who do everything asked of them by patients sadly tend to be the ones who run late, end up working part time and getting burnt out early. There’s s shortage of GPs for good reason - if it was the easy, we’ll paid job everyone thinks it is, it’s a wonder nobody wants to do it anymore.

She was rude. I'm in Ireland and it would never happen with my gp and I'd be pretty sure in any other gp here, it's just not the way they work here, thankfully

Mummyoflittledragon

Oh I see what you mean, I did have my list but didn't give it to her, but this is a very good idea to do if I need to (but I doubt I will go for more than one issue next time!!!!)
Yes exactly she could have just said to rebook, instead of getting overtly annoyed at me, which I thought was a bit unprofessional and rude. She knows me and she knows I don't take the mickey!

She was rude. She clearly had time to spare with other patients as you were called in 25 minutes late. I would be pissed off and next time I would say so. Quite sharplybut I'm a grumpy old cow

It depends what the rule is. If the rule is 3 issues then she was rude, it's not your fault if she talks too much and she should be aware that you would potentially have 3 issues. That's her time management skills that are making her late not you. She should ask for all issues at the start, she could have been writing up the repeat prescription while talking to you etc

If the rule is 1 issue as in the UK then fair enough, however I still think repeat prescription can be added to any appt if they have to be done in person.

Peterrabbitscarrots...

Yes exactly, the repeat was for a PPI, and literally just had to print and sign. It took all of 30 seconds.

Yes same here in Australia and I totally get it, I have worked in healthcare for 20 years. I would never do that to a GP on purpose or be demanding, I genuinely thought it would be ok or else I would have booked a double appointment.

DearTeddyRobinson...

Haha I know this is exactly what I thought, she was late to start with but yet she's getting annoyed at me! Hmmm doesn't seem right to me and I'm the one paying her!!!

but to book a double appointment and pay $180 for perhaps a 15-20 minute appointment?

You said everything could be done in 15 minutes - is that what you actually booked with her? I ask because it looks from this post that 15 mins consultation time would cost more than the appointment you booked, ie 10 mins with her having 5 mins writing up time. If that’s the case then I don’t think she was being rude or unreasonable- it’s her job to manage her time and keep things ticking over.

Ahhh okay! The bulk billing thing sounds horrendous if it doesn’t offer much flexibility. I’m weirdly interested in other healthcare systems so I’ve always wondered how that one works in reality!

I’d probably give her the benefit of the doubt but switch if she keeps does it again. I’ve seen very lovely clinicians suddenly run a terse clinic and then they bounce back to being themselves.

Dishranawaywiththespoon...

Yes you are right, it states on their website a 3 issue policy for a 15 minute consult, so I believed it would be ok. I think she was actually being rude to0. The last thing you want in life, is having to deal with a rude doctor who is supposed to taking care of you. I just don't get it.