The past month I have worked full time scheduling appointments, driving to one clinic after another and WAITING. I’ve been stuck, prodded, smeared, squished, and nearly killed (a stress test) ultimately for my good health.
The new fancy orthopedic clinic was a cattle call. In the
name of efficiency, I was given an electronic tablet to fill out and got into a
line where a young woman took vital signs one patient after another. When I
finished entering my life history into the cloud, I was given an electronic
survey of my techie experience. Handing the device to a human, I was assigned a
number printed on the schematic of the building, complete with all the
different doctor’s exam room numbers. I was instructed to listen for the “dings”
and watch the TV monitor for my number and its corresponding room number. Sitting
down in the gymnasium sized waiting room, I noticed there was not one magazine,
newspaper, or pamphlet, on any of the end tables. Everyone who was smart used
their phone. Waiting two hours for my number to “ding” and flash across the
screen, I proceeded to find my own exam room. I was relieved to see the doctor
was human if not harried. I wonder why.
I'll tell you about the cardiologist next time. Right now, I have to answer the phone. They're calling me to schedule an appointment.
