Credits: Social Media
Why your doctor takes so long to call you in after the last patient leaves
Have you ever sat in the doctor’s waiting room, watched the last person walk out, but still waited ages before you’re called in?
Well, a general practitioner has explained why you’re sitting there for so long. Turns out, there’s actually a lot doctors have to do between patients.
Why your doctor takes so long to call you in
Dr Shireen Ghezel revealed that doctors first have to write up all the notes from the patient they’ve just seen. You may notice them jotting things down during your appointment, but they don’t formally log this into the system until afterwards.
Then, they might have to take emergency calls from other healthcare professionals like paramedics. Most don’t realise the patients in the clinic aren’t the only thing doctors have to tend to – they have lots of other duties to fit in as well.
On top of that, they could need to help another general practitioner in the practice with an issue that they are having. Doctors have their own patients, but that doesn’t mean they don’t assist each other every now and again.
- DOCTOR’S WARNING: Doctors warning to start taking essential winter vitamin now or risk getting unwell
Ghezel added that doctors sometimes get calls from the surgery’s receptionist too, or they could be reading your notes before you come in so they are aware of the issue you are there for and your medical history.
Remember, your doctor could, in fact, just be going to the toilet because health staff need to relieve themselves as some point – and they don’t have regular breaks allocated in their day!
If the previous patient said something upsetting, they may be taking a few moments to compose themselves. Or, if someone was examined on the bed, they may need to spray it down with antibac and change the sheet.
‘Your GP isn’t sat there with their feet up’
Ghezel urged everyone to remember that if the patient before you has left, “your GP isn’t sat there with their feet up scrolling through Instagram waiting to call you in”.
“My point is, there is so much that needs to be done during our clinics and a lot of it happens between patients,” she said.
The doctor said they really do want to get through their patients as quickly as they can and will only keep you waiting if they really have to and are busy doing something else.
Dr Shireen�Ghezel is a London-based general practitioner and health educator who specializes in mental health, womens health and early years medicine.
