Make it make sense - hospital rant

Expecto_Patronum said:

How does giving numerous people the same appointment time help in any way shape or form?

Because there are more patients than slots as Ferrosol has pointed out.  (and maybe because waiting list are the priority and what is being measured...)

I've run clinics myself and regularly over-ran on appointments because I found short cutting them meant I personally wasn't able to do them in the time available - still not sure if this was autism having a delaying cause, being thorough to save time and grief later or  just I was not very good at it!

Personally were I responsible for arranging them I would suggest this:

Because appointments with patients cannot be predictably timed for how long they will take.  Different patients different needs.  By placing 4 patients in one slot of 4X the average time for one patient this difference may be accomodated whilst optimising the maximum use of the limited resources.

Also have a thought for the poor souls having to meet professional and ethical standards and meet increasingly challenging demands.

Whatever, telling you this first might have made things easier to tolerate, granted.

Best Wishes

It makes zero sense to me that it could possibly be a more effective system than actually giving patients their own times. As I was seen an hour and a half late, it obviously isn't a system that is working.

I can sympathise, with hospitals, but also with you as I find it distressing to be left waiting that long and anxiety can spike.

It can also lead to people getting annoyed and then if they complain can get accused of being abusive if staff themselves are short tempered. If you have ADHD, I can imagine a wait that long is unbearable.

If someone works, trying to explain why your so late to your boss might not be good for staying employed either. 

Not a good system all round.

TheCatWoman said:

but others can be really abrupt and unfriendly to everyone, as an autistic person I find this really difficult.

Me too. 

Having been there in that situation from both sides I am drawn to consider what it is that makes the staff member be abrupt and unfriendly. 

Maintaining a pleasant demeanor may seem to be a fundamental in a caring or service environment however for people who for, whatever reason, don't "feel" that way is put simply: emotional labour.   This can be as hard or indeed much harder than physical work.

One might reasonably say well, that's what they're paid for...

However in practice they are masking - and as autistic people we, I propose may be well placed to acknowledge how hard and damaging this can be.

I consider it important to give people at least the benefit of the doubt on whether they have a good reason for being unpleasant and try not to take it personally - at least until I know more about their circumstances.

understood TheCatWoman I was making a statement about myself that might also be considered in a general sense.  Naturally any system needs to be able to be flexible enought to enable fair solutions to individual needs and diversity rather than a "one-size-fits-all" policy.  In practice this includes the individual professionals and hospitals too I feel.

I physically couldn't wait 3 hours, I'd be in so much pain I'd hardly be able to move and mentally I don't think I'd cope either. I'd be totally overwhelmed, the noise, the business, not knowing if I an go to the toilet, or to get a drink or something to eat and not knowing how long I'd be waiting for. Some staff can be very helpful and friendly and understand that if you have a long wait, then you might need food and drink, but others can be really abrupt and unfriendly to everyone, as an autistic person I find this really difficult. Also what makes not sense to me is that some clinics do individual appointments and others do group ones and all at the same hospital, which suggests to me that some surgeons/doctors have some amount of say in how thier clinics are organised. 

  hehe - up the workers!!

Now that I can definitely believe!

I agree it would.  In the bigger picture this would reduce waiting times.  However in my experience in many situations the people who are setting the time frames when people are already under significant pressure, stress, or intense scrutiny to perform a task or meet a deadline in work activities. are not those who are actually doing the job...  

I agree it would.  In the bigger picture this would reduce waiting times.  However in my experience in many situations the people who are setting the time frames when people are already under significant pressure, stress, or intense scrutiny to perform a task or meet a deadline in work activities. are not those who are actually doing the job...  

  hehe - up the workers!!

Now that I can definitely believe!