Waiting at the doctor's clinic

The one thing patients hate universally is waiting at the doctor's clinic. Often these waits seem interminable - and to add insult to injury, they are considered to be "routine" - and no one even bothers to apologise for making you wait ! Making you wait makes a lot of sense from the doctor's point of view. The more the patients he sees, the more the money he makes. Also, many doctors take pride in having a full-house of patients. This flatters their ego - and is also an excellent marketing tool, because patients feel reassured that such a busy doctor must be good ! However, why do patients put up with this waiting ? After all, you are paying good money to see the doctor, and your time is valuable too ! I think the only reason doctors make patients wait is that they can get away with it. If patients started walking out if they were made to wait excessively, doctors would improve their efficiency dramatically ! I know one patient who actually sent the doctor a bill for the time he was made to wait in the office without an explanation or apology. Till then, the best you can do is carry a paperback to pass the time...