Re: Queueing Theory Course Outline.


"David R. Birch" <dbirch@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:479c12f2$0$22808$4c368faf@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Dave Hinz wrote:
(snip)

That said, this doesn't change the fact that me, as the customer,
has a different optimization goal than the doctor. If they don't
know how badly their staff is handling their appointments, tell
them. If they know but don't care, change docs. It's a commodity
product, no different than gasoline or sugar. If they don't meet
your requirements, fire them and move on. Your expertise is no
different than theirs, other than in the specific field of
knowledge. If their staff is mishandling their schedule, tell
them. If they don't fix it, fire them.

Easy to say change docs, but there are other issues than waiting. I've
had good docs and bad docs, some made me wait more than others but I'm
not going to fire a good doc who makes me wait for an unknown doc who
may still make me wait. I'm not interested in changing docs until I
have no nits to pick.

Besides, who wastes time in a waiting room? Read the book you brought
with you. No book? Plan better in the future. Or, as Heinlein said
"Waiting is." Embrace tranquility.

David

That's a good way to look at it if it works out for you. Another way of
looking at it is that a policy which makes patients normally wait 15-20
minutes past their appointment time indicates a lack of regard for the
customers. If they're willing to show their lack of regard in this obvious
a way, who knows what other corners they may cut which aren't so apparent?

It's bad manners, you understand, ill treatment, to make an appointment
which you have no intention of showing up on time for. It shows contempt
for the customers. You might appreciate an extra 20 minutes during the day
to read, but for people who work during the day, those 20 minutes could mean
the difference between a good and a bad day businesswise. Also consider the
people who find the chairs in the waiting area uncomfortable. Or when the
other people waiting have screaming kids, or another patient has a loud,
hacking cough, etc.; or when the only seats available are the ones by the
door so you get an icy blast every time someone opens the door--if you're
able to enjoy a book under those conditions, that's fine, but not everyone
else is.



.

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