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Dear patients,
Scheduling for a medical practice is always a challenge. We struggle to balance staying on time, with the need to address emergencies and complicated cases.
Most importantly, please recognize that we will always prioritize emergencies: if you have a severe rash, or are greatly concerned about a spot you think may be cancer, do not hesitate to relay this when you are making the appointment. We will try to fit you in within a day or two.
My goal is always to stay on schedule, but there are times when I run behind. The reason for this unpredictability lies in the nature of medicine: it is impossible to anticipate how complicated any specific case will be.
My options would be to either schedule fewer people every hour, which would necessitate delaying your appointment even further, or recognize that I must give each patient the time that person needs to deal with their specific problem.
There are ways you can help with our scheduling. Please be specific when you make your appointment, by telling us accurately why you would like to be seen. If you have a single problem, we can get you in sooner. It is common for people to try to take advantage of what is scheduled as a quick visit, to address additional issues. I can understand the temptation to do this: however, this is an important cause of the delays we experience.
If you are seeking a full skin exam, or have many issues, please make this clear when we schedule you, so we may give you the appropriate amount of time.
Finally, if you find I am running behind and wish to reschedule, we certainly understand and would be glad to make accommodations.
Thank you for your understanding.
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