A Reddit post about a doctor’s late appointments sparked debate over medical offices respecting patients’ time. The post appeared on r/mildlyinfuriating, where the patient described one particularly frustrating appointment. The post amassed over 7,700 upvotes and 595 comments at the time of publication.
The Reddit user said their child uses a wheelchair and threw up during the car ride. Heavy construction also slowed traffic near the appointment. The patient arrived late after dealing with those problems. They said the doctor usually made patients wait about an hour.
Instead, the doctor confronted the patient about the delay. The doctor reportedly said, “You guys have made me cancel three of my meetings.” The doctor then asked the patient to respect their time during future appointments. The patient described the doctor’s tone as “the most passive aggressive tone.”
Doctor’s Late Appointments Become the Bigger Issue
The patient said the complaint felt unfair because the doctor frequently ran late. They also said the doctor rarely kept to scheduled appointment times. The patient clarified that they held no grudge against doctors or healthcare workers. They said the situation frustrated them because the doctor treated one late arrival differently.
The patient also explained that they acknowledged their lateness. The doctor still accepted the appointment, ordered X-rays, and continued with the visit. That detail did little to calm Reddit commenters. Many users focused on the apparent double standard.
One commenter compared the situation to job interviews. They joked that society punishes people for arriving late after demanding early arrival. Another user described waiting 90 minutes before their therapist confronted them, accusing them of harassing the front desk staff, though The Daily Dot could not verify this account.
Other commenters shared similar experiences with doctors, dentists, therapists, and other healthcare providers. One commenter said a doctor kept them waiting while complaining about early appointments. The doctor reportedly walked in carrying a Starbucks breakfast.
Another Reddit user described an 8 a.m. appointment that started more than an hour late. The practice later admitted that the doctor rarely arrived before 9 a.m. Some commenters defended doctors and healthcare workers. One user said doctors often spend extra time reviewing patient files.
Another commenter explained that physicians can face emergencies and unexpected complications. Those situations can push later appointments behind schedule. Still, several users argued that offices should communicate delays. Some said patients deserve the same consideration when circumstances cause lateness.
The discussion also touched on cancellation fees. Several commenters complained about providers charging patients for late cancellations. One commenter described paying a $100 cancellation fee while severely ill, saying they attended the appointment anyway because they could not afford the penalty.
The Daily Dot was unable to independently verify the events described in the post or the identities of those involved. The details above reflect the account shared on r/mildlyinfuriating.
