Waiting seems to be part of life. We wait in lines at the market or at the movies. We wait about our acceptance into college. And we wait at the doctor's office. And we wait and wait.
Sometimes that wait can be an hour or more. Usually there are no emergencies for that waiting. Another a patient may have been late. Due to insurance and Medicare payments, doctors often overbook appointments to cram in as many patients in a day. These things are common and are a nuisance. These are not life threatening waits.
Here's a waiting story about our guest Michelle Chaffee. Michelle is a healthcare advocate, helping patients navigate our crazy maze of reaching a doctor. Keep in mind that many of Michelle's friends are doctors and other healthcare providers.
After being told she had cancer, Michelle has to wait weeks to see an oncologist. Weeks! What goes through her head are things like is this thing growing fast inside of me? Am I dying? The good news is that Michelle is okay. The waiting for appointments, lab results and even surgery could have killed her. Why do we have to wait so long when the problem is urgent?
