In case you didn’t already know, bumping is the term we use when we postpone / reschedule your appointment because I’m busy at the hospital.
I do know that many obstetricians don’t do this. They let their waiting room fill up and come to see women when they have finished whatever they are doing at the hospital. My policy has always been not to do this. My strong preference is to reschedule your appointments if I am stuck at the hospital, or are likely to be so.
But I know this is frustrating for you.
However it is worth considering a few things:
- Obviously the nature of obstetrics is that women can go into labour, or suffer an emergency at any time,
- We often have to do things (such as a caesarean or an induction of labour) “semi urgently”; i.e. a day or so after we decide it is necessary,
- With many things (such as semi urgent caesars) I – we – are at the mercy of the hospital in that we get the time we are given and of course that may be in the middle of a scheduled office consulting session,
- When it is your day to give birth (or whatever) you – rightly – will want my full presence and attention, and
- Because I am a simple man I prefer to be able to focus entirely on whomever needs my attention at the hospital to the extent that I don’t want to be worrying about my waiting room filling up with unhappy patients.
Because I limit the number of women I look after this should not be a common occurrence but it definitely happens.
I apologise for the inconvenience that arises but I hope that I am at least respectful of your time by not letting you sit in my waiting room for a long period.
Rob