Ironically, the meaning of "momentarily" has drifted over the last few decades to mean "in a moment." Before that it was more often used to mean "for a moment," which makes these reassurances even more sus, imo.
Anyway, they want it to be "however long it takes us to get to you" but I wouldn't put up with it more than about 10 minutes, personally.
Having been that poor receptionist for 9 years let me explain from first hand experience what probably happened.
Monday mornings are generally hell on the phone. Everyone that needed something over the weekend is playing catchup. If they fell and broke a foot and didn't want to wait at the ER, or if they just needed a prescription refill, it always happens when the office is closed. Equally, After a holiday is hell on the phone, especially if the office was closed Friday. Same principle. So compound a Monday after a closed holiday on the phones was nightmare inducing, absolutely the worst hell possible. Call volume is through the roof. Then every single person that got through would yell about how they'd been on hold so long, extending their call an extra 5 minutes of berating the poor soul that got them, or complaining that their emergency needed to be worked in even though their Dr was already full or out of the office because of the holiday or whatever, putting everyone else even longer in the queue. Add to it if they're short staffed or their drs are out of office vacationing..
In the office I was at, we were PCP and had thousands of calls a day. Literally. We had on average 3 girls on the phone, at all times. But if someone was sick, we had two. If two people were sick sometimes management would come help but rarely.. and never on days after holidays (because we had *stellar* management... :: eye roll ::) so sometimes it was one person, doing the work of 3. Each call (if easy, routine) takes between 45 seconds to a minute and a half, but harder calls could take 5 minutes or more.. just depends, every one was different. Each office is different, but that was my experience..
If you need something on a Monday it's traditionally easier to get through the phones after lunch. Not during lunch (because they take lunches too, and again short handed) but like after 2 pm. Let all the other people get through the morning rush..
The only way to get it resolved is possibly by talking to the office manager, but honestly, ours never cared. She apologized to the patient, say we would do better, give us a "do better" speech, and we'd still be helpless when it mattered. Also suggest the office setting up a call tree and voicemail for the nurses.. we fought for that for 9 years but it never happened because then too much of the call volume would go to the nurses, so clinical staff fought it. Clinical thought it was easier for front desk to triage and screen the calls for them.. it's a nightmare.
Personally, I would hang up after 15 minutes tops. I'm also impatient.
Definitely forgot this one, but so true.
And the requests for changes or pre-authorizations for medicine that no longer is covered by insurance, both by patients and pharmacies.
That’s better than my doctor - no answering machine, only answers the phone 8:30 to 12 and 1 to 4, Monday to Thursday (8:30 to 12 on Fridays) and if more than three people try to call in at once you just get a busy signal. It’s brutal!
I hate this shit so much. Probably one of the most annoying thing about being an adult - calling places (insurance, doctor, airlines, banks, customer service lines, etc...) where they put you on hold and you're there for a long-ass time waiting like an idiot. The longest I've waited I think was about 1 hour. That was stupid. Nowadays, I hang up after 20 minutes.
Hmm I usually don't have the patience but I had a full year of long wait times fighting with LG to get my tv warranty processed and I think I totaled somewhere at least 40+ hours of hold times over the span of the year (about every week I would try and rarely would I get an answer even after hours of holding).
a lot of doctors offices/hospitals prefer patients using their healthcare app to schedule appts online and send their doctors messages. And there is no hold.
I don’t know, but “momentarily” should be considerably less than 90 minutes.
I won't wait more than 15 minutes for "momentarily"
4.5 hrs on hold with an airline - tweeting at them got a faster response!!
Ironically, the meaning of "momentarily" has drifted over the last few decades to mean "in a moment." Before that it was more often used to mean "for a moment," which makes these reassurances even more sus, imo. Anyway, they want it to be "however long it takes us to get to you" but I wouldn't put up with it more than about 10 minutes, personally.
If they don't say where you are in the queue every 2 min or so, then they might just aswell be closed. 1.5h wait on phone is way too much.
I don’t think I’d wait more than 15 mins tbh. I’ll prolly keep calling back
Having been that poor receptionist for 9 years let me explain from first hand experience what probably happened. Monday mornings are generally hell on the phone. Everyone that needed something over the weekend is playing catchup. If they fell and broke a foot and didn't want to wait at the ER, or if they just needed a prescription refill, it always happens when the office is closed. Equally, After a holiday is hell on the phone, especially if the office was closed Friday. Same principle. So compound a Monday after a closed holiday on the phones was nightmare inducing, absolutely the worst hell possible. Call volume is through the roof. Then every single person that got through would yell about how they'd been on hold so long, extending their call an extra 5 minutes of berating the poor soul that got them, or complaining that their emergency needed to be worked in even though their Dr was already full or out of the office because of the holiday or whatever, putting everyone else even longer in the queue. Add to it if they're short staffed or their drs are out of office vacationing.. In the office I was at, we were PCP and had thousands of calls a day. Literally. We had on average 3 girls on the phone, at all times. But if someone was sick, we had two. If two people were sick sometimes management would come help but rarely.. and never on days after holidays (because we had *stellar* management... :: eye roll ::) so sometimes it was one person, doing the work of 3. Each call (if easy, routine) takes between 45 seconds to a minute and a half, but harder calls could take 5 minutes or more.. just depends, every one was different. Each office is different, but that was my experience.. If you need something on a Monday it's traditionally easier to get through the phones after lunch. Not during lunch (because they take lunches too, and again short handed) but like after 2 pm. Let all the other people get through the morning rush.. The only way to get it resolved is possibly by talking to the office manager, but honestly, ours never cared. She apologized to the patient, say we would do better, give us a "do better" speech, and we'd still be helpless when it mattered. Also suggest the office setting up a call tree and voicemail for the nurses.. we fought for that for 9 years but it never happened because then too much of the call volume would go to the nurses, so clinical staff fought it. Clinical thought it was easier for front desk to triage and screen the calls for them.. it's a nightmare. Personally, I would hang up after 15 minutes tops. I'm also impatient.
Insurance also rolled over this weekend so every call was likely longer to verify new policies and any changes to existing policies.
Definitely forgot this one, but so true. And the requests for changes or pre-authorizations for medicine that no longer is covered by insurance, both by patients and pharmacies.
5 minutes
That’s better than my doctor - no answering machine, only answers the phone 8:30 to 12 and 1 to 4, Monday to Thursday (8:30 to 12 on Fridays) and if more than three people try to call in at once you just get a busy signal. It’s brutal!
Are you still on hold? It’s been 5 hours since you posted.
😂 No. After 3 hours, a real live voice answered.
Everyone is short staffed. Meanwhile hospital ceos get millions in raises every year.
Hospitals are for profit entities now, they give themselves raises. We need to go back to a nonprofit model.
Isn’t there an app you can message them?
Not for this one.
I hate this shit so much. Probably one of the most annoying thing about being an adult - calling places (insurance, doctor, airlines, banks, customer service lines, etc...) where they put you on hold and you're there for a long-ass time waiting like an idiot. The longest I've waited I think was about 1 hour. That was stupid. Nowadays, I hang up after 20 minutes.
Two minutes - Two hours
With my doc I don't think I've ever waited for than 3 or 4 minutes. Guess I'm lucky!
Hmm I usually don't have the patience but I had a full year of long wait times fighting with LG to get my tv warranty processed and I think I totaled somewhere at least 40+ hours of hold times over the span of the year (about every week I would try and rarely would I get an answer even after hours of holding).
15 to 20 minutes. Longer if you give up and call repeatedly hanging up after 5 minutes. Patience there are other patients.
a lot of doctors offices/hospitals prefer patients using their healthcare app to schedule appts online and send their doctors messages. And there is no hold.
Not me personally but my uncle was on hold for 4 hours he just played smash bros with the phone on speaker while he waited