"Drop-In" Clinic???

This week, I took my fourteen year old daughter to a "drop-in" clinic because she was suffering from a sinus infection.  Our family doctor is away for several more days so I was unable to take my girl there.

Anyway, we get to the "drop-in" clinic around 3:30, which isn't really late in the day.  The first question we were asked was "do you have an appointment?"  Well, hmm.  Nope.  I was under the impression this is a drop-in clinic.  They claim to be.  They just book appointments and have a cut-off time for accepting more drop-in patients.

In my mind, you are not a "drop-in" clinic if you book appointments.  Appointments defeat the purpose.  If you were actually wondering if we had already checked in, then word your question differently so there's no confusion, frustration or annoyance. I also understand you must have a "cut-off" time for accepting patients or the clinic would be open twenty-four hours.

They directed me to a new drop-in clinic that is only open from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m.  It was approximately an hour till they opened, so my daughter and I cruised by the location.  They had one enormous sign on an office building with multiple offices.  Not ONE sign on the door we needed to go in when the time arrived.  Really???  Are we just supposed to pick one and hope for the best?

Now, I'm beyond annoyed.  I'm just plain ol' pissed.  This is why I rarely do the "right" thing of going to a drop-in clinic and head straight to the emergency room.  We wasted forty-five minutes when we could have been waiting at the hospital.  Forty-five minutes off the over-all treatment time.  Forty-five minutes with no frustration, annoyances or anger.  Forty-five minutes neither of us will ever get back.

We were in the emergency room for approximately two hours.  Start to finish.  They have a "fast-track" area that speeds simple cases through.  The emergency room did a great job.  Thank you.

To all the rest of you so-called "drop-in" clinics:

#1:  Don't advertise yourself as a drop-in clinic if an appointment needs to be booked.

#2:  Put your damned sign on the door so people can find you.