doctor, pls

Two days ago I had to go to the hospital, no not me (thanks to someone I rarely have to consult a doctor). She had a throat pain so I thought it would be better to call up and check where an ENT specialist is. Did not call the gov. hospital because I already know how much time it takes to get an appointment, that is if there is an ENT on duty, if not have to go in the early morning and wait in a queue. So called the other, that is private, hospital. I had to listen to a recorded message and follow up on a certain number to get to my required station. I wanted to get doctors duty and know if there is an ENT on duty. But that link did not pick up so waited thinking might go back to an operator but no I had to call again and follow the same. This time pressed the number the recording gave for the customer service and again did not pick. So called three other private, but smaller, clinics and found out that only one place had an ENT specialist but the doctor will be on duty only in the evening and that is about five hours from then. So again tried the private hospital I was calling earlier and luckily or not got hold of someone. I was told that the ENT just began todays consultation and if I went right that moment I might be able to get a token. So that was a happy info and went straight away, yes of course with her. Pressed the digital queue system and got a number which is only for the reception counter to get appointment. Soon our number was on and went to counter and got #15 for the doctor and when checked the flat display on a wall #2 was on. I thought thats not too far away and soon we might have to go in. So went and sat closer to the consultation room where there was another token number display screen right in front. Another tv with bbc channel was on and a beautiful british indian girl (I think, because I do not watch news or tv channels a lot) was presenting but the sound was off. It's interesting to watch without sound because what I see is rapid tiring lip movement which they might not realize how much they are smiling or feeling sorrow along with eye brow jumping up and down, head tilting to and fro left to right, shoulders going up and down and hands dancing with fingers in exciting movements. But every now and then I had to look at the other screen, which is not working well the still content on that screen is rolling as if a flipping screen, to see the token number which was still at #2. After sometime numbers started moving and in adequate time to see each patient. But after #10 again stopped and did not change for 15mins ... and still after 30mins nothing happened. When about 45mins passed I went and asked the receptionist and she called the consulting room and talked with the assistant (I guess) there and then she told me that the doctor took a break!! Slowly I went back and sat since I do not argue at such situations. Just after that I saw someone like a doctor hurriedly passing and going into the consultation room so I guessed he was reminded of the patients waiting. He was chewing something as he went so I think he must have had a nice chat at the coffee shop at the hospital. I thought that doctors were given enough rest time in between each consultation period. Maybe a period of 4, 6 or 8 hours of work followed by the similar periods of break before they come again. Slowly again the numbers started to move and finally after about 2 and half hours or more our turn came and we went in and it took only five minutes. He simply asked her to open her mouth, then he looked in and pressed her neck looked into her ears and thats it, wrote a prescription and asked to return in five days if not better to do a blood test and a thyroid function test. That day for us waiting for few hours was not a big issue but imagine that for an elderly or for a little child. If there is no emergency they do not take in immediately into the ER. So that was when I thought that why don't hospitals have mobile doctors (like how there were mobile order taking waiters in a fast-food in china that we experienced a few years back who came to us while we were in waiting and took orders of all and in no time after we were seated our meal was presented) who can go around waiting areas for quick checkups. I am sure about 80% of those waiting are there for simple checkups or on mild conditions. And a "quicky" doc can have a look and prescribe and send them away in few minutes of their arrival and while they are waiting in the lounge. If need to do a private checkup can move those patients into a close by checkup room or else not. I think this will save a lot of the patients time and the hospital waiting area congestion (not to mention the difficulty of seating on those rubber canvas covered seats producing so much heat even in aircon lounges like that and feels as if getting the trousers damp. When we came back it was exactly three hours since we went there!! She could not say much that day due to her throat problem but otherwise she would have had a story of her own, and would have sent me to counter every five minutes.
This day reminded me of a day we had to find a dentist an year ago. That time she was down south in laamu atoll for about two months to see work at our home and also to enjoy the preparation for the eid celebrations there. I went for the last one week to accompany her return and suddenly she had a toothache and we had to get a flight and come back on the night in the middle of the festive activities. First we tried to get to the regional hospital there but there was no dental facility. On our return we tried the gov. hospital and was the specialists were on eid leave. Then tried the private hospital and was told that an appointment is not possible. So tried a few private dental clinics and no doctors during eid. And since we could wait for a whole week of eid to pass we decided to go abroad the same day but luckily got one appointment for the next day in another private clinic.