Making an appointment means the doctor’s office is aware you are coming and has made time to see you.

No matter how hard we try, sometimes life gets in the way of our plans. It may be a last-minute phone call, an unexpected visitor at the door, or you are stuck driving in traffic. The result is you may be late or miss your appointment.

What should you do?
It’s important to call the doctor’s office and tell them you will be late or need to cancel the appointment. If you’re going to be late, the office may not be able to get you in with the doctor as soon as you arrive. Or the office may suggest you reschedule your appointment for another day or time. If you have to cancel your appointment, they can usually set up a new appointment with you during the same call.

As it is with any other schedule—work, school or social plans—when you are late, you can miss something important. And you leave others waiting. No one likes to be left waiting.

It’s the same with your doctor. Most doctors’ daily schedules are full with patients needing to be seen. If one person is late, it can make the rest of the day run behind. This can mean longer wait times for patients (like you) that arrive afterward and on time for their appointment.

Again, no one likes to be kept waiting, especially when they have an appointment. Remember the appointment you made is just as important to your doctor as it is to you. Both the doctor and you set aside time for your medical needs.

If you have ever had to wait past your appointment time, chances are, someone else was late for their appointment earlier that day.