Why do doctors run late?

You’ve turned up at the doctor’s clinic on time. But you’re scrolling on your phone, watching the clock tick past your appointment time. By the time you’re called in, you’re running late for work or school pick-up, and you’re getting stressed.

Yes, it can be frustrating. It might seem like your doctor’s always running late.

But your doctor isn’t delayed because they disrespect your time. There are many reasons for running late, some unrelated to your doctor or the clinic.

Let’s unpack what’s happening in your average GP clinic.

‘Spanners in the works’

You might expect appointments to run like a well-oiled machine. You turn up, and are seen at your allotted time. In reality, patients can easily wait 20 minutes to see the doctor.

There are many factors why. We’ll call these “spanners in the works”, events or reasons why things don’t always go to plan.

There are reasons related to individual patients. These include a patient mixing up the time of the appointment or running late themselves. A patient can ask if another family member can fit into the same appointment, or they may suddenly want to discuss extra concerns.

On the clinic’s side, hold-ups can arise due to medical emergencies, technology hiccups, or managing complicated cases or paperwork.

Apart from seeing patients, GPs need to perform a range of other tasks including: completing consultation notes; organising referrals, care plans or family meetings; checking daily pathology and imaging results; and liaising with specialists, pharmacists and hospitals.

GPs need time to complete these tasks, which they normally squeeze into the slim space between each patient. So it’s easy to see how an unexpected urgent issue can quickly derail a doctor’s schedule.

All these issues add up over the course of the day and can cause significant delays.

A symptom of bigger issues

Running late is also a symptom of wider health-related issues. Australians are living longer with multiple, chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and mental health issues. So patients need more time with the doctor to manage these often complex, long-term conditions.

Australians are also seeing GPs more often – on average 6.2 times a year in 2024, up from 3.8 when Medicare started in 1984. This is due to a variety of factors, including an ageing population and higher rates of chronic disease.

Running late can be a symptom of bigger health system issues. Australia’s health department projects a shortfall of about 2,600 GPs by 2028, growing to 8,600 by 2048.

An ageing GP workforce, more GPs working part time, and not enough new doctors entering general practice to replace those retiring are all contributors.

All this means GPs will likely become busier, harder to book and yes, more likely to run late.

The hidden impacts of running late

Running late isn’t just inconvenient. GPs can feel pressured to shorten consultations to catch up.

This can have multiple consequences: less history taking or examination time, over-ordering tests, less patient-centred care, and reduced shared decision-making. A late-running GP might also miss opportunities for preventative care.

But longer consultations are linked to positives such as less antibiotic misuse, lower referral rates to specialists for issues they could manage themselves, and fewer consultations for issues that could have been covered in an earlier appointment.

What might help?

Some practices are using pre-consultation questionnaires, which patients can complete online before their appointment. These include questions about their medical history, changes in symptoms and the reason for the appointment.

These questionnaires can also encourage patients to disclose relevant information in a safe and secure manner, address what the patient hopes to cover in a consultation, and allow the doctor to plan their consultation before the visit begins.

Studies show about 90% of patients find these helpful, and doctors report completing their appointments faster while still being thorough.

Clinics could also:

What you can do

To help the day run smoothly you can:

• Book the right length appointment if you have a tricky issue or multiple things to discuss. Ask for a long consultation, or consider returning for a follow-up visit.

• Write down any questions in advance to make sure nothing is missed. Better still, give this list to your GP at the start of your visit so they can help prioritise your needs.

• Consider telehealth for issues such as test result follow-ups or script renewals. This may also allow both you and the clinic to be more flexible with the timing of the appointment.

• Try to attend without your kids if you can if discussing complex or sensitive issues. If you want to discuss your child’s health, book a separate appointment before or after yours.

• Try to build a working relationship with one regular GP. Visits tend to be more efficient and you will receive better overall care.