I work in a pediatricians office, I can tell you it is not always the physician running behind, it is the patients that make him/her behind. For examples, when our first pt is scheduled at 8:30 and shows up at 8:40 saying, "sorry I am a little late" that puts the rest of the day behind, and this happens a few times a day, the patients at the end of the day are the ones who wait longer. The patient who had blood work ordered, and shows up at the hospital with no order, again we drop everything to get it sent over. Also one patient is scheduled, and they bring along the brother because he has a fever too, they did not schedule this patient, so when we work them in, we do ask that they call ahead, maybe there is a better time to accommodate two patients but they don't care as long as they are seen, now we are behind longer. The parent who shows with her son's physical form that needs signed now because he cannot try out for football unless signed now. Again, we have to put the chart, fill out the form, the physician who should be going on to their next patient has to now review the form and sign it. Medication refills don't even get me started on how many times we have to interrupt for refill because we ask for 48 hour notice, but we usually get a few hours. My favorite is when a patient is brought in by a Mom or Dad and the parent who was not present at the visit, calls and wants the physician to call them so they know what is going on with the child. I know I feel sorry for our physicians, there are many days after office hours, they spend another hour or two doing medications, physical forms, calling parents.