When MedPage Today asked if patients who are kept waiting for scheduled appointments should get a discounted bill, almost half of the more than 3,200 respondents said Yes.

Another 16% said a discount wasn't necessary, but patients who are kept cooling their heels in waiting rooms should get a gift card or some other token to acknowledge the value of their time.

Only 38% of the responders nixed the idea of discounts or some other recognition of time as a valuable commodity for both patient and doctor.

The genesis of this poll was an article about patients who bill their doctors for time spent waiting.

In addition to garnering 3,238 votes, the MedPage Today poll also attracted a bumper crop of reader comments -- 107 in all and those comments provide some insight into the thinking behind the votes.

No Double Standard

One of the people who sent in a comment was Pamela Wible, MD, who was featured in the original MedPage Today article and who wrote about this issue in a blog.

Wible had this to say, "My real answer is Yes, if the doctor would charge for being late or missing appointments [patients should get discounts]. No double standard is acceptable in 2011."

In her office, patients who wait more than 10 minutes get an apology and are offered gifts. She said she keeps "... a large gift basket by the door. It's quite fun. Plus, I am prepared for birthdays and anniversaries on the fly."

A doctor who admitted that her clinic "horribly overbooks me sometimes" sent this comment, "I take the time I need with each patient. And I always apologize if I am running late, letting the patient know that the patient ahead of them had more questions that needed attention. I get smiles for this, not anger."

A patient who said she hated to "wait in an office beyond appointment times," added that, as annoying as the wait can be, what she really liked was having "the time to get my questions answered while I am seeing the care provider, and that may take extra time in the office for my needs."

A Spoonful of Sugar

A nurse had some practical — and inexpensive advice — for busy offices: "A little common kindness can go a long way to soothe the upset waiting room. I've been in offices where the doc got tied up and the nurse came out and told the waiting patients the situation and gave them the option to re-schedule."