Waiting Patiently

To the Editor: Dr. Goitein (Aug. 30 issue)* ignores the fact that any increase in the "booking factor" automatically decreases overall access to the physician. For example, if only 20 appointment slots are defined during a given clinic session instead of 25, some patients won't be able to see the doctor at all that day. Their time in the waiting room will instead be spent waiting outside that health care system entirely, for days or weeks. Many practitioners schedule themselves heavily for the simple reason that they are trying to meet their patients' needs — not just to avoid idleness. . . .