Why does doctors and dentist thinks their patient time is not important?

A doctor explained to me once that the insurance companies require that they see a certain number of patients per hour, usually eight minutes per patient, and that it nearly always takes more time than that to adequately care for the patient. And if the patient hasn't given the nurse or receptionist the entire reason for making the appointment they may not have allotted adequate time for the appointment. Therefore they get backed up farther and farther as the day goes along. And of course, with a dentist, there are more opportunities for something to complicate the appointment. I try to allow lots of time for any appointment and take along a book to read so I don't get anxious about how long it is taking. The part I hate is when you are put in an examination room where they shut the door and you have no way of knowing if they realize you are even there! Once my mom was put in an exam room, told to lie on the examination table and wait for the doctor. She dozed off to sleep waiting and woke up when they were leaving for the day! Talk about steamed!!! She lost a whole days work and still didn't get to see the doctor.

That, I cannot answer...but I get the same thing at my doctor's office. The "hurry up and wait" thing. Sometimes, I don't think its the doctor's fault, but rather the staff and the clinic/office they work for. For example, my doc works at a clinic style office, I get there on time and I usually wait about 45 minutes or more....then, after I get in back and have my weight, blood pressure, etc checked, its usually another 30 minutes...then I get to see her for a total of 15 minutes! I think that the way the offices have set things up so for "mass production" the more people, the more money, regardless that the doctors don't want it that way nor do the patients. I have been tempted to send a "bill" for my time in waiting, though! Yes, doctors have to go through a LOT of training to get where they are, but WE pay their bills....why should we have to wait when we also have things to do?