My mom had a doctor like this. Mom loved this doctor because she (the doctor) would take alot of time to make sure Mom had a chance to ask questions, etc., and it sounds like your Mom's doctor also takes considerable time (40 minutes is a lot), but the result is these very long waits. I finally had to change my mom's doctor, despite how much we liked her on a personal basis. For me to take mom there meant not only the long waiting time (3 hours was the norm), but there was my time spent going to get Mom from her assisted living apartment, driving to the doctor's office, driving mom BACk to her apartment and then driving home, so all told, a 20-minute visit actually took more like 5-1/2 hours. My mom wasn't on oxygen but she was diabetic and missing a meal could be a problem. At the time, I had four school-age children and was executor for my dad's estate (which was really complicated because he owned a business), and I was about to tear my hair out. I even wrote a short story about it once, titled Me and Mom and the Majorly Sucky Day!.

Try TALKING to the doctor or writing a letter first, maybe he would have some options. But otherwise, you may have to change doctors. The one I have now has never made me wait more than 30 minutes.

Carolyn