In response to the slideshow MedPage Today posted Monday, "10 Things Doctors Wish They Could Tell Their Patients, But Don't," we received the following reply from a patient's perspective. The author is Marilyn Geiger, of Greenwich, Conn., who holds a law degree from Columbia University but describes herself primarily as a mother and grandmother with "no experience in medicine other than as a patient."

1. My time is valuable, too. Stop overbooking, and at least give me the courtesy of an apology when you are running late.

2. If you find that patients are being rude to your office staff, try sending in a shill patient so that you can see how staff interacts with patients when you're out of earshot.

3. Please don't make me call the office three times before you call in a refill for that antihypertensive/proton pump inhibitor/levothyroxine that I've been on for years.

4. Your nurse has long fingernails, and I wonder if her hands are really clean.

5. I know electronic health records are the new thing, but it would be nice if you looked up from your computer once or twice while I am describing my symptoms.

6. Walk the talk. Don't tell me to lose weight when you can barely button your white coat these days. Don't you think I notice?

7. Yes, I know the drug rep is pretty, but it's not fair to make me wait so that you can enjoy her attentions for a while longer.

8. If the phone menu at your office requires that I press more than two buttons to get where I need to be, it should be redesigned.

9. I am human. I am scared. What is routine to you is earth-shattering to me. I know that's hard to understand after all your years in practice, but it's true.

10. I appreciate you. If I didn't, I would never make a second appointment.