Firesong

Are friends/traveling companions allowed inside clinic waiting rooms?

I just got back from a week's vacation with a friend who was guest dosing at the clinic near our hotel. The first and last day I rode to the clinic with him, first time as navigator, second time because we were headed out of town.
Both times I waited in the car. It was HOT, and there were no other businesses in the shopping center where I could have gone in to wait. He said I could not come in with him.
I understood that, and didn't want to do anything to make him uncomfortable in the new place.
But just wanted to ask here, would the clinic staff have had a problem with me just sitting in the waiting room? I figure it had AC, maybe a water fountain, certainly a rest room!
Do you have any experience with this, as a friend/relative?
Sure, it's past time now, but we're thinking of going back to the same area on our next vacation.

alterity

I would assume that it depends on the clinic.

AnvilheadII

i would also think they wish to protect the privacy of the patients.

i'm trying to get my head around going with a friend to their methadone clinic TWICE while on a one week vacation........would go with them to the dentist?

Firesong

Like I said, I rode along the first time to help navigate as we were in unfamiliar territory and I am a good map reader. And the second time, as I also said in my first post, we were heading out of town and it would have been a waste of time and gas to leave the hotel, go by the clinic, drive all the way back to the hotel to pick me up, and then then back out to the highway. The clinic was on the way from the hotel to the highway.

And yes, I would have done the same thing if we had been on the way out of town and he had had to stop by a dentist's.

I don't see why that should be so hard to get one's head around. I honestly can't get my head around the idea that people can read a post and not take in what it says.

But thank you for your comment about the patients' privacy. That is a good point. Of course I could see them in the parking lot going in and out, and had I wanted to invade their privacy I could have read their license plate numbers, but since it was a medical clinic I kept my attention on other surroundings and did not pay any attention to them. I have spent too many nights in ER waiting rooms to not respect others' privacy as I appreciate their respecting mine.

Edge2007

I would also think it just depends on the clinic.

And yes, I would go to the dentist with my friend or anywhere else they would ask me to go, especially if they needed support. What an odd comment.

Sungrl

Next time roll up the windows and put on the A/C

AnvilheadII

ok, i'm sorry, i totally misread that the friend was WITH you as a traveling companion, not someone you were VISITING. i thought it would be odd to go VISIT someone and then go with THEM to the methadone clinic....or the dentist. totally my bad - i read visiting with a friend AS a guest....

sheesh.

but my bit about the patient's privacy still stands!!!!

Firesong

Thanks, AnvilheadII, I thought you made a really good point about the patients' privacy. Sorry if I sounded a bit snarky about the other; I've just gotten too much web flak the past couple of days.

Sungrl, I appreciate your idea about rolling up the windows and turning on the AC. I thought about that the first morning but the wait was so long I didn't want the car to overheat; and anyway the car didn't have water or a rest room! The second morning he took his key in with him so I couldn't have the engine on or the windows down!

Oh, well, next time I will either get brave and go in anyway and ask the clinic staff if I can sit and wait, or I will ask to be dropped off at the nearest McD's to chill and drink coffee while he drinks his dose.

Thank you all for your replies.