A 29-Year-Old Man Visits the Urgent Care Clinic with a Sore

A 29-year-old man visits the urgent care clinic with a sore throat and nasal congestion. He is led to an examining room after 2 hours of waiting. The vital indicators are within normal ranges. When the doctor enters the room, the patient exclaims loudly, "I've been here for several hours and there aren't many people in the waiting room. I'm skipping work to come here." In addition to praising the patient for their patience, which of the following physician answers is most appropriate?

A) "I apologize for the delay; let's talk about the symptoms you've been experiencing."
B) "I know the waiting room appears empty; the staff is working hard to see patients efficiently."
C) "Unfortunately, the wait was so long because we triage patients based on urgency and severity."
D) "Wait times are usually shorter at outpatient offices because urgent care clinics can be unpredictable."
E) "You have a reason to be angry.  I'm also frustrated that patients have to wait this long."