patients

Definition

The individuals on the receiving end of healthcare services who are expected to be patient (hence the name) while waiting hours past their appointment time. In medical jargon, they're the humans whose symptoms, insurance coverage, and Google-assisted self-diagnoses keep the healthcare industry running. They're called patients rather than customers because 'customer' implies a choice and reasonable pricing.

Example Usage

The doctor saw 47 patients today, spending an average of 8 minutes with each while typing furiously into an electronic health record system.

Source: Medical terminology

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