You're not just apologizing for your delay but for any inconvenience in the entire system. When you apologize for delay, you are acknowledging the value of the patient's time and reminding the patient that you have limited control. The patient will almost always forgive you. In 15 seconds, the patient knows if you are polite. If you are nonchalant, rushed, or casually friendly later on, the patient will be more likely to think of you as polite if you are polite in the first 15 seconds.
Many physicians think that they can document too much.
Saying less, they believe, will leave them a greater flexibility to explain their actions in the event of a bad outcome or a malpractice case. Unfortunately, they are in correct. In a quality assurance inquiry or malpractice case, the main purpose of documentation is to demonstrate that you practiced to the standard of care. Chart entries about what you did that are completed prior to an adverse event may be more credible than the most sympathetic witness. It is quite common to testify that you did something that was not documented, but a jury or QI committee may not believe you.