4 Years and 5 Doctors
I changed doctors this morning. I didn't really want to -- we're moving in less than a year, and enduring a mediocre doctor for that long seemed less of a bother than switching. But the nurse practitioner for this doctor screwed a test up at my annual visit six weeks ago, and they called me this morning to tell me I needed to come in to have it redone. Annoying. I asked that this time I be given an appointment with the doctor, and was told that I could get on a waiting list for an appointment in mid-February, with no guarantee that I would actually get an appointment. I said that this would be fine, and then the receptionist/scheduler put me on hold (they called me) only to come back and tell me that she'd have to check with the doctor and call me back.
Three hours later they had not called back.
Mind you, I'm not asking them for anything. They are attempting to rectify a mistake they made. I went online, looked at reviews for doctors, switched my PCP, and now have an appointment with doctor in mid-January. I view this as a completely reasonable wait for a new patient, especially given the upcoming holidays.
I am not a high-needs patient. Other than annual check-ups, in the last four years I have called my doctor about a migraine, allergic reactions, a tendon problem, and a flu shot. The first doctor I had, in another state, was very old and her office staff even older. It was impossible to get even routine information out of them. The next doctor was in some sort of alternative clinic, clearly anorexic, and had halitosis. I left her when I called for a semi-urgent care appointment (the allergic reaction), was told she was on vacation, that she had no doctor to whom she was referring her patients, and that I should go to the emergency room. The next doctor was fine, great, really, but we moved out of state.
Why should this be so hard? My ob-gyn was awesome, my son's pediatricians have been superb. I'm not sure if I have terrible luck, or there's some sort of endemic problem with general practitioners.
(I realize this is a bit of rant, and that I have it better than most. I cannot imagine how those with no or marginal insurance cope. I just need to get this off my chest.)
Three hours later they had not called back.
Mind you, I'm not asking them for anything. They are attempting to rectify a mistake they made. I went online, looked at reviews for doctors, switched my PCP, and now have an appointment with doctor in mid-January. I view this as a completely reasonable wait for a new patient, especially given the upcoming holidays.
I am not a high-needs patient. Other than annual check-ups, in the last four years I have called my doctor about a migraine, allergic reactions, a tendon problem, and a flu shot. The first doctor I had, in another state, was very old and her office staff even older. It was impossible to get even routine information out of them. The next doctor was in some sort of alternative clinic, clearly anorexic, and had halitosis. I left her when I called for a semi-urgent care appointment (the allergic reaction), was told she was on vacation, that she had no doctor to whom she was referring her patients, and that I should go to the emergency room. The next doctor was fine, great, really, but we moved out of state.
Why should this be so hard? My ob-gyn was awesome, my son's pediatricians have been superb. I'm not sure if I have terrible luck, or there's some sort of endemic problem with general practitioners.
(I realize this is a bit of rant, and that I have it better than most. I cannot imagine how those with no or marginal insurance cope. I just need to get this off my chest.)
posted by Nell at 12:40 PM
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