Try to get call backs

[MR.N]

I have called the doctor 3 times trying to get records faxed to another doctor that he referred me to. No call back after each call. I need them by 1:00 tomorrow.

I am so mad I could just>>>>>. I have gotten the run around at about all of the 8 doctors that I have seen. Too many nurses / office people and operators screw up too many things.

I went for a biopsy and the doctor had on the report that I had corperal tunnel, had to go see someone else.

All this crap takes so much time.

Any one else having problems? I won't even go into my 4 day stay in the hospital. Thats another story, med screw ups and over billing!

Mr. N

 

[Bobby C]

Mr. N.

I totally symphathize with you. We have learned that we have to be very aggresive with doctor's and medicial faciliies staff personnel. In the last few months, I've had a blood sample mislaid or mislhandled, had to repeat a blood sample for a parathyroid test, had trouble getting a spinal tap and glucose test done in time for my next visit to the neurologist. But my problems seem minor compared to yours. I hope you have better luck in the futue. Best wishes to for good lhealth.

 

[patricia1]

Have the doctor your going to call first thing in the morning for your records maybe they will have better luck.Or show up in the office in the moring and tell them ypu wont leave until you have your records
Be aggressive!

good luck

Pat1

 

[hopingforthebest]

The office that you are going to can request fax, same day from your referring doctor. I work medical field and honestly the saying "you get more with honey then with vinegar" really applies. My husband has ALS and we email our ALS office and get call back or email within two days.

Another thing, always, always, ask nicely, to whom I am speaking to, write down the persons name at the office so that if you need to get back with them, you have a contact. But remember, we are not their only patient and they have call backs throughout the day while treating appointment patients, calling in meds, scheduling tests, getting tests approved by YOUR insurance, writing scripts, filing paper work, computer work........Oh do I sound like I am complaining? No, just giving you the inside story.

Good luck, stay calm and try to be nice! My husband is a doll and never complains and I must say is a favorite patient wherever he goes. Am I bragging? Indeed!

 

[BethU]

I don't have much luck staying serene with all the run-arounds and lost blood tests, etc., but that's great advice to try, and I'm going to see if I can sweeten up ... while still staying assertive. I get a copy of every test result on the spot, if I can (and I scan every test order before I take it to a lab ... this was a huge help when the lab lost my blood draw three times, count 'em, three times, for one MG test, and I was able to produce copies of each order, and show the dates the draws were performed).

If I can't get a copy of a test report on the spot (I could with lung function tests, etc., but not blood tests) I ask whoever to send the report to me ASAP. My primary care physician knows now to automatically make a copy for me of every test result she gets in.

When the referring doctor stalled for a month on getting paperwork for a clinic, I finally asked the clinic receptionist to please tell me what reports they were missing, and I was able to fax my own copies to them immediately, and that did the trick.

This won't help you right now, but I sure sympathize. I'm learning the hard way it's going to be up to me to keep the process moving.
Beth

 

[laurel]

Hi Mr. N.,
We've all experienced what you are going through with the medical system. A nurse in the medical day care where my husband gets treatment advised us to develop a relationship with the doctor's receptionist, call her by name, and basically really suck up to her. I must say it has worried like a charm since we started doing that. We get prompt call backs, copies of his records promptly etc. So we do make a point of calling her by name when we phone or go in and ask how she is and thank her profusely for her efficiency. She also suggested giving the neurologist and the secretary a bottle of wine at Christmas which we did. And we saw quite a difference in how we were treated thereafter. I know it may go against the grain to have to do those kind of things, but I am prepared to do what I have to to get better treatment for my husband.
Laurel

 

[ladyk]

I was beginning to wonder...

that possibly my doctors office was just the most incompetent place ever! When I had a nasty fall a month ago and went to ER, they said to follow up with my physician and it took 3wks of calling them everyday to get a call back and follow up appt. Yesterday I went to an appointment set up by physicians office 2 1/2 months ago to have, I thought, a biopsy on a thyroid lesion (that my physician didn't find!) only to find out phys ofc needs to set up appt with a surgeon in the radiology dept. How the _e_l did he not know that to begin with! Now I'm sure I will wait an eternity for a call back re the next appt! I may have cancer and have now been waiting 3 1/2 months for someone to check it out! In the meantime at the follow up from the fall appt on Monday I was told to go to neurologist (finally, ya think!) and that they'd call Tues with appt time...of course I've not heard from them yet. I've been sick for 11 months now and know that I'm not the only sick person and that the wheels of the medical establishment move oh so slowly but I really feel like nobody cares or is taking care of me. It may be the scariest part of this whole thing. What if instead of being up all night cuz the twitching is so severe that someone could have given me medication so I could at least rest some. Even that would be helpful and humane! Anyway, I should stop now and call the docs office! Thanks for "listening" it soothes the soul. So sorry to anyone who is enduring the same wrecthed treatment.

 

[MR.N]

thanks for all your help

I went to yet another doctor on Friday at Northwestern Memorial in Chicago. I think I found our Doctor. I say our Doctor, as my wife went with me. This doctor did things too me that no one else every had done. She did agree that it looks like ALS. I do not have any pain, Right now the biggest issue is the lack of energy. I mowed the back yard this morning and that slept on the couch for 3 hours. I do have a riding mower. After the nap I went outside and picked up 1 sack of yard waste, tired again, slept another two hours, still tired.

Anyway, thanks to all. I'll keep reading as this is all new to me. Thanks to my wife.