Must control fist of death

[telerib]

Sooo, I had my consult with the gastroenterologist today. Appointment at 12:00, new patients arrive 15 min early. I get there at 11:40 and sign in.

Around noon, the receptionist gives me the paperwork to fill out. When I try to hand it back, she waves me off, as she is doing other paperwork.

By 12:20 or so, she is ready for my paperwork. She copies my photo ID and insurance cards. She finally asks for my referral. I hand it to her.

She looks at my insurance card. "MD-IPA? They need the long form. This is a scrip. You'll have to come back."

"Can we call my doctor's office? I'm sure they can fax over the right form. I took a half day off of work to come in today."

"The doctor leaves at noon and I can't wait for them to fax it."

"Oh, so if I had the right paperwork, I'd be seen now?"

"Yes."

"Oh. Because I'm never sure when I have another hour to wait for the doctor." Smile.

Now, it's not her fault my doctor's receptionists didn't seem to realize that my insurance needed a different form. Nor is it her fault that she needs the right form. It's also not her fault that this is my sixth office visit to someone in two months, and only one of those six visits started anywhere near their supposed start time. But if she'd checked me in when I got there, since I got there early for that very PURPOSE, there would have been time to get the right form. More than enough time, since the doctor was late anyway.

Grrr...

Comments

[cmccurry.livejournal.com]

Ah the levels of gross incompetence and idiocy that we tolerate from our health care professionals. Perhaps you should bill his office for your time.

[curiousangel.livejournal.com]

Waitaminnit... the doctor leaves at noon, which just so happens to be when they scheduled your consult? She needs to put the crack pipe down, and get her lazy ass back to work.

There are way too many people in customer service positions who aren't focused on what is actually important. She should have said something like, "There's been an error, but I'll call them and get it faxed over right away. Let's get you processed so we can get this underway."

Make sure that at some point, you ask to speak with the office manager, and let them know that you waited for 45 minutes before being told that they didn't have time to get the form faxed over. If they're overscheduling, well, the office manager should already know about that, but they hate rebooking, as they're losing a billable timeslot that way.