Doctor MIA
Statest16
Citizen, Mentor
So I have a doctor problem!
Two weeks ago a doctor forgot our appointment and at that juncture I felt it was no problem,he rescheduled for yesterday at 8:45am.
Yesterday came and again ;No appointment,he forgot again,I left him voicemail but he never called back,at this juncture I don't even know where we even stand,he's not in any communication with me.
I could complain but in that case I better request a new doctor,because if he get's repremanded by his superior's he could take it out on me.
I get SSDI benefits, and you get medical reevaluations from time to time,and your doctor's support of your continuing disability is critical to maintain benefits.I would not want him to tell SSA that I'm good to work full time just to spite me for getting him in trouble.
I feel if I do complain to management that I'll have to ask for a new doctor for my own protection.
First missed appointment I thought little of but two in a row plus failure to contact an reschedule after I left a voicemail yesterday morning,I feel is now problem.
I'm afraid if I say nothing I will continue to fall through the cracks and if I stand up,I will be retaliated against?
Comments
Wow. I'm sorry that happened for you! I'd be frustrated and concerned too.
Have you met this doctor before or is it someone new? Do you have confirmation of those two appointment times on email or another means?
I think it's important to keep your cool because of SSDI. If and when they return your call try to sound calm, but do say "It's important that I speak with ____ . It seems we're getting our signals crossed about appointment times. What is the best way to reschedule this appointment?" Maybe see if they do Zoom, because on Zoom you'll at least get an email confirmation prior to the appointment. You'll have proof that it was scheduled.
I'm hoping they return your call today.
In the past with this doctor when he has cancelled for legit reasons management's secretary will call to cancel 24 hours ahead of time.I have never had a cancelled appointment without a secretary calling with 24 hour advance notice.
If he was sick or caught Covid then all his patients would be notified ahead of time without acception,they have always been good at giving notification for needed cancelations.
Something fishy is going on.
It could be a Covid hiccup @Statest16 not something fishy , I know in the UK many appointments are cancelled without reason or contact , if I didn't chase things up myself I would just fall through the net.
This office in 4 years of being a patient has never cancelled without notice
We are in strange times dude , Covid has messed with our lives. I'm not saying it is Covid but Occam's razor says it is.
I understand,it's been phone only since april but they have been reliable,maybe something is going on.I will likely do nothing for now anyway,don't need anything with medicine til december,maybe I should just do nothing for now.
If your SSDI is critical to appointments you should definitely chase it up and get something in writing why you have missed appointments to cover your ass.
I just had to do paperwork to continue my long-term disability from work. They wanted the dates of my last appointments and my upcoming appointments with each doctor. Keep a record of the dates that were missed just in case you ever need them. I would follow up now rather than December just so you can keep the paper trail going. Keep a list of the secretary's name and the reasons they gave you for missing appointments etc. Be friendly but don't drop the ball.
Thank you for all the suggestions,let's hope all works out well
Any word from the doctor yet, Statest?
No,nothing,this has never happened before
fingers crossed for you @Statest16
Apparently the only thing that matters any longer is if you have covid-19 or not.
Hope it works out for you.
Can't argue with that,glad to not have Covid for sure
I just finished my online appointment. Doc said she really couldn't examine my back problem remotely. Yeah no kidding. But it's most likely a pulled mussel like I figured. But at least I got my benzo refilled. And my ekg thingy was OK. Not exactly normal, but okay, no a-fib.
^ Send me some Benzo's dude , Benzo's are the only drug that has made a dramatic difference to my issues.
Do you have something like Deep Heat where you are , it's a muscular rub that heats up and great for muscle ache
Something about this seems odd to me. Why is he handling his own appointments?
Is he a General Practitioner or Consultant/Specialist?
Is this a clinic/surgery or hospital?
Does he do a mixture of appointments and walk-in surgeries?
I don't really understand how he forgets, if is it normal hours. Even if he is fitting it in, you can only see one person at a time, you would expect him to have daily scheduling. You would expect this to be computerised.
It just doesn't seem logical he would "forget" two appointments, unless I'm missing something.
I can maybe get it if he is handling his own appointments for some reason maybe there is a delay in recording this, but seem pretty unprofessional to me. It would make me wonder if he "forgets" to refile you medical records, like it was old school practice.
If he is not handling his own appointments, then better to call the front desk, rather than him.
The answer now is that it is unknown why two appointments were missed but he is now officially out of the office til next week.At which time I am told he will call or someone will call for him.
The big doc's with PHD's have secretaries who schedule appointments,the Masters level therapists handle there own appointments.This person in particular works 10 hours a day monday through thursday instead of 8 hours a day monday through friday.
I think this individual gets overwhelmed and takes off due to burn out from long work days,and forgets to tell desk clerks to cancel his apointments.
Are we talking about an MD? You said therapist so wasn't sure.
Does this doctor need to handle your case?
To me I find this system odd, why not handle the appointment of all the doctors an nurses from with admins? It sort of implies they hire out rooms, rather then being partners or employed by the partners.
Are you registered with the clinic or the doctor?
He’s a therapist?
My PhD psychologist was old and used to fall asleep sometimes during our in-person meetings. I didn’t actually mind because he was old and ill and we had a long, positive relationship until he deteriorated at the end. He developed dementia and now I have a new therapist. I’m glad that you spoke up and got some answers even though they aren’t satisfactory. I hope you get to speak to him or at least get it scheduled soon. Please try to keep your cool and give him the benefit of the doubt. If it happens again would you be able to switch to a PhD doctor with a secretary?
Good luck Statest. I’m sure it’s not personal but I know you must be anxious anyway.
I talked with the MD's secretary today and found the answers.
I'm not sure how it's run,it's a satelite office of a larger clinic in a city 30 minutes away.the non MD''s don't get a personal sec,so I guess the non MD's secretary themselves and the head office secretary for the whole building usually cancels appointments
I seemed to have found the answer,things seem fine,lets see if he gets in touch next week
Go figure, benzos and barbiturates have a paradoxical effect on me and make me hyperactive and agitated
Just because a chemical (drug) works on a certain area of the brain does not mean it will be positive or negative.
How a drug works can be dependent on a complex list of factors. For one a cure, for another a poison.
Use your own chemicals and your body will be more efficient with them. For example endorphines.
I'm sure this was meant jokingly but you can't use this site for the purpose.
Yes, after some bad experiences, I just avoid anything stronger than aspirin and use exercise, food and other more natural alternatives that work decently for me.
I just use them to get occasional panic attacks under control. They only give out 20 at a time so I only use them when I have to. Here in the US they have put strict limits on meds like that. Too many abusers and ODs from benzos combined with other sedatives and pain killers etc.
I've never tried barbs. Other drugs have paradoxical effects on me though, antidepressants appear to make me depressed.
I can't use this site to make jokes ?