do your doctors call or email you personally

[disfan07]

I'm curious as to how many people here have doctors who do this.

My last internist was impossible to reach for anything.
On the other hand, my dermatologist gave me her cell phone number and her hospital email address fro communication and there was regular communication because I was over an hour away from where she was.


Now,since I moved, I have 4 doctors. One of my doctors uses email on a regular basis as communication. If i have a question, I email her and she emails me back by the end of the day. She also emails me all of my test results from secure email from her hospital account. The other day, i didn;t respond to an email b/c i didnt think i needed to and she called me to make sure i got the email and that everytyhign was okay.

My cardiologist has email that she uses but i don't need to communicate with her as much. But she calls from her cell "after hours"...today, i went to drop something off at her office adn i left a message with a non urgent question for her. She was not in teh office today so i did not expect an answer until tomorrow at the earliest but she called me at 8:00PM from her cell phone to talk to me and answer my question.

Did I get really lucky or ii this type of communication becoming commonplace with doctors?

 

[rparmfamily]

If I am seen at the base, then no, I get no follow up care and they have like 72 business hours to get back with you and normally I get a nurse who calls anyway.

I've stopped taking my children to the base and now take them out in town and their ped calls back that day, actually TALKS to me, asks questions,etc.

I also didn't go to the base for my maternity care. My civilian midwife also called me back (usually right back) from wherever she was, I'd usually hear her own children in the background LOL.

Not bashing my military healthcare, because Tricare is the bomb (LOL) but sometimes care on the base at the base hospital (Tripler AMC in this case) leaves LOTS to be desired.

I'm not sure what's "normal" though...

 

[supercarrie]

Not here in the UK! I can leave a message for my GP and have her (or someone from the practice) call me back, but I do not have a direct way to contact her. I would love it if e-mail was used as the doctor's receptionist is not nice and often doesn't pass on messages.

My mom lives in the US and had a fantastic experience with her oncologist. She was expecting some test results and was told she needed to wait about a week after the test. Imagine her surprise when her doctor called on a Saturday morning about 9:30am to tell her the good news! The doctor said she was catching up on work and was so excited, she couldn't wait until Monday to call her.

 

[NHdisneylover]

My doctor in New Hampshire would always call a day or two after a sick, or injury visit to follow up and see how we were doing (he saw the kids also). I once had an abnormal pap and had to have a follow up, redo. He knew I was worried because my mom had cervical cancer at a young age. He also knew, because DH had had to have his blood preassure meds renewed early for the trip, that we were leaving for a two week cruise soon. He went to the office on his day off to get my results (all was good) and call me with that info so I could enjoy my trip

 

[disfan07]

It sounds like most of the time now getting phone calls from the doctors themselves is not uncommon. Until I went up to hopkins a year ago, we never got calls from the doctors. Any information to or from the doctors was through the receptionist. When we went to hopkins, that was the first time that it was like conversations wiht my doctor outside of the appointments. (but at hopkins they don't really have receptionists anyways)

I used to be able to hear her kids in the background sometimes if she was at home when we were on the phone.

In addition to my cardiologist calling at 8PM my new dermatologist emailed me at 10:30PM to answer a question i had and to give me a referral. I swear they don't have lives...lol

 

[golfgal]

Our clinic as an email system that is really nice. They post test results, etc. there and you can email your Dr with questions as needed. We have had a few dr's over the years that would call personally to check on things-my OB when I was pregnant with the twins was very good about this.

 

[luvmarypoppins]

Wow, I wish I had a doctor that would call me back. In the last year I have had 7 operations etc. and now I have at least 6 doctors. My reg. doctor called me last year to telll me to go to the hosp immediately. I think he callled the house abut 4 times. And then once with some test results. I have been going to this guy for 20 years and he never calls me so I know it was pretty bad for him to do that.

With all the cancer now and a new hospital I have the endo who sometimes calls me back wtih test reults herself and dh has talked to the surgeons a few times and that was only because he had to give them my drain readings. The one nurse put the surgeon on the phone with me so he could listen to me breathe. After that he told me to come into the office immediately.

Really around here the doctors never call you back at least not all the ones I have and now there are quite a few. You always have the nurses running interference for them and that is only after you leave a voice mail first.

 

[Ephany]

I've never had them call, but there hasn't been anything serious to call about (knock on wood). On the other hand, I have received follow-up emails and lab results emailed to me when the doctor's reviewed them. I like the emails, it's much easier than having to call and ask the nurse/doctor and if I have a question I can email her right back.

 

[DVC Sadie]

Yes, my doctors call back to give me specifics, such as blood work results or ultra sounds.

 

[Karalea]

Wow...That must be nice. My doctor doesn't even call you with your test results if she sends you for blood work.

I had an issue that required 3 blood tests over a 6 months period and every time I had to call them 1-2 weeks after they took the sample for the results because they couldn't be bothered to call me and let me know if everything was alright. To make matters worse, they acted annoyed that I called.

However, each time, the results were such that I needed to continue the prescription I was on and come back in for more blood work. Glad it was nothing life threatening since they couldn't be bothered to call and let me know the results were not normal.

 

[merekc]

I barely have a primary for myself. But I have the best pediatrician around. I have on multiple occasions received calls from the Doctor in response to questions I left his nurse. He is super busy but the issues were important enough that he felt the need to talk with me in person. He rocks!

 

[ZephyrHawk]

No, but then I don't really have a doctor. I have a Gyn I see once a year for prescription purposes and that's about it. However, my vet has called me personally numerous times to check up on my cat.

 

[glitterkittyy]

My primary care physician suggested that I email her after a treatment once to let her know if I was feeling better. So I did...never expecting the email to actually be read or returned. Darned if she didn't reply back to me! I emailed her again a few months later when I wasn't feeling so hot and even included a note that I was sorry if it was inappropriate to email and to just tell me and I wouldn't do it again. She said that email was easier for her to answer than voicemails and to please feel free. To this day if I have an issue, need a refill, or need to update her on a medical condition, I email. She always responds. I think it's great!

My gyno also emails me, but he has far less to say than my PCP luckily. lol

I think it's a trend we might see more of as more medical records go electronic.

 

[Disney Doll]

Well, my doc does but we are friends with him socially as well, so it's probably a slightly different scenario. Although I do hear from his other patients that he is responsive to them as well.

 

[Micca]

I'd love to see doctors and their staffs become more patient friendly. Why would a doc want to walk in to a pile of phone messages first thing in the morning when they could spend a few minutes doing emails the night before?
Easier for them, and the patient feels like they received some attention.

 

[JessicaR]

My Internist is a real hands on guy and very involved. We speak often and he always calls with my blood results even if his day is ending at 10P. My kids pediatrician is the same way. In the past if we headed to the ER most times he met us there and if not was waiting on a phone to talk to me when I got there.

I feel so lucky to have them both. They have provided amazing care for my family and I!

I have experienced lack of communication recently with my surgeon but, I can forgo it in exchange for his expertise and hopefully I never have to see him again! Its nice when you get both though.

Overall I have been happy with communication but its important to me so I would try to find it if it was lacking.

 

[C.Ann]

Yes - they do.. I won't use doctors who don't.. All of my doctors are in offices that have several other doctors as well and there have been serious problems in the past with the other doctors prescribing the wrong medications for me or doses much larger than what my body can tolerate; ordering unnecessary tests; not responding to phone calls; etc.. I made personal communication a top priorty with all of the doctors I have now and I'm very, very happy with that situation..

 

[wendypooh]

My Dr. calls and my DS's ped. calls - also his ortho calls and emails, his ortho sends emails ALL the time, not just for appt.'s either, they send happy b-day, happy halloween...(don't each such and such candy)
they email a lot. I like it and I'm glad they do it.

 

[Va-bear]

My docs are all SOOO different. My primary care wont answer ANY email. Neither will my neurologist or neurosurgeon. My Ear doc and kids doc are both great and answer right away.

I once worked w/ a group of 6 surgeons and I asked a few if they liked email from patients and they all "NO!" - I was surprised and asked why. They all seemed to agree any 'specialist' was less likely to want email from 'just anybody' (their words...), like patients, but didnt mind them from their patients primary care docs. great..... (They did mention liability issues... )