Doctor's Office Question

[hambirg]

Our pediatrician has a nurse call you back. I really appreciate that. I'm sure they get lots of calls from new parents. I know with my first they were great!

My OB/Gyn has a nurse call you back too. Again, I can imagine they get a lot of calls from first time preggos.

My MD. .. dang! They always insist you come in. . .even for things that you absolutely know, like a bladder infection. What is most annoying about that is they can never get you in right away. "You need to come in to see the Dr. We can get you in 3 weeks from next Tuesday." Grrrrrr! Then when you tell them you can't wait that long they tell you to go to one of those 24hr. clinics. I do think it is part CYA and part getting paid for the office visit.

ETA- Our old insurance had a 24hr nurse hotline that you could call. It was a real godsend when I was going through my bad gallbladder issues. Before I knew it was my gallbladder I spent a few nights waiting it out in the ER while I thought I was having a heart attack. Once I knew it was my gallbladder. . .I would just call the hotline and the nurses would talk it out with me and give me advice as to how to deal with it. I truly think the nurses are amazing! A big thank you to all the Dis nurses out there! It was actually a nurse that finally diagnosed my gallbladder problems after 2 years of suffering, because she actually took the time to listen and just didn't dismiss me as if I was nuts!

 

[Piecey]

Same here, our pediatrician has on call Drs. That will call me back after hours/weekends. It's great. Ive used that service A LOT! I often times get calls from the actual Pediatrician and not a nurse, depending on the concern (youngest DS has fluid around his brain) but either way he always is in on what the nurse relays backto me.

He has been known to randomly call me at night and ask about my boys if theyve recently had a major problem. After my oldest had a seizure he called nightly for almost a week to check on his fevers and ask how he was acting. (youngest DS was <week old so I think he knew we were a bit overwhelmed! Lol)

Anyway, my OB has an answering service too. The practice my husband and I go to have an after hours/weekend clinic that we can go to for the same $10 copay so I'm happy with that. I just wish it weren't in Walmart

 

[Leajess99]

No, this isn't a "diagnose me" thread .

Does your doctor's office take questions over the phone, and will they pass on the question to your doctor? Mine doesn't, they refuse to answer a question about anything, and I mean ANYTHING. They require you to make an appointment, even if your question is "Does ________ sound like something I should come in for?" Biggest. Pain. Ever.

How about you?

The pediatrician's office will transfer you to the nurse who you can ask questions to.

My doctor's office also has a nurse who will ask all sorts of questions on symptoms and then I generally get told I need to be seen within so many hours but of course they have nothing available so I need to go to the ER that is an hour away. Gotta love the veteran's Admin medical setup here.

I have been told to go to the ER for ear infections (I can diagnose those myself just can't get the meds without going in), sinus infections, follow up for bronchitis when the ER has already seen me and told me to follow up with my primary care doctor, etc.

Unless it is so bad I can't take it I jsut wait it out.

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

My GP takes calls during the day. You do have to leave a message and depending on the situation, either a front end staff worker, a nurse, a physicians assistant or nurse practitioner, and then the doctor himself. Depending on the problem they call in the above order. So if you want to know if your hang nail is a problem, most likely the front end girl calls, but if you break out from a med someone from nurse up will call.

On weekends there are 3 doctors who take weekends. You receive a call from the doctor within 20 minutes. They assess over the phone and will tell you minute clinic, ER, or you get the first open appt on Monday morning.

They also will call in a RX if it is something that you have had before, but ask that you call in an update.

I thought all GP offices worked this way. I now know I need to totally up the amount of Goofy's Candy Company goods I bring to the office each year.

 

[shinysparklybubbles]

My neighbor and I were just talking about this today (over the hedge).

Wilson?!?!

 

[AKL_Megs]

My OB has a nurse who will answer questions. But her answer to ANY question is, "Well, if you are experiencing THAT, you should head to the ER."

If the question is, "Should I come in?" Her answer is, "You should head to the ER first."

I called asking if I could use Afrin for congestion, and even WANTED to come in! Nope. Go to the ER. Stupid.

 

[Piecey]

My OB has a nurse who will answer questions. But her answer to ANY question is, "Well, if you are experiencing THAT, you should head to the ER."

If the question is, "Should I come in?" Her answer is, "You should head to the ER first."

I called asking if I could use Afrin for congestion, and even WANTED to come in! Nope. Go to the ER. Stupid.

My local ER would send me to Labor & Delivery and then they'd of called my OB. So I always got a real answer as to whether I needed to go in or not.

 

[DisneyFan32WI]

If I have a question, I always get passed on to my doctor's nurse. She then will go to my doctor for the answer and call me back.