Doctors!!!! UGH!!!!! (My orthopedic guy)

[DopeyRN]

I try very hard to pick doctors who realize MY tme is important too. When I see a doctors office who overbooks, I think there is only one explanation...their primary goal is money and not the needs of their patients. Maybe it is time for a new ortho Dan.

 

[Tulirose]

(Eros - You should have quit while you were ahead - after the first one)

Dan - I feel for you. I, too, was at a doctor's office today and she saw me 55 minutes after my appointment. However, I sympathized with her because her partner, on maternity leave, just informed her she was not only NOT returning but was going to open her own practice!!!

 

[cinlee3]

So sorry you had to spend all that time waiting. I hope your next visit you get right in to see the Doc.

I once had a walk-in appt. with my then 6 mo. old. I waited about two hours. The Dr. herself noticed how long I had been waiting and apologized and refused to charge me for the visit Even though I didn't have an appt. she said there was no excuse for anyone waiting that long with a sick child.

 

[Lynn CC]

I've been to doctors like that. Why do they take so many patients? That was a little much for anyone to wait.

You may want to read Dr. Robert Young's research on innerlight, supergreens. It's an all natural drink that really does help arthritis pain a lot! My DH has had 4 knee operations in one knee and a couple in the other (athletes knees, catching up to him in his later years). He now drinks that drink and he doesn't have anymore pain which he dealt with daily.

2 websites that may tell you about Dr. Young is www.innerlightfoundation.com
www.innerlightinc.com
you could also do a google search on supergreens/Dr. Robert

I have several of his tapes and books too.
It's all natural and worth a try!

My DH has spent many trips to Disney in a wheelchair with me and DS pushing him around. Now he is walking on the treadmill, we are amazed.
He also tried glucosomine (which is all natural too, but it didn't help after a year he gave up taking them).

He drinks 2-4 32 ounces bottles a day (it's mixed with water and ph drops).
Pm me if you want more info.

 

[Blondie]

Sorry you had to wait so long! Most doctor's office book their patients 10 mins apart, and you know you're always in there with the doctor more than 10 mins.

I've often told our OB's that send their patients over for PIH (Pregnancy Induced Hypertension) work-up that the reason their blood pressure is high is because they just sat in their office for over an hour waiting to be seen, thinking about what they need to do at home while they are waiting. And they wonder why their blood pressure is high? Sheesh!

We get them into a bed, hook them up to the fetal monitor, give them something to drink, get them to relax, make a phone call if they wish or watch TV. 90% of the time, within an hour, they are going home, blood pressure has returned to normal, blood work is all within normal limits, and all is well.

I know that emergencies can occur, and doctor's appts. run behind because they need to make/take an important phone call, or one patient will take longer than the next.

I think if the office staff took the time to explain why they are running behind, their patients might be more understanding. I know I would.

 

[paras4ri]

Originally posted by Annie&Hallie'sMom
Dan, might I recommend reporting this to your insurance carrier? I know, it might be pointless, but it might not. Sometimes insurance companies actually want to know these things.

This is a very good suggestion. Our carrier has a members website and a place to rate physicians right there.

I don't understand why ortho practices all seem to have interminable waits. I've had the same experience with mine when I had arthrosopy on my right knee. Hope your next appointment goes as it should have today.

 

[goofygirl]

No advice, but as a patient AND one who works in the healthcare field, I see this kind of thing too often!

Hope things turn around for you, Dan!

 

[UncleKyle]

Sorry to hear that Dan....I too have spent hours at the doctors office....so now I just walk in with a bucket in front of my face and a real sick look....they always treat me fast!

 

[hercamore]

Hi,

HOpe you can relief for your knees soon. My dad had the scope work done and it helped him considerably.

BTW, Mayo Clinic is notable for having 60-90 minute waits routinely. That is why I stopped going there. It seems to be such a common practice in so many clinics these days, and it is truly annoying.

Herc.

 

[DixieDreamer]

I am sorry you had such a long wait.. and all for nothing as it turns out. That really is just plain inexcuseable. If they are running that late... they should call you up and explain...and suggest you reschedule right then. Instead you wasted a significant amount of your day. I find this extremely annoying because I am taking time away from work to be prompt for the appointment... and my hourly wage is not something to sneeze at either. Time is money for the patients too.

 

[DixieDreamer]

I am sorry you had such a long wait.. and all for nothing as it turns out. That really is just plain inexcuseable. If they are running that late... they should call you up and explain...and suggest you reschedule right then. Instead you wasted a significant amount of your day. I find this extremely annoying because I am taking time away from work to be prompt for the appointment... and my hourly wage is not something to sneeze at either. Time is money for the patients too.

 

[Beauty]

Dan,
Sorry for the wasted afternoon! The only time I think its okay is when I'm at the gyno (Which of course you wouldn't need ) and he has to leave to deliver a baby That I can understand.

Hope it goes better next time Dan.

 

[Regina]

My first experience with an Orthopedist was when DS was born with a broken collarbone. (Apparently, it's not that unusual.)

There really is nothing that can be done for it, but the Ortho told me to bring him in for a follow-up visit.

Well....I sit in his office, with a newborn, and wait over an hour. I finally get into a room, the doctor comes in and I'm watching as he moves Steve's arm all over the place and declares that it looks fine. That's when I said "it's the other arm."

What does this flake do next? He looks in the chart and says "You're right!" He then moves the affected arm around, and says that it looks good, but suggests another x-ray. I then say, "why should my baby get another x-ray" and again, he says "You're right!"

I feel for you Dan. If you can, try to get one of the first appointments of the day. Orthopedists are the worst when it comes to making you wait.

 

[Snow White]

Sorry you had to wait so long Dan, I know that is sooo frustrating! I left my Doctor's office the other day for the same reason, and then they had the gall to send me a $75 bill for an office visit!!! I quickly let them know that I would NOT be returning to that doctor ever again!!! I hope you get your knee problems taken care of quickly!!

 

[minnieandmickey]

So sorry you had such a long wait. I guarantee you if you had been 15 min late they would have cancelled your appt and make you make a new appt. You would think at least when you check in they would say that the Dr is running so many min late. My DM an ER nurse, and my DSIL a medical assistant, were just talking about this and how frustrated they were with the Dr and them being on the internet or playing video games while they had patients waiting. My DM has yelled at a few Docs that they need to get off the computer and start doing their job.
Please note I am not accusing all Doctors of this, the thread just reminded me of their conversation.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Again, as so many times in the past, thank you all for your wonderful support and comments.

Julie, if I was given an explanation or a simple, 'we're sorry', I am sure I would have stayed. Just to check in and sit for over an hour without a word, then after being taken to a room and having spent 30 seconds with the PA, when she says she is going to get my X-rays down the hall, and is gone for over 30 minutes without a word from anyone, if ludicrous.

Jill, Holy Family. Not Dr. Mardjetco, but Dave Raab, same practice, different doc. And yes, thye do have a fabulous reputation.

Tuli, consider the source.

Lynn, thanks for the links, I will look into it.

I did go to my insurance carrier's website and rated him.

minnieandmickey, sounds like so-called 'doctors' I have come across.

Again, thanks.

 

[goofyrn13]

Hey Dan is that Dr.Raab an SIU grad?If it is I used to be a nurse when he was a resident in Springfield.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Does not look like the same one, goofyrn.....
<table>
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<td width="576"><b>David J. Raab, MD</b><br>
<font face="arial" size="2"><br>
<b>Specialty:</b> Sports Medicine, Total Joint Replacement, Arthroscopy<br>
<br>
<b>Office Locations:</b><br>
5747 W. Dempster<br>
Morton Grove, IL 60053<br>
847/375-3000<br>
<br>
150 N. River Rd., Ste. 100<br>
Des Plaines, IL 60016<br>
847/375-3000<br>
<br>
</font><font size="1" face="Arial"><a onclick="appt()" href>Click here for
online appointment information.<br>
<img src="http://www.illinoisboneandjoint.com/illinois/ibji1.nsf/ECB9EE1288F02BA787256AA40060CC92/$file/ApptSiteLogoMed.gif" border="0" width="295" height="32"></a></font></td>
</tr>
<tr vAlign="top">
<td width="1056" colSpan="2"><font face="arial" size="2"><br>
<b>Education</b><br>
<ul>
<li>B.S. Degree, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI<br>
<li>M.D. Degree, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, IL<br>
<li>Internship, General Surgery, Northwestern University Medical School,
Chicago, IL<br>
<li>Residency, Orthopaedic Surgery, Northwestern University Medical
School, Chicago, IL<br>
<li>Fellowship, Sports Medicine, Minneapolis Sports Medicine Center,
Minneapolis, MN<br>
<br>
<b>Certification</b><br>
<li>National Board of Medical Examiners<br>
<li>State of Illinois Medical License<br>
<li>State of Minnesota Medical License<br>
<li>American Board of Orthopaedic Surgeons<br>
<li>Fellow, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons<br>
<li>State of Illinois Licensure<br>
<br>
<b>Academic Appointments</b><br>
<li>Assistant Professor Clinical Orthopaedic Surgery, Northwestern
University Medical School<br>
<br>
<b>Awards</b><br>
<li>Phi Beta Kappa</font></li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<p> </p>

</body>

 

[Pin Wizard]

One thing I've learned is to book my appointment for early morning (when they open), just before or just after lunch, and at the end of the day. Wait times can be much shorter then. Good luck with the knees!

 

[dalepool]

I hate waiting-----Now that said. To be that far behind the Dr. probably had something come up unexpectedly. (emergency surgery.....) The office staff should have tried to reschedule your appointment long before you got into the appointment room. My Doctor used to do just that ---they'd even call you at home and ask you to come in 1/2 hour later---this was because the Doctor was called away to the hospital. Now that the Doctor's office is in the hospital and along with the fact there are a dozen or more doctors in the same practice If I have and appointment I'm usually seen with in 10 minutes of checking in at the reception desk. But remember these are family practice Dr.s. not specialists.

With that said----I'm glad your knee is doing better.

PattyN