I hate when doctors do this!

[always quiet]

It is office hours now, yet they have all incoming calls going to voice mail!! DH is home sick (chills all night, coughing up all sorts of pretty colors, congested.....) and I tried to reach the doctor. He is only in for part of the day Tues. to begin with! I didn't want to push "0" for an emergency, but I sure as heck would of liked to speak to someone in the office! I understand that this is their 'busy season' but hey! At least have a person getting your calls!!

 

[Christine]

That's why, of late, we've been using Urgent Care facilities for everyday, garden variety sore throats, infections, etc. When I'm sick, I need a doctor--I can't wait 3 days!

 

[Dan Murphy]

Doctors can be tough nowadays. Hope Dennis feels better soon, Colleen.

 

[CheshireVal]

That's annoying. Happens to me when I call my doc too. Then once I finally talk to someone they can never work me in until 3 days later.... even if I'm running a fever!

I'd go to urgent care but my insurance won't pay for it.

 

[ZachnElli]

Alot of the doctors in our area are going "private" because of this. So many were all tied up with the big HMO groups with all their rules. Before our family doctor left, she told me always to ask for a nurse because they can get you in, but the receptionists jobs were to send you to Express Care if you needed to be seen that day. I'm so glad she left! Good luck getting a hold of your doctor and hope your dh gets to feeling better!

 

[dianeschlicht]

Originally posted by CheshireVal
That's annoying. Happens to me when I call my doc too. Then once I finally talk to someone they can never work me in until 3 days later.... even if I'm running a fever!

I'd go to urgent care but my insurance won't pay for it.

You're lucky it is only 3 days! It is usually 2 weeks for us!

 

[chager]

I understand what you are going through. I had an allergic reaction on Friday to the meds the Dr gave me. I called and ended up getting the voice mail. I left a message then called back 1/2 hour later and pushed 0 for emergency and reached the operator and amazingly enough I was able to reach the receptionist. I tend to think this is a receptionist issue at my Dr. office though. She has been there a few months now and this wasn't a big issue with the previuos receptionist.
I pray your son feels better soon.

 

[always quiet]

11:30 and still no call back!

What I find particularly annoying is that this doctor knows my DH is on another treatment that weakens his immune system. His body has no umpf of it's own to fight this thing. It's not just a "I got a stuffy nose" kind of a thing!! Heck, last time he was on this treatment, he got a splinter in his leg.....48 hours later, it was infected enough to need to go to the ER!!! 48 hours after that, he wasn't responding to the antibiotic and ended up with a staph infection in his leg!! No....can't play with illnesses around here!!

 

[believe]

Prayers for your DH. I have never had that happen. I actually seen the dr last week, called at 8am and was in by 11. I hope things improve for you.

 

[DD2Disney]

That is horrible, I am sending pixie dust to your DH. This is why I decided to go back to my old Dr.'s in Boston even though its an hour drive....whenever I call they try to work me in even though they know it takes me so long to get there.

Pediatrician is another story. Ive never had problems getting an appointment. Only needed one once that wasnt a well visit (knock on wood). BUT her office is close on Thursday, so guess when all my questions come up?? But I think she is GREAT so I am trying to deal with this.

Tricia

 

[CRB#33]

How's it going?

You know, next time I would just press that 0. Especially because of your DH's prior condition. It certainly could become an emergency.

 

[always quiet]

They finally called me at 12:35!! They are supposedly calling in an antibiotic and something to help make the cough "more productive". I called the pharmacy and they have yet to call it in. I have to go to pick up another one of Dennis' meds this afternoon on the way back from the orthodontist so I am hoping it is there by 3:30!! I think I'll call around 3:00 just to be sure! At least he is able to get some sleep today. He shivered so much during the night, neither one of us got much sleep!

 

[dvcfamily41801]

Hope everything is okay Colleen

 

[powellrj]

I did find out how to bypass my DR. system, (by accident) If you have caller ID, save that # and just hit talk. I needed to talk to someone and knew they had called several weeks earlier (I know I really should clean out my caller-id) I was too lazy to look up the number, so I just found it on the caller-id. They went crazy!!!! How did you get through without going through the system they wanted to know??? I fessed up and they couldn't believe I was able to bypass the system that way!!

 

[darlene9947]

Whenever I have to call our doctors I always ask for their nurse. She returns the calls and can usually work me in by the next day. If I really need to see him that day, I go to the office and tell them to work me in, I'm not leaving. I did this one time when my leg was hurting so bad I could not put any pressure on it at all. I saw the dr. that day. Sometimes you just have to be pushy.

 

[princess lovers mom]

OK, I'm sure that I am going to get flamed for this ,but I have broad shoulders and can take it...
#1 - I agree it is not right to put the phones on message - perhaps the receptionist does this when she cannot pick up the line, such as helping another pt. on the phone...our pffice gets up to 400 calls per day and we are not that big
AND
#2 - going to the office and insisting on being seen is not a very acceptable route. Imagine being the provider (me) being asked to sqeeze you into my day that already has 30 pts scheduled in 8 hours...what it does is makes us give even less time to the pts that scheduled their appts the correct way and waited their turn...and what if everyone did the same thing...how many people would you say is acceptable to see in 8 hours...a medical office is not an emergency room and if you cannot wait until the afternoon or next day then you should not be seen in the office

Some people treat their mechanic with more respect than their Dr.!!! We are people too and can only do so much...

 

[darlene9947]

I don't do the going to the office and demand to be seen routine often, but with my doctor's group it is the only way to see the doctor that day if you have something that needs to be seen now and not 2 weeks later. We are in a HMO and this is one of the only doctors groups on the plan in my area and he must see everyone from miles around. When you do have an appt. you need to bring a lunch with you sometimes. Before HMOs, we went to another doctor and had no problems getting in to be seen. Oh, well, isn't managed care wonderful

 

[always quiet]

Got the med, but of course, DH has been sleeping all day and haven't gotten it into him yet!!

I really wasn't expecting the doctor to need to see him. This is DH's 3rd course of treatment (each at a full year) and he pretty much knows what he can expect Dennis to run into! He has even gotten a hang nail infected!! Got a pack of Amithromixin (excuse the spelling - don't feel like getting up to get the box off the table!! ) and he should be fine!!

Thanks for all the kind thoughts!!