WWYD? doctor's office issue...

[zachnsamsmommy]

Okay...here is my situation.

I have been trying, unsuccessfully, to go to my ob-gyn's office since May of this year. I called in May for an appt, and the first they could get me in was July. Okay..so the day before the appt, the office calls and says they will have to reschedule...a surgery has come up. So I reschedule for the next available appt...in August, a whole month away. The day before that appt, I get the same phone call...dr, surgery, yada yada. Again, I reschedule for Sept...again, another whole month. This time, two days before my appt, our whole house, me included has H1N1. So I call 2 days in advance (per the office request to give 48 hrs) and reschedule for October. October 8, to be exact. I get a phone call today to cancel my appt because of another surgery. Next time they can get me in is Nov 5...again, a whole month.

I really don't think I am ever gonna get to see the doctor. I actually want to go b/c I have some issues that are giving me pain. I don't think I have cancer or anything, but you never know. What if I did have cervical cancer or something? It could be so far advanced now that it would be too late?

I understand emergence c-secs and the like, but three appts? I have been given less than 24 hrs notice each time. When I was sick, I gave 48 PER THEIR REQUEST. I have a two year old, and it is hard to arrange babysitting, and getting to the doctor. I almost feel like their time is valuable, but mine is not. And this is a large practice...with several doctors. i'd be willing to see another doctor in the practice, but it is their policy that I have to see *my* doctor for my yearly exam. So, it will be at least 1 1/2 yrs between visits. I really see them canceling again in my future...

Would you change drs? Am I just being unrealistic about this? Like I said, I'm willing to see ANY dr in the practice...

 

[Christine]

I think at this point, I might call the appointment line or ask to speak to the office manager. Explain everything you said here and tell them that you don't want to leave the practice but, gosh darn it, you need to see a doctor. I think at this point, they really need to make their best effort to squeeze you in with *any* doctor. A good office is going to do that for you. If you get attitude, then I would switch.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I would change doctors or at least attempt to get seen earlier as pp says. I argued with a scheduling person once over them "rescheduling"....

I said to the person since you are cancelling this appointment and then they let me have it (cut me off mid-sentence). No they are not "cancelling" they are "rescheduling".

Literally I argued for 5 minutes over it. I couldn't help it. I was trying to get her to say she was cancelling this appointment.

It was for a surgeon. At that point I knew it was divine intervention because I already knew this surgeon was not the person to do my 16yodd's gallbladder surgery.

Sure enough, call her cardio and he got her in with the head surgeon. Found out the other doctor was NEW.

Not that I am superstitious really but sometimes you have to go with your good sense.

 

[justhat]

I agree with Christine, I would call and ask to speak to the office manager or write a letter. It is really out of hand to have to wait 6 months, and that's coming from someone who routinely has to wait months for non-emergency visits. And my husband is a physician so I do have more tolerance than most people when it comes to scheduling appts.

I had a similar issue with my OB and I am pregnant so you can imagine my annoyance. My own OB was injured and therefore on medical leave for a period of time so he was backed up when he returned, which I understood. However, when I called in May to make my 1st prenatal visit, it was not until July. Uh, okay, it' my 3rd kid, fine, but they had no idea how many weeks I was (no one asked when I booked the appt) so for all they knew I could have missed out on critical tests due to timing of the appt. Then in July I get a call that I had to reschedule cause the dr couldn't make the appt. So I agree, but then it's another month. I said it was not acceptable, they had no idea how far along I was, I needed 1st trimester testing done, etc. So miraculously they had an appt in 2 weeks. Still annoying, but better. It did mean I had to make my own 1st trimester testing appts (which I would not have known to do had this not been my 3rd kid) cause otherwise I would have been outside the window for the screenings. My husband told the physicians about this at work and they were very apologetic and admitted that should never happen (such insane delays that is) and to send them an email if I encountered problems in the future. So clearly they were not happy about their office staffing issues either.

 

[Lisa_M]

Tell them you think you might be pregnant. They'll fit you in. They should have fit you in 3 months ago.

 

[monkey68]

Have you mentioned this is the 5th time they're rescheduling you? It could be that each time they change the appointment, they may not know that it's happened so often. They might just assume that it's the "original" appointment they're rescheduling.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

Try scheduling the appointment not as your yearly exam but for a specific issue. If you're having pain you need to see a doctor soon even if it's not your regular doctor. They probably don't think twice about putting off annual exams, but maybe if you're scheduled to have some kind of pain evaluated they would have you see another doctor instead of rescheduling you.

 

[NikitaZee]

Tell them you think you might be pregnant. They'll fit you in. They should have fit you in 3 months ago.

Not always! When I became pregnant with my 3rd, I called an ob-gyn my sister had recommended (we had just moved to another state). They asked me the date of my last menstrual cycle and scheduled me 6 weeks out - and wouldn't budge on the appointment. I didn't end up with that doctor.

 

[justhat]

Not always! When I became pregnant with my 3rd, I called an ob-gyn my sister had recommended (we had just moved to another state). They asked me the date of my last menstrual cycle and scheduled me 6 weeks out - and wouldn't budge on the appointment. I didn't end up with that doctor.

Like I said, I called in May for my 1st prenatal visit and they scheduled it for July. At least they asked you when your LMP was, they didn't ask me. So for all they knew, it could have been March and the appt they gave me was July.

I know they won't see you till 8 weeks at my office, but they had no idea how far along I was with this one.

 

[dogodisney]

Try scheduling the appointment not as your yearly exam but for a specific issue. If you're having pain you need to see a doctor soon even if it's not your regular doctor. They probably don't think twice about putting off annual exams, but maybe if you're scheduled to have some kind of pain evaluated they would have you see another doctor instead of rescheduling you.

This is what I was thinking too.

 

[JessicaR]

Have you mentioned this is the 5th time they're rescheduling you? It could be that each time they change the appointment, they may not know that it's happened so often. They might just assume that it's the "original" appointment they're rescheduling.

I agree. You need to bring this to their attention. If they are aware and still making you wait a month each time for a new appointment it's time to change doctors.

 

[Stacerita]

Make sure they know how many times you have been rescheudled. And if you are having pain, they need to know. It always takes me a while to get in to see them for my yearly visit. But earlier this year I had a "scare" and I was seen that same week.

 

[laurie31]

This exact thing happened to me last year, only with DD's pediatrician. I called in July to make an appointment for her annual check-up. I was hoping for an appointment in August. I got November. Then a week before the appointment, I got "rescheduled" until March. Then it happened again; I got rescheduled for May. Then again. FINALLY, she got her check-up in June. ELEVEN MONTHS after I first called for an appointment.

DH was totally ticked off, but I really like my ped, so I just dealt with it.

So this fall, I tried calling to get appointments for the girls' flu vaccine (seasonal - they haven't got the H1N1 vaccine yet). It was unbelievable what I had to go through, and I was so angry I called back to speak to the doctor, to let her know Ihad HAD it with the scheduling craziness and I was considering leaving the practice. I wasn't going to be rude, but I wanted to let her know what was going on.

So...she called me back and was HORRIFIED by what I told her. She said the scheduling computer was just...a schedule; there was no way for them to know I had been bumped already so many times. (of course...I TOLD them, but they aren't professionals, just clerks. I was trying to tell them about flu vaccine too. They said I couldn't bring both my DDs on the same day, and I couldn't do it the same day as any other vaccine, because it wasn't a "flu clinic" day. ) Anyway, my Doctor said if that EVER happens again, to call and leave a message for HER, and she would make sure DD was seen in a timely manner. She said she would speak to the office manager, too, so they can avoid this in the future.


So...try calling and leaving a message for the DOCTOR to call you back. See what he/she says.


ETA - I also got a call back from the office manager who said of COURSE I could bring both my DDs together, and certainly they could give them FluMist any time they were there. It didn't have to be the special "flu vaccine" day. Which is what I knew, but couldn't get across to the scheduling clerk.

 

[DebbieB]

Do they have more than 1 office? The doctor I go to has several offices, I have seen my doctor in 3 different ones, my file gets transferred. I sometimes have a problem getting an appt for my annual, I usually procrastinate too long and they calendar is full for the time I need and they don't yet have the calendar for the next month (the doctors rotate between the offices and the hospital). So I've switched to other offices to see her at the earliest appt available. I usually end up having my annual a couple of months late, this year I was lucky and it's only about 3 weeks past last year's date and is in the same office as last year.

 

[momof1princess]

OP, i agree with the PP's...you need to call back and speak to an office manager and tell her/him what you've told us, and let her/him know you're having pain and need to be seen as soon as possible. if you get the same run-around, it's time for a new doctor. but before switching doctors, i would make sure the doctor knew WHY, whether in person, on the phone, or by mail. my ob/gyn is an hour away, but he would always work me in the same week if i was having an issue-maybe it's because i've been his patient for 14 years, or maybe that's just how he operates, i don't know. but honestly, i think your doctor would be horrified to find out how you've been treated. i've worked in several doctors offices in the past, and bumping the same patient more than once is unprofessional, IMHO. i can guarantee you, the doctor is unaware of it.

 

[zachnsamsmommy]

Thank you for the opinions and suggestions...

I really like my ob-gyn. He delivered my son 2 1/2 yrs ago...and is just a really, really nice guy. Unfortunately, I can't say the same about the office staff .

I did tell the appt scheduler today that this was at least the 3rd time my appt had been 'bumped' for surgery...as nicely as possible. I basically said that I understood that c-sections and surgeries come up, but I have already been bumped 3 times...can I not get in sooner. She was snotty and said that the pg women have 'regular' days that are booked months in advance, and that 'yearly exams' take a back seat. She wasnt the least bit sympathetic or nice.

Again...I don't want to change drs, so I'm gonna give this one last appt a chance to happen. If it doesn't, I probably will change drs...and send my dr a letter about why I will change drs.

I really think my pain is from my endometreosis, but you never know. If the pain is worse before my appt I may try to get in sooner. (like that will ever happen ).

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I think you should schedule an appt that is not your yearly if you are having pain.

Perhaps you need a different appointment title.

 

[EthansMom]

I agree with the previous poster.

I would call in and ask for an appointment for the pain. There should be appointments left open for "issues" which would be different than the appointments for annual exams. If the receptionist gives you a problem, ask to talk to the nurse. If you are not transferred to the nurse, physically go in to the office and ask to talk to the office manager... explain your problem and ask for an appointment in the near future.

There is no reason for you to continue in pain without seeing your doctor. But you may have to be assertive in order to get seen in a timely fashion.

My DH has had some health issues in the recent past and I had to schedule many, many drs. appointments with some very busy drs. I found that if I explained the severity of the issue in a reasonable manner, I was often told, "Oh, there's a different appointment for that."

Good luck!

 

[clutter]

Tell then you are having pain and need an appt for that.

My OB is very good and consequently, very popular. I schedule my next year's appt at my current year appt, 15 months out!! However, they do that so that they can leave appts open for pregnancies and issues. If I was to have some pain from my endo and call in, I would be able to get in pretty quickly. Those pesky yearly exams just seem to take a back seat.