Welcome to My Life...

As a reference: http://petoftheday.com/talk/showthread.php?t=95903

So, I made that appointment with the doctor that could get me off some of the medications and help with the pain. I did this last week. I was talked to a new person and she kept putting me on hold. Finally, she said she'd call me back to get all the insurance info, but I had an appointment for 1/5 at 3:20 p.m. Another person called me that night to say she'd call me the next day. I assumed because I didn't hear from her, that we'd do that when I had gotten there, afterall, I'd given the insurance info to the new girl about 3 times at that point.

Yea, so mom and I walk in and the office is PACKED with patients!! When I signed in, I noticed I was the fifth one on the list...the FOURTH patient with a 3:20 appointment with the doctor I was seeing. In addition, there was nowhere to sit down. My mom asked how long it'd be, if we could leave and come back when it was our turn. The girl at the desk said she thought it would be an hour (I was on time), but that we couldn't leave!

We stood for a few moments, and I decided to make sure they did have my insurance information. When I got to the counter, she asked if I had an appointment for that day. Uh...yep! That's why I was standing there, why I signed in. :rolleyes:

She looked in her computer and couldn't find an appointment for me anywhere. :mad: I explained what happened on the phone, she broke in to say, "That's me, I'm new!", and she acted as if it COULDN"T happen, because, "We normally get the insurance information, verifiy it, then make a chart and then call a patient for appointments." Funny, that's not how it went on the phone. Ugh.

So, I asked for a new appointment.

She copies my ID and Insurance Card and gets more information. I ask when I can come in and she tells me she has to make my chart, verify the insurance and THEN call me for an appointment. I said, "You can't make one now, while I'm here?" No.

Yea, sorry Dr. Thomas, you've lost a prospective patient. If they can't even make a simple appointment, who knows what else they'll mess up!?!

I have an appointment with a pain specialist that works with doctors at Cedars. Its not in LA...its in Encino...a city about 25 minutes from me. I'm going on the 16th at 4:30 p.m. I made the appointment at 3:30 Tuesday afternoon and already recieved the new patient packet in the mail today. I may have a competent office...cross your fingers!! ;)

I found this doctor on recommendation of one of my patients on Tuesday. He couldn't say enough good things about this doctor. He speaks at medical conferences about pain and pain management and is highly regarded. At this point, I don't hold my breath, but hopefully this one will help.

Thanks for letting me vent, guys.

Hugs,
Kelly :)

Kelly did you see the NBC nightly news they did a 3 part series on new info. You cansee it on the msnbc.com go to nightly. I
t was an intresting series

Sounds like you did the right thing by finding a new doctor. It is so aggervating when you make an appointment for a certian time and get there and have to wait and wait and wait, like our time isn't just as valueable as theirs! But to get there and find out they didn't even write you down? :mad: I think thew maddest I ever got at a doctors office was they left me sit there for TWO hours and then come tell me the doctor got called away.. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! :mad:

OOOpppss I forgot it was on pain and new studies.

**^* it.
you just can't get a break can you?!


{{hugs to you}}

I can not even imagine the amount of frustration you have gone through with all of this. {{hugs}}

Heres hoping this new doctor is an answer to prayers and you won't need to look any further.

Let me know if you need me to give your old docotor's office a good prank call. :p

Kelly just wanted to let you know that you are always in my thoughts and prayers :)

Sdaly most of these people are on contract,and they are paid rather badly,and not trained prperly.
But theres no excuse to lose your appointment,and no reason that you had to stand all that time.
I thought the Medical Profession was there for us,not the other way around.
They are everyday,dishonoring the Hippocatic Oath,if they know what that is.

{{HUGS}}} What a disaster! Perhaps it all worked out because now you have an appointment with a doctor that comes highly regarded. Some day you'll be able to truly manage your pain and perhaps become a motivational speaker like your patient and speak at conferences to doctors and patients alike -- give doctors a clue that they are forgetting what medicine is really about, and give patients hope there IS a light at the end of the tunnel.

Is this something about California, Gina's ark had a horriable time there too.

Hopefully, there will be an end in site for all the pain. Very glad you found a competent doctor. That other office sounds very incompetent.

I don't understand why you are having such a difficult time, this is horrible :( I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this next doctor will work out.

Kelly, I sure hope that this new doctor will finally be able to help you and that he's also a competant and caring one. :) I'm glad that you didn't waste any time with the office that couldn't even schedule an appointment for you right away. Don't they realise that you need some help asap and that you're time is very valuable.

Life is NOT fair, it is always the same persons who have bad luck in everything.....
Millions of hugs, dear Kelly!!

I guess the treatment you receive depends on the doctor and how compassionate he is. I don't understand how you can get all these cold, uncaring, so-called "professionals" in one area. Surely there is someone who can help you without sounding and acting arrogant. What a bunch of fools they all are. :eek:

Kelly, you really have some bad luck lately! Not enough that you have to deal with pain and illness, now there are all these incompetent or rude people at the doctor's offices!

Hope you'll be more lucky with the one in Encino, and hopefully he can help you!

You've been through too much already!

Kirsten

Hugs and prayers, Kelly, that this newest doctor will be just what you need!

Kim ;)

My thoughts and prayers are with you. I hope everything works out for you soon.

Awww, you guys/girls are very sweet!! (((hugs)))

Its Saturday and I STILL haven't gotten a call back to schedule!! Its utterly rediculous! I'm thinking of writing that doctor a letter so he A: knows what's going on up front while he's trying to practice medicie and B: understands the importance of hiring competant staff. Ugh!

The sad part is, he came highly regarded. One of my doctor's that I saw last week for my possible arthritis referred me to him after I told her what happened with Dr. Assil (mean pain "doctor"). My co-worker's mother just saw this doctor and she LOVED him. And, I had a patient this week that said he was a really great doctor. Oh well...his loss I guess.

What do you think? Should I write a letter to him. Just to inform him?

The doctor I'm seeing on the 16th sounds really great. The patient that recommended him at work seemed to really, really like him. Told me he'd been to numerous doctors (including the mean doc I saw and the one I cant seem to get an appointment with) and this is the only one he felt genuinely cared about him. He told me he'll give you pain medicine, but he monitors you closely - this is EXACTLY what I want!! Keep your fingers crossed this is a good doctor for me.

Hugs,
Kelly :)

I'd go with the doctor on the 16th.

In the future, I would make the referring doctors make all the arrangements, you show up. It shouldnt be up to you to keep following up just to get into someones office. Most doctors handle all the arrangements and call you with time/date to show up.
Writing a letter would comfort you but the office isnt going to do anything about it. Only letter they will pay attention to is one from a lawyer.