Dr appointmet

[Marigold2]

Dear friends,
I wanted to post a little rant or should I say information here for people about their Dr. appoinmtents. Important tips that many, many patients especially the elderly whom I deal with on a daily basis don't know or follow.
1) Please bring your insurance card. Make sure you bring the correct insurance. Not the one you had last year or last month or five years ago.
If you are not sure there is a number on the back to call. If your card is old and damaged call and it will be replaced free of charge.
I will not call your insurance company when you come in for an appointment unless you need tests or surgery ASAP, I don't have time.
Nor do I know what your insurance covers for the most part or if you have met your deductable. It is YOUR INSURANCE get the info before you come in.
2) If are on any meds bring in a list. Have it in your wallet and I will make a copy. And yes everything counts, all drugs count. Do NOT lie about smoking or drinking either, we can smell the smoke on you and the drink.
3) You need to fill out the entire form I give you not just the parts you think are important or the surgeries you think are important, it is all important.
4) If your appointment is at 8:00am and you show up at 7:30 I won't be there and I won't be happy. It takes us 15 minutes to open in the morning, have a second cup of coffee at home and come at 8:00.
Don't come 1/2 before your app or 1/2 late. No you will NOT be seen early if you come early. If your app is at 2 and you waltz in at 1:15 I will take the other patients first and you will wait till 2.
5) Yes we run behind and yes we have a lot of emergencies. Sorry that you have a hair app or have to pick up the kids or have a dinner date. But we just had a to tell someone their cancer has retured, they have Lupus or we need to cut that piece of metal out of the eye, think you can wait? If not then try and be a little bit understanding at least. There is someone here who has an emergency and is suffering and afraid.
6) If you are bringing mom or dad or grandma or Aunt Martha please have her info with you, see numbers 1 and 2 please.
7) You know and I know that mom should NOT be driving. Stop wimping out. She will kill an innocent person and herself. Want to live with that?
Want to explain that to your teenage kids?
8) Most records are electronic now and many Docs are entering the info this way as we do. I can pull up your name, birth date and SS and see what meds you take, what surgery you had, lab test, etc etc.
I will keep that info private ALWAYS. I will ALWAYS repect that.
My co-workers are the same.
9) We really do care, everyone of us does. In our office the doctors and the entire staff care about the patients, we treat them like family, we hear about their pets, their children, they tell us about their lives good and bad. We rejoice in your good news and are truly saddened when things are not as you hoped.
10) So again when you go to the Dr office any Dr know that they are there to help and you can help yourself by being honest, bringing a list of meds and respecting the time frame.

[Lady's Human]

In response to #1:

When I give you my insurance card, enter the information into your database accurately.

The first mistake I can understand, after all, APWU and NALC are very close acronyms. However, the insurance companies are different, and I dislike getting billed for covered items for the 17th time because you enter what you thought it was and not what is actually is.

I don't know the billing codes for different items related to coverage, you do. If you enter them incorrectly, you won't have for the error, I will. You get paid to know the codes and the billing systems. It's your job, it's what the practice pays you for, and it's part of my bill.

#2

If I've told your office 4 times that I'm allergic to a drug, please enter it into my records. I can't. Again, your job, not mine.

#3

If I have an appointment at 0800 and I show up at 0730, it's because I just left work and I scheduled the appointment to fit into my schedule. I understand you need a few minutes to open, but all I'm going to do is sit in the waiting area and wait. I understand there are emergencies, but if I schedule an appointment for 0800 and you don't see me until 0900, I'm going to be irritated. Don't bother taking my blood pressure. Respect for time frame goes both ways.

[caseysmom]

I have never in 26 years had to show my vision insurance card, I tell them who I am insured with and it has been on record the whole time, never even asked about it just asked if I am still with the same insurance.

My pet peeve, don't dialate my eyes then expect me to be able to pick out glasses...I got there 15 minutes early to pick out frames, don't make me go back for the appointment because its easier for you, I specifically said I arrived early to pick out frames without dialation.

[wombat2u2004]

Yeah Marigold.
And you have to provide coffee and peanuts for us to.

[Bonny]

A person sure doesn't get much respect either way. What gets me is when you get your eyes checked & need new lenses they push new frames also when you don't need new frames. Then they tell you if your frames break while they are putting the new lenses in your old frames they aren't going to be held responsible. You end up signing a paper that says they aren't responsible if your frames should break. Then they tell you they don't have any frames in the place if your old frames should break to fit your new lenses. What a bunch of bull sh--. You pay a lot of money for frames in the first place & they should hold up regardless.

[Karen]

That's one reason I order glasses online - so much cheaper, that it doesn't matter! Frames for $8 can break if they want, but when I paid $400 - $600, I would have been furious!

[Bonny]

That's one reason I order glasses online - so much cheaper, that it doesn't matter! Frames for $8 can break if they want, but when I paid $400 - $600, I would have been furious!

Not only that but I heard one of the (technician/sales ladies) tell an old man the same thing. My husband asked for his prescription lenses paper just in case & planned to go else where if they broke the glasses getting the lenses in. They got them in without breaking the frames. It is sell, sell, sell to any sucker they can sucker. There were at least 5 techs., that we saw helping with the eye exams including the (2) receptionists. You get to see a REAL EYE DOCTOR for about 15 minutes. Then they try to push a bunch of other tests on you & I asked the cost up front. I had the tests & got to see the results, eye balls with a bunch veins running through them. Besides that they are going to build a NEW building the old one isn't good enough. So they have to Sell, Sell, Sell, got to pay for that new building.

[Freedom]

Marigold:

EXCELLENT list! I've seen similar in the past. Yup, I do all that, AND for my Dad as well as me!

We tend to arrive early as I am dealing w/ a dementia patient / parent. Getting him to move is a SLOW process. We start about 3 hours before the appt time. If we happen to get there 15 minutes early, GREAT, we will sit and wait, we don't mind. Just be sure to let me know where the men's room is, old men with uncontrolled diabetes (and all those other ailments you see on his computerized medical record) gotta go about every 25 minutes.

We tend to arrive early EXCEPT when we arrive late; it happens. Again, I am dealing w/ a dementia patient. Sometimes, he just sits and refuses to move for half an hour. If we will be more than 15 minutes late, I call to let you know and ask if you want us to come or reschedule; thankfully, Dad's docs and staff do understand about dementia and can usually fit us in same day. If we are bumped by an hour, hey I understand; but we are going to just keep moving to get there, arrive early for the new time, and sit and wait -- I can't afford to have him sit down and get stubborn again!


Let me tell you about our dogs and cats . . . . .

[momcat]

About your point #8. This electronic medical nonsense has gone too far! It's insulting and dehumanizing. I DO NOT want my private and personal information on any type of computer. Please don't insult my intelligence by saying your system is secure, IT IS NOT! There's no such thing as a secure computer. I keep a list of all medications, my doctors' phone numbers and insurance information with me at all times, my son has copies of everything in his wallet. That way I know the information is accurate unlike anything off a computer.
I'm insulin dependent diabetic and will go off insulin BEFORE I consent to this. These electronic records are why I refuse to see any other doctor for any reason. When my endocrinologist asks a question I ask if it's going on the computer, if it is I won't answer the question and they know why.

Please give your patients a choice about this indignity. Shoving this down our throats damages trust and confidence in the doctors.

[Catty1]

momcat - JMO, paper records are even more insecure. Very easy to just walk off with. And easily destroyed in the case of fire. At least the computer has a record of who on staff was checking your records, and they better have a good reason why!

Again, that's just me - paper records can be dehumanizing too. They're just records, that's all.

I don't pay much for glasses frames. The assistant there - and this is a small town, so BS would get around quickly - also told me about the 'old frames' thing. She also showed me how to hold frames correctly, a plus! I was told we create stress points on our frames over time, and I find that quite easy to believe.

[Bonny]

momcat - JMO, paper records are even more insecure. Very easy to just walk off with. And easily destroyed in the case of fire. At least the computer has a record of who on staff was checking your records, and they better have a good reason why!

Again, that's just me - paper records can be dehumanizing too. They're just records, that's all.

I don't pay much for glasses frames. The assistant there - and this is a small town, so BS would get around quickly - also told me about the 'old frames' thing. She also showed me how to hold frames correctly, a plus! I was told we create stress points on our frames over time, and I find that quite easy to believe.

What is frustrating you can pay them $300-$400 for what you are thinking are good frames that will last a good 5 years at least. It use to be your frames would last a good 10 years. Now it is just throw them away & get a new pair." WASTEFUL SOCIETY" They use to have a box for people to put their old glasses in to send to third world countries now there isn't a box there anymore. The expensive (cheap) glass frames must all break now so the people in the third world countries will have to go without.

[Marigold2]

On a daily basis we see someone such as your dad. Your job is endless and more difficult then most people know. And yes because of people such as your father we truly run behind, it is so difficult to exam these folks and no we will not rush them and no we will not rush you and your many questions, you have that right. And we don't get mad or upset, it is what we do. The only people that get upset are other patients that don't like to wait.
We deal with mostly elderly patients and surgery patients they take a while and have tons of questions about their upcoming surgery, thats ok.

Marigold:

EXCELLENT list! I've seen similar in the past. Yup, I do all that, AND for my Dad as well as me!

We tend to arrive early as I am dealing w/ a dementia patient / parent. Getting him to move is a SLOW process. We start about 3 hours before the appt time. If we happen to get there 15 minutes early, GREAT, we will sit and wait, we don't mind. Just be sure to let me know where the men's room is, old men with uncontrolled diabetes (and all those other ailments you see on his computerized medical record) gotta go about every 25 minutes.

We tend to arrive early EXCEPT when we arrive late; it happens. Again, I am dealing w/ a dementia patient. Sometimes, he just sits and refuses to move for half an hour. If we will be more than 15 minutes late, I call to let you know and ask if you want us to come or reschedule; thankfully, Dad's docs and staff do understand about dementia and can usually fit us in same day. If we are bumped by an hour, hey I understand; but we are going to just keep moving to get there, arrive early for the new time, and sit and wait -- I can't afford to have him sit down and get stubborn again!


Let me tell you about our dogs and cats . . . . .

[Marigold2]

I do this all the time Wom, I bring in candy, offer patients cookies and even cake sometimes, get them coffee if it is a long wait. Oh yes we do it all.

Yeah Marigold.
And you have to provide coffee and peanuts for us to.

[Taz_Zoee]

I understand emergencies and don't mind waiting if that's the case. At my doctor or the vet office.
But just last week I went in for my annual "lady" exam. I got there on time for my appointment. Went into the room and put on the paper thin robe and sat on the table with the paper over my lap. On my way to the room I saw my doctor sitting at her desk on the computer. I sat in that freezing cold room with basically no clothes on for almost 30 minutes before she came in to see me. Now I may not have been so irritated if she (or someone) had popped their head into the room to apologize and let me know they didn't forget about me and that they'd be with me soon. The exam only took about 20 minutes. Would have been less if I hadn't had some other questions.

[BitsyNaceyDog]

A person sure doesn't get much respect either way.

Agreed. Most of the time our doctors appointments go very smoothly, but there is always the exception.

-Please don't leave a message on my answering machine a week before my appointment, canceling the appointment I made 9 months ago. I understand the doctor may have a legitimate reason for not making our appointment, but I don't appreciate the late Friday afternoon message you left on my answering machine informing me you've moved up my appointment to first thing this Monday morning. And when I call back to let you know that I'm unable to make that new appointment, please don't get annoyed with me and tell me I'll be charged $30 for canceling. YOU canceled on me, so I will not be paying that $30, thank you very much.

-Please don't stay out to lunch until 1:30 when you have appointments starting at 1:00.