A Good doctors visit ruined.
Ok Folks I feel a rant coming on. Not a send the children out of the room rant but still a rant.
I went the doctor today and had my best visit ever. A1C was 5.9. BP was 128 over 72. Cholesterol was 152 and triglycerides were at normal levels. So why the rant? Well that starts at the check-out window.
The doctor instructions ask that I return in 4 months for a follow-up and that I schedule a physical. Well Ok then, that sounds reasonable. So I ask the receptionist to schedule the physical at the next visit and we will kill two birds with one stone. Oh we can't do that was her reply. Those are separate items and will require two separate appointments. I ask her if we can make two separate appointments back to back. You guessed it NO was the answer. They must be on different days. No matter how hard I tried she would not budge so I gave up and scheduled the appointments.
Now it's later in the day and I remembered that I had wanted to ask the Doc about some knee problems I'm having. But I was so happy with my results that I let the doctor get away before I remembered. So I called my friendly receptionist and explained my knee problem and ask if we could make the physical ASAP so I could get some help for my knees. Oh we can't do that knee problems are a different issue and you will need a different appointment. That's when I lost it. Had I not been in a good mood because of the good test results I would have went ballistic but I didn't and I was polite but I told her in many different ways that I thought their policies were ridiculous and that she should cancel all my appointment till they hear further from me.
So here's the rant part. What am I a cash register with good insurance. O goodie a diabetic follow-up Ker Ching . Oh and a physical Ker Ching. Knee problems too Ker Ching, Ker Ching, Ker Ching, Multiple and duplicate lab test, These poor diabetics don't mind they are used to being stuck and his insurance is good for it. Ker Ching. Gas is cheap and he won't mind missing work. Ker Ching
Does anyone else feel the way I do.
I'm sitting here trying to decide if I will go back to this doctor. I really liked him. But it wouldn't be the first time I have cut off my nose to spite my face
Gary S.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Cherise on -
There should be a way to report him to the doctor's board that over sees them. I can't think of the technical term. I had to do it with a past doctor that I had.
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Permalink Reply by Gerri on -
That incident happened several years ago. Wonder if that matters? Did you get any feedback after filing your complaint?
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Permalink Reply by Cherise on
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Yeah. Last I knew the doctor was being watched. The issue is this was in another state that I lived in so I don't know if the doctor is still in practice or not. As far as I know she still was.
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Permalink Reply by Brian Wittman on -
I have had the very same thing happen to me. I think it has to do with my insurance company. Imagine that !
I have tried to schedule when I have a block of time and was told that it could not happen due to insurance issues. I didn't fight it, but still think it is stupid.
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Permalink Reply by juliannaergrl on -
Insurance companies will only allow your dr to bill for 1 appt a day. That's why you can't go back to back on the same day. What I have done and suggest you do is schedule the physical for 4 months from now. Don't make a followup appt and just go in for the physical. While your there, your dr will do the followup cause he will want to provide good care. Basically when you call to schedule a Drs appt just give them one chief complaint. Then while your there you can ask anything you want.
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Permalink Reply by KCCO on -
Oh, good idea! And a good idea to write down things as you think of them leading up to the appointment. I think my doc was a little offput by my legal pad full of questions at my last visit....also the reason I'm not returning to him!
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Permalink Reply by Tim on -
If it makes you feel any better.... I know my docs office has days (like one day a week) where the doc does nothing but physicals. And most other days where he does no physicals.
I know the above because sometimes I call up and ask if I can move my regular check-up appointment to a different day, and for my suggested day they tell me "He can't see you that day. That's the day he does the physicals." There seems to be zero flexibility there.
I'm just guessing this helps the practice share the rooms and block the schedules better for full physicals.
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Permalink Reply by Strings on -
I go through this every time I see my endo. I have notmal labs retaken at what seem like uneccessarily high frequency.
The thing that really bothers me the most is I really only get a five minute visit with the doctor but I scheduled and paid for a 15 minute appointment.
There must be appointment double booking just based on waiting room numbers. It all feels crooked,
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Permalink Reply by smileandnod on -
I feel like I spend half my life at doctors appointments. Diabetic cash cow is right.
Every time I see my PCP for a specific problem, he says "when will I see you next? Be sure to schedule an annual physical." What exactly do they do at a physical that isn't done at a regular visit? My endo does all my blood work and my PCP is in the same clinic so all that information is in my chart. My physical is scheduled on the same day as my next endo appointment back to back (2 different docs) so the whole physical thing seems kind of pointless to me?
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Permalink Reply by s6954118 on -
It looks to me that you are using a GP for all your medical needs - BAD IDEA
Get yourself an Endo for your diabetes - they will cost more my visit where they draw blood is about $365. I would also get an orthopedist for your knees. I have had keen replacements on both knees.
Go to your GP for colds and flue
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Permalink Reply by Stemwinder on -
Your right I do see a GP. I used to see an Endo but decided there were way to many doctors in my life. The GP I have been seeing has in my opinion done a good job. My last AIC of 5.9 was my best ever and I give him a lot of the credit. I will probably go back to him when I calm down some more but I'm not there yet.
If and when I return to him I think I will take Juliannaegrl's suggestion and only schedule a physical and let this count as the follow-up. I will also as ZOE suggest place a limit on the number of visits I make. If the Doc wants to see me every four months for follow-ups and have a physical also then we will do two follow-ups and a physical. I will make this point clear if I return and if they cannot agree I will find another doctor for sure.
Thanks everyone for listening to my Rant and thanks for the understanding. Just getting it off my chest has been a great help.
Gary S
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