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I have noticed in dealing with more than a few doctor's offices that you run into the authortative types. It usually the person with the least amount of medical knowledge but thinks they're in charge...LOL.
Had this happen again yesterday. My dad has an appt on Monday with his heart doctor who he has been a patient for quite a few years.
They seem to have a new woman working it the office who called to confirm his appt. She asked that I bring his Medicare/Insurance cards, I said fine even though he was just there a couple of months ago and everything is on file and he is a long time patient.
Than she said and bring in his medications. I said I will bring in a list of his meds(he is currently on 5 meds), no she says bring in the meds.
Sorry, I am not doing that. My dad is on oxygen and uses a walker, and I will need a wheelchair when I get to the medical comlpex. I always valet park the car but it is still an effort to get everything in place.
I don't want to worry about carrying a bag of meds that would be the first thing that could get lost.
I could understand if it was an elder by themselves checking the meds to make sure they're taking the right ones. But when you have an adult child who is monitoring the meds and knows them backwards and forwards you don't need to see the pill bottles.
I told her I will be happy to bring in the list but I'm not carting the meds around as I have enough to coordinate, she got a tone in her voice about that, well too bad.
I am way over these workers who think they yield all this power because they answer a phone in a doctor's office.
I have run into a few myself. I have taken the liberty of telling them I do not like being "talk down to" and do not like their "superior attitude." In one case I asked for a copy of my records so I could find another doctor. The doctor called me to ask why I was leaving and I told him because I did not like the attitude, lack of professionalism and incompetence of the staff. He was shocked.
Sometimes it doesn't hurt to bring up concerns to the doctor as he/she might not be aware of a patient's dilemma.
I have noticed in dealing with more than a few doctor's offices that you run into the authortative types. It usually the person with the least amount of medical knowledge but thinks they're in charge...LOL.
Had this happen again yesterday. My dad has an appt on Monday with his heart doctor who he has been a patient for quite a few years.
They seem to have a new woman working it the office who called to confirm his appt. She asked that I bring his Medicare/Insurance cards, I said fine even though he was just there a couple of months ago and everything is on file and he is a long time patient.
Than she said and bring in his medications. I said I will bring in a list of his meds(he is currently on 5 meds), no she says bring in the meds.
Sorry, I am not doing that. My dad is on oxygen and uses a walker, and I will need a wheelchair when I get to the medical comlpex. I always valet park the car but it is still an effort to get everything in place.
I don't want to worry about carrying a bag of meds that would be the first thing that could get lost.
I could understand if it was an elder by themselves checking the meds to make sure they're taking the right ones. But when you have an adult child who is monitoring the meds and knows them backwards and forwards you don't need to see the pill bottles.
I told her I will be happy to bring in the list but I'm not carting the meds around as I have enough to coordinate, she got a tone in her voice about that, well too bad.
I am way over these workers who think they yield all this power because they answer a phone in a doctor's office.
I have a funny story about medications.
Several times doctors/hospitals have also asked my husband to bring his medicine bottles. Now he takes them every time, every bottle, both prescription and non-prescription pills and vitamins, including the "use occasionally" ones. Probably about 25 or so bottles. During a recent doctor visit the nurse asked for a list of his medications and my husband just handed her this enormous bag of pill bottles. She said, "I'm not going to list them all. That is your job!" and then went to complain to the doctor. She came back a few minutes later and, rather grumpily, started to write down every medicine. Well, I guess that it was her job after all.
Nurses and receptionists frequently ask my husband "Would you prefer to be called 'Jon' or 'Jonathon'?" He always replies "I prefer to be called 'Mr. Smith'."
Last edited by germaine2626; 05-18-2013 at 01:31 PM..
...Nurses and receptionists frequently ask my husband "Would you prefer to be called 'Jon' or 'Jonathon'?" He always replies "I prefer to be called 'Mr. Smith'."
Interesting difference. I am an American, lived in the U.S. sixty-two years, and I was probably addressed by my first name most of the time....without being asked. It just seems very American.
In Europe where I have lived for thirteen years, even the doctors and nurses who have known me that whole time never call me by my first name, not ever.
I have run into a few myself. I have taken the liberty of telling them I do not like being "talk down to" and do not like their "superior attitude." In one case I asked for a copy of my records so I could find another doctor. The doctor called me to ask why I was leaving and I told him because I did not like the attitude, lack of professionalism and incompetence of the staff. He was shocked.
Sometimes it doesn't hurt to bring up concerns to the doctor as he/she might not be aware of a patient's dilemma.
That's exactly it. The "superior" attitude that you will do as I say.
And you're right, the doctor is many times clueless as to what goes on in the front office. It's really not their main focus, but what happens many times is you get an individual who gets an inflated ego because they work in a doctor's office, yet they have no medical training.
It is problematic enough getting my dad into the car, managing the oxygen tank, getting him out of the car(usually with the assist of one of the valet guys), pushing him in the wheelchair, with him holding the oxygen tank.....without having to worry about carrying something else.
I can carry the list of meds in my wallet, I can't do that with a bag of meds.
My favorite are the employees who think they are a doctor. A receptionist once told the hub to just run some antibacterial cream on a rash he had one his hand while he was filling out papers at the window. He told his doctor to remind his not even a nurse licensed to prescribe meds receptionist not to dispense medical advice. He also switched doctors after that.
In house billing staff can be ogres too. I had one call and yell at me that my insurance info was incorrect and I owed them money. Umm I gave it to the receptionist when I visited per her instructions. I too switched doctors and told him he needed to reign in his staff and their tactics. I do believe a lot of them either have no idea how their staff behave or because their is no shortage of patients and the money rolls in they assume whatever their staff is doing is fine.
My favorite are the employees who think they are a doctor. A receptionist once told the hub to just run some antibacterial cream on a rash he had one his hand while he was filling out papers at the window. He told his doctor to remind his not even a nurse licensed to prescribe meds receptionist not to dispense medical advice. He also switched doctors after that.
In house billing staff can be ogres too. I had one call and yell at me that my insurance info was incorrect and I owed them money. Umm I gave it to the receptionist when I visited per her instructions. I too switched doctors and told him he needed to reign in his staff and their tactics. I do believe a lot of them either have no idea how their staff behave or because their is no shortage of patients and the money rolls in they assume whatever their staff is doing is fine.
LOL....yes they think they have a medical degree because they answer the phone.
When my mother was still alive we had one who was a real nasty piece of goods, she acted as the gatekeeper when you called. Never went out of her way when you needed help, and would get things a** backwards most of the time when you tried to explain why you were calling.
She NEVER asked for over a year for mom's Medicare or insurance cards, so on one visit she needs to see them, I said I don't carry them with us unless it is a new doctor, you never ask for them why do you need them now?
In a snotty tone she shouts out "we went paperless!".
OK I said, why didn't you mention that on the phone when you called to confirm and I would have brought them with us. You haven't asked to see them in well over a year, IDK you went paperless unless you communicate that to me.
Most medical offices have an office manager. If there's truly a problem, there's your first line of defense.
As far as the meds...I realize that toting a bunch of bottles is a pain - however, there are many, many patients who don't know what they take or why, the dosage, the frequency, and that there can be drug interactions even with over-the-counter meds or supplements. That's why it is so important to take everything to your doctor or pharmacist and keep them up to date with what is being taken (not to mention that people will prescription shop and drug store shop and be taking 10 different meds from 10 different doctors that they don't want anyone to know about or they've forgotten about. There are also food and drug interactions - for instance, grapefruit juice interacts with numerous medications....the doctor may need to remind the patient or the caregiver of that.
What I'd suggest is using ONE pharmacy and having the pharmacist print out a list of meds that the patient is currently taking a day or two before the appointment, and either picking it up and carrying it with you or having it faxed to the doctor's office. Problem solved - but please, please also tell your pharmacist about any other supplements or "harmless" meds you may be taking. My spouse is a pharmacist and I've heard firsthand about catastrophes that can happen due to misinformation or lack of information. Also, if the pharmacist wants to do some drug education and counseling with you if you fill a new script, LISTEN. You just may learn something. Don't decline because you can look it up on the internet, that's just practicing medicine without a license.
I agree that there are employees in every profession who can be real toots....after working in the medical field for 20 years, though, I can say....most of them work for a corporation now which seems to want to underpay and overwork....and let us not forget physicians, who can be total tyrants and prima donnas. Oh, yes, indeed.
Several times doctors/hospitals have also asked my husband to bring his medicine bottles. Now he takes them every time, every bottle, both prescription and non-prescription pills and vitamins, including the "use occasionally" ones. Probably about 25 or so bottles. During a recent doctor visit the nurse asked for a list of his medications and my husband just handed her this enormous bag of pill bottles. She said, "I'm not going to list them all. That is your job!" and then went to complain to the doctor. She came back a few minutes later and, rather grumpily, started to write down every medicine. Well, I guess that it was her job after all.
Nurses and receptionists frequently ask my husband "Would you prefer to be called 'Jon' or 'Jonathon'?" He always replies "I prefer to be called 'Mr. Smith'."
We have gone through this, too, both with my Dad's meds and with my husband's (cardiac patient).
I got a med alert bracelet for my dad years ago, b/f home computers were common, that had an annual membership to a company in Switzerland, where they kept all his medical info on a computer and could fax or email the details to any medical facility or doctor who needed it 24/7. I got that back in the early 90s.
Then my very smart sister came up with the idea of putting all his records (meds listed separately) on a "thumb" drive. So now my sis and I have that on our computers and update it to the drive, wh/ he can take with him to the ER, doc's office, etc.
My hubby found a necklace three years ago that is a hard drive! It looks like a medical alert (stainless) with a caduceus (sp?) on it - and you pull it apart - voila! a treasure trove of info.
I have had it with physician assistants, nurse practitioners, front desk "clerks", coders - whomever - who get this attitude with me. Sick of it. I wrote a letter to one doctor's practice manager and explained our disappointment with the staff. Heard back with a phone call from the doc. So if you feel you have something constructive to say about the chaos, misinformation, difficulty getting answers, overall attitude, etc -- write the practice manager or the doc him/herself.
As for first names, it really really irritates me. I know I am an old fogey but I like everyone to address me and my hubby and my parents with respect as Mrs. They are not my friends -- they are essentially my employees!!! I help pay their salaries! Don't address me as your friend.
ETA: I didn't read all the other responses -- just wanted to add -- SAM I AM's info about pharmacy listing prescriptions - EXCELLENT. That is where we got the info to put on my Dad's little thumb drive. He has meds from both mail order and 2 local pharmacies (gotta price hunt for some things!) so we got the lists and consolidated them.
LOL....yes they think they have a medical degree because they answer the phone.
When my mother was still alive we had one who was a real nasty piece of goods, she acted as the gatekeeper when you called. Never went out of her way when you needed help, and would get things a** backwards most of the time when you tried to explain why you were calling.
She NEVER asked for over a year for mom's Medicare or insurance cards, so on one visit she needs to see them, I said I don't carry them with us unless it is a new doctor, you never ask for them why do you need them now?
In a snotty tone she shouts out "we went paperless!".
OK I said, why didn't you mention that on the phone when you called to confirm and I would have brought them with us. You haven't asked to see them in well over a year, IDK you went paperless unless you communicate that to me.
Even if they "went paperless" (and all physician practices are doing that now - the federal government has a whole program that even gives rebates of a sort to practices that incorporate this special program) - someone has to input the data. So it makes no dern difference if they are "paperless" or not. Either they have the data in their system or they don't. This was no reason to act so hateful to you about your info. They should either have transferred the data they already had or told you ahead that they needed it to re-scan into a new system.
The arrogance of some of these folks is astounding. Rudeness is NOT acceptable.
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You haven't asked to see them in well over a year, IDK you went paperless unless you communicate that to me.
