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I am being refused to be seen by a specialist at a place, actually any docotor by this group simply because 4 years ago I cancel my first appointment and only appointment.I actually remember I did and that's because my schedule changed and another place offered a better appointment schedule. So now 4 years later that I want to make an appointment for a kidney disease condition that is worse I am being refused. I wasnt even charged for cancelling the appointment. Does this make any sense? It's the only other place that has kidney specialists in my area and I refuse to go to the other place I used to go to because they did a bad job and gave me medication that could have led me to make my condition even worse. Is it even legal to be refused to be seen by any doctor just because I cancelled my only appointment 4 years ago? Does it even make sense?
How much notice did you give that you would not be keeping the appointment?
It’s the only other place that has kidney specialists in my area and I refuse to go to the other place I used to go to because they did a bad job and gave me medication that could have led me to make my condition even worse.
This ^ probably has more to do with it than anything else. Is there a chance that your ‘disagreement’ with the previous doctor included your being non compliant with the treatment plan, resulting in your condition worsening & now, that has been documented in your record?
I think you've probably burned your bridges with this physician practice by threatening to write a bad review.
However, one thing that you can do is call your insurance company and ask to speak to the patient advocate. The insurance company might be able to intercede with the practice for you. Might. I have worked for three national health insurance companies and we received appeals like this all the time. We tried to help when we could. Not always successful, but frequently we could get things back on track with the doctor. Give it a try....you have nothing to lose by trying.
Kicked up a memory from long ago but one office refused my daughter for that very reason
Yeah, I have a friend who's been looking for a CFS/whatever doc for a while. Several offices did what OP describes. If you've ever been there and then moved on, it's sayonara don't let the door hit you because you won't be back. I find that weird, it's like they take it personally.
Maybe there are some statistics as to why they do this. It can be frustrating, I'm sure.
I wasn't going to reply here but got to thinking it was never like this when I was growing up and now it's all about $$$$$ and don't leave a space where they are not bringing in more $$$$$...
A few years ago DH and I had appts with the same oral surgeon on adjacent days. I was to go first.
They gave us each a couple of Vicodin to take after the procedure and if memory serves, Valium to take before. I screwed up and took the Vicodin on the day of my appt. Big mistake. Opioids make me vomit repeatedly. I had to call the office and tell them I was too sick to come in.
So the next day I go in with DH for his appt. The staff is giving me the stink eye. I go up to the counter and throw myself on the mercy of the court, explaining that I did something really stupid and I'm so sorry that it messed up your schedule. I'll make sure it won't happen again.
They relaxed and smilingly rescheduled me for a few days out.
All they want is respect, to be treated as if their time is valuable (which it is). Complaining, then threatening to write a bad review was the wrong approach.
How much notice did you give that you would not be keeping the appointment?
I was going to ask this same question. When did you call to cancel it? If you gave them enough notice, I can't imagine why they would refuse to see you now and I also can't imagine why they would even have kept your name in their books, etc. Is there more to the story? Did you also make threats to the first doctor and/or post a negative review about them?
You said that there are only two places where you live that can treat your condition and you also said, "I refuse to go to the other place I used to go to because they did a bad job and gave me medication that could have led me to make my condition even worse."
Since you refuse to go to the first place and now the second place is refusing to see you and even if they would have maybe changed their minds about it, depending on how you approached them, you've definitely shut out any option for that by threatening them with a bad review.
So what are you going to do now? After you made that threat, they definitely won't be willing to see you.
As far as your question - "Is it even legal to be refused to be seen by any doctor just because I cancelled my only appointment 4 years ago?" Yes, it's perfectly legal. A doctor can refuse to see any patient for whatever reason they want. No one can force them to see you.
A few years ago DH and I had appts with the same oral surgeon on adjacent days. I was to go first.
They gave us each a couple of Vicodin to take after the procedure and if memory serves, Valium to take before. I screwed up and took the Vicodin on the day of my appt. Big mistake. Opioids make me vomit repeatedly. I had to call the office and tell them I was too sick to come in.
So the next day I go in with DH for his appt. The staff is giving me the stink eye. I go up to the counter and throw myself on the mercy of the court, explaining that I did something really stupid and I'm so sorry that it messed up your schedule. I'll make sure it won't happen again.
They relaxed and smilingly rescheduled me for a few days out.
All they want is respect, to be treated as if their time is valuable (which it is). Complaining, then threatening to write a bad review was the wrong approach.
Patient's time can be valuable too, thinking about spending $20+ for parking and taking time off from work etc. A friend years ago was in his doc's office and doc was running way behind so the friend got up and said "my time is valuable too and walked out". I have not done that and hope I don't need to.
Takes me back to the years when I worked and had to take time off from the job for a doc's appt and worrying about getting back to work etc....no wonder BP rose. I'm glad at this time late date I hardly go to docs...did my time.
There are exceptions like a doc delivering a baby and being late for his appts.
Most places I’ve been simply require you to cancel within 24 hours, or they allow one cancelation within 24 hours for current patients and then after the second one they might discharge you.
I've seen some strict rules about cancellations in a dentist's office, but that's a private business with its own rules. They put it in writing at the first visit when you fill out paperwork, that if you don't cancel within a 24 hour timeframe twice, they won't continue to see you. But they state their policy up front. And they don't accept cancelations via email, only by calling and talking to a front desk staff person.
As far as doctor's offices or clinics, I've only seen policies such as: "Please provide us with 24- 48 hours for cancellations so we can accommodate other patients."
I've been on wait lists for cancellations in the past to get appointments sooner, so I always appreciate it when people cancel with some advance notice.
Patient's time can be valuable too, thinking about spending $20+ for parking and taking time off from work etc. A friend years ago was in his doc's office and doc was running way behind so the friend got up and said "my time is valuable too and walked out". I have not done that and hope I don't need to.
Takes me back to the years when I worked and had to take time off from the job for a doc's appt and worrying about getting back to work etc....no wonder BP rose. I'm glad at this time late date I hardly go to docs...did my time.
There are exceptions like a doc delivering a baby and being late for his appts.
If you talk to the staff in some clinics, they will tell you that some doctors always run late. It's their style. It makes them feel important to be running around, rushing from patient to patient. Others keep a good handle on time management. Others have genuine reasons for being late, such as emergencies.
But in my view, most primary care docs are over scheduled, and it's nearly impossible to stay on schedule. it just takes one complicated patient to throw off the entire day's appointments. Appointments are scheduled in 15-20 minute slots usually, and there is always pressure "to fit in a more urgent situation" or whatever. Healthcare has become a grueling endeavor, for both the patient and the doctor in many cases.
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