Me: Can I leave a message for Dr. X?
Receptionist: He is swamped right now. Can't it just wait until your appointment Wednesday afternoon?
Me: It's not an emergency, but I would like to touch base with him before then.
Receptionist (giving me exhausted and somewhat haughty look): He's swamped.
---------------------------------------------------
Excerpt from a note written to Dr. X.:
"Wednesday morning Dr. Z. wants me to have an MRI of my back. If you think an MRI of my knee is necessary at this point can it all be done at the same time? This would help me avoid further scheduling problems as well as save me significant money in co-pays."
------------------------------------------------------
Rough outline of conversation with Dr. X, yesterday:
Dr X.: So your knee hurts worse now than before the cortisone shot a couple of weeks ago, and you want to know about an MRI?
Me: Yes.
Dr. X.: That's sounds reasonable.
Me: So do you want me to have one?
Dr. X.: Well, if the shot didn't work an MRI might be something to do.
Me: So. . . do you think I need an MRI?
Dr. X.: That sounds reasonable.
Me: Um. . .
Dr. X.: The insurance usually wants you to have a course of physical therapy before they will approve an MRI.
Me: I already did two months of PT at your request with no improvement at all.
Dr. X.: Oh, uh, yeah. . .ok. My office staff will call to set up the MRI.
---------------------------------------------------------
What I imagine is written in my medical records at Dr. X.'s office:
"Patient asks a lot of questions. She also complained about the two hour wait at her first visit. Man, she sure likes to bitch. She asks about "natural" remedies, supplements, and yoga all the time. WTF? She tends to think she is smart and capable of doing her own research, and prefers to sit in a chair when we talk rather than the exam table. She also calls me and leaves messages and notes. Doesn't she see that I have other patients with bigger problems?"
------------------------------------------------
Maybe Dr. X. is really more concerned about my care than I give him credit for. Maybe he, like so many of us, is simply overwhelmed and tired and is really just trying to get through the day minute by minute, hour by hour.
But maybe, just maybe, I deserve to fight for the focused, thoughtful, and open-minded medical care that I deserve.
3 comments:
Arrgh! don't you feel just like you're a rat in a maze designed by the insurance companies?
I'm sorry to hear that you're in pain and that you're being stymied instead of cared for. Keep fighting!
I always like to feel that my dr. has at, the very least, glanced through my file before coming in the room.
I have a great dr., who is very hard to get into, but spends a lot of time listening and thinking and talking when I am in there. I appreciate that.
I'm sorry about the runaround--sometimes I think doctors must train in medical school in order to learn how to carry on roundabout, nonsensical and frustrating conversations with their patients!
Post a Comment