You may recall that Hick had trouble with a nurse/receptionist at the back surgeon at the end of March, when he was experiencing severe pain after his surgery, and nobody returned his calls. She was a bit rude, and gave him paperwork with the wrong patient name to take for physical therapy, then said it was Hick's fault!
Anyhoo, Hick has had one or two regular follow-up appointments since then. Always the same routine: x-ray, then the surgeon visit. The x-ray area is separate from the doctor's office. They tell patients not to worry if they are running late due to x-rays, because the surgeon will know they are coming when he gets the x-rays sent to him.
Hick likes to be punctual. His appointment was Thursday at 11:00. It takes about an hour, perhaps a little less, to get there.
"I'm leaving here at 9:30, to make sure I have time to get the x-rays before my appointment. The doctor told me, 'Go to x-ray first, then I'll see you to go over them.'"
Hick was a little concerned that he hadn't gotten a reminder phone call about his appointment.
"Are you sure there's no message on the house phone?"
"Yes. I'm looking at it right now. No new messages. Nothing from the doctor in the missed calls section. Do they have your cell number?"
"Yeah. I didn't get nothin' on it, either."
"Are you sure you have the right day? Remember how you missed your eye appointment by going on the wrong day!"
"It's right. June 8, 11:00 a.m. I have the card they gave me right here. They wrote "x-ray" on it. Thursday IS the 8th, right?"
"Yes. That's Thursday."
Anyhoo... I got a text from Hick at 11:06.
"They did x-rays but I have to come back on the 13th not sure why they did it that way this time"
"So no doctor today?"
"Yeah no doctor today don't know why. That aggravates me because now I gotta make another whole trip when it took 10 minutes for x-rays. And I had never been given an appointment card for the 13th."
When Hick got home, he said Old Biddy was the one who told him he didn't have an appointment. She's the one who made him that card a couple months ago when he was there. You'd think if you're having an appointment two months out, you'd be getting a card with the date. Just like Hick got for the x-rays. Which he assumed also entailed his surgeon appointment, like the other times.
"That's suspicious. I think she did that on purpose. Otherwise, you would have had two appointment cards. One for the x-ray day, and one for the surgeon."
"I told her I didn't know anything about an appointment on the 13th. She just kept saying, 'The doctor isn't here. He'll see you on the 13th.'"
"Huh. Maybe he was tied up in surgery. But you'd think she would have told you that was the reason. I'm pretty sure she's holding a grudge since that time you went without an appointment because they wouldn't return your calls, and then the surgeon said he would see you. She doesn't like being overruled!"
"Something's funny about it. I'm gonna ask him when I go next week. I made her give me an appointment card for the 13th, because she wasn't going to."
"THAT'S good! Because she would probably try to say you didn't have an appointment!"
I will keep you updated. Maybe it was Hick's error all along. Or not...
Myhusband went tothe dentist ont he wrong day. This time they sent him reminders for a solid week. I agree with you about Biddy. Linda O
ReplyDeleteHick has missed a yearly eye doctor appointment because he forgot, despite having it in his phone calendar, and also gone one day early to a different appointment.
DeleteI can't blame this one on him, because he had the appointment card. On the other two back surgeon visits, he did not get two separate appointment cards, because they were on the same day. So something is fishy with this scenario.
This nurse/receptionist seems to think she is in some position of power, or something. I'm glad Hick thought to get the reminder card, filled out by her, so he can stand his ground if she comes up with some future bogus situation. I would think the only reason he wouldn't be able to see the doctor, was because he had an emergency that he needed to take care of and the battleaxe, I mean, nurse/receptionist should be able to tell him that. At least, then he would know he wasn't just getting the run around, although she could just lie about that too, I suppose. She is developing a VERY bad reputation. Maybe she is retiring soon. One can only hope. Ranee (MN)
ReplyDeleteI think that's the exact problem! Old Biddy is mad because her power was neutralized when un-appointmented Hick got to see the surgeon about his pain. Then while being flustered over that turn of events, she gave Hick the wrong paperwork for his physical therapy. I'm sure she was fuming when she had to call Hick to explain her error, which she then blamed on HIM!
DeleteI don't like the sound of that medical clinic at all, they're not supposed to hold grudges and stuff people up with appointments. That's unprofessional and would be cause to lodge a complaint.
ReplyDeleteAs far as I can tell, it's just the one person. Hick says everybody else is really nice. I'm waiting to see what the surgeon has to say about the x-rays and appointment on different days.
DeletePassive/agressive much? Back in the day, the receptionist was the first line of defence for the all important Doctor. Should no longer be the case. Maybe she just doesn't like Hick and is usuing her limited powers to make him miserable. I bet if he mentions this to the doctor, she might be reprimanded. Good for her, but will she continue to use her evil powers to inconvenience patients she just doesn't care for?
ReplyDeleteI'm sure she doesn't like Hick. I just got a text from him at the doctor. Tale coming up on Wednesday.
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