Mr. Goodyear: "Hi, Dr. Grumpy referred me to a cardiologist, and I made an appointment for tomorrow. I'm stuck out of town on business now, and there's no way I'll be able to make it. Can you call them and cancel for me?"
Annie: "Sure. What doctor is your appointment with?"
Mr. Goodyear: "I have no idea. It's on my desk at home. It was someone on the list."
Annie: "What list?"
Mr. Goodyear: "The one from Major Illness Insurance, of cardiologists on the plan."
Annie: "Hang on, let me look it up online... They have 38 cardiologists in our area. Do you have any idea who it may have been?"
Mr. Goodyear: "No. Can you just call all of them for me?"
20 comments:
tell me Annie didn't comply?
there is no way I would do that for Mr. Goodyear!
wv: sting . as in, fields of barley
She suggested he call his wife, who actually had access to the piece of paper on his desk.
He, of course, didn't want to do this, as he said his wife was busy and he didn't want to bother her.
I got a call last week from a guy at the DMV who was SO pissed off that the vision test we did in our office was not sufficient to buy him a pass on the vision test for his license. It seems we should have issued a YELLOW card. Why didn't we give him a YELLOW card?
Maybe it's because we have no idea what a yellow card is?
The stuff they expect you to do for your measly $75 office visit.
When I was working for the city, I got a call one Sunday morning from a fellow looking for his car. It had broken down the night before, and a nice officer had helped him push it to a safe place.
He'd arranged to have a tow truck come out, but he didn't know which road he was on, or even the name of the officer. He wanted me to call -at home, and wake up- all the 3rd shift officers who had short brown hair and mustaches (i.e. almost ALL of them).
I told him I wasn't allowed to have officers' home numbers (for the express purpose of denying inane requests like this) and that he might want to call back after 10 PM and have a request for information put out over the radio.
Professionals as personal secretaries.
Hi, this is Joe Momma, you did my will for me 8 years ago, I spilled coffee on it and was wondering if you could do another one for me, but I wanted to know if there is a charge for that ?
Similar, I need a copy of my closing statement for taxes, I can't remember what I did with the one you gave me.
This is the most annoying part of business.
Annie "No problem, what's your number so I can call you back with the doctor's name and phone number. Oh, when are you coming back? We will meet you at the airport..."
It makes me a little sad to think of how often I leave my psychic abilities at home...I'm supposed to remember what doctor this one guy saw this one time in this one city that gave him this one medication that he didn't like. And then I should be GREATLY ashamed of myself when I can't pull that name out of my ass...
Ah yes, the ethereal "THEM.".....
We had a guy who needed a refill on his allergy med that was prescribed 2 years ago. Didn't know the name of it. Didn't know the doctor's name. But could we just call "THEM", and oh yes, then transfer the prescription to the Walgreen's near his house. And he needs it before he gets on a plane tomorrow morning.
You didn't make a note of this referral in his chart? I thought doctors documented everything!
Doc, please tell me that one response of yours was a joke. "He didn't want to bother his wife."
Seriously?
I think the next time that guy comes to see you, you should refer him to your partner Dr. Kevorkian.
Nope. That's what he told Annie.
oy vey. seriously? I'm embarrassed to call my doc and admit I forgot to put the appointment in my calendar and need them to tell me when it is. It's happened twice in 20 years.
Yet I have clients who will call and say, "Those drawings you gave me last week, can you resend them. I don't remember where I put them. Oh, and I need them for a meeting in 20 minutes." Awesome.
Duh, completely normal, reasonable request.
Ummmmmm... you didn't have a copy of his referral letter on his chart ? :-)
And while you're at it, could you pick up my dry cleaning?
Got a light?
Anonymous - I'm assuming Dr. G wanted him to see A cardiologist and then the patient checked with his insurance to see who they'd cover before making an appointment with one. And if he is as stellar with directions as most of my patients, I am sure he did NOT call Dr. G's office back to let them know who he'd be seeing and when so they could send a summary letter.
Just my presupposition based on too damn many years of working for a private physician. Sadly, this entire conversation doesn't surprise me one bit.
I've always hated automated telephone menus..until reading this. Now I can see how useful they can be. (Screen > DELETE)
Hang on while I load my scatter blaster and aim it....in all directions at once!
When did so many of our fellow Americans decide that they are THE most important person on the planet, and their needs and wants should be instantaneously fulfilled with no effort or cost to them?
Oh...and whist treating other humans as robots, idiots, or verbal (or actual) punching bags for their anger should their every need not be met in a timely fashion?
You see it in the hood, and you see it in the 22nd floor corner office.
Pattie, RN
Post a Comment