Mary: "Dr. Grumpy's office, this is Mary."
Mrs. High-Maintenance: "Yes, I need to make a follow-up appointment with Dr. Grumpy."
Mary: "Okay, we can see you tomorrow, at 1:15 or 3:30."
Mrs. High-Maintenance: "No, that won't work. I can only do 10:30 in the morning."
Mary: "All right... What about Friday at 10:30?"
Mrs. High-Maintenance: "Oh sorry, it has to be a Thursday. I work at our downtown office near you every other week, so I guess that would mean a 10:30 only on Thursdays that fall on odd-numbered dates."
Mary: "Hang on... Well, the next time we can see you then would be, um, Thursday, April 5."
Mrs. High-Maintenance: "I need to be seen sooner than that! Can't you just re-schedule someone else?"
Mary: "No, we can't do that. It's not fair to other patients."
Mrs. High-Maintenance: "Well, you could be more flexible."
Have you given Mary that raise yet?
ReplyDeleteI swear some of these people need a wake up call. Try having your providers be military. You throw that kind of fit and your spouses command gets a phone call and things are NOT pretty. You'll take the appointment we give you and like it! Yes, and Mary needs a big raise, is there a billing code for annoying patients? Kidding..mostly.
ReplyDeleteDominoes a game.
ReplyDeleteBad patient satisfaction score for Dr. Grumpy.
ReplyDeleteWatch your payments get cut.
It's not easy being the Center of the Universe.
ReplyDeleteThis happens to us all the time! I offer 4 different slots and they have the nerve to say its hard to see the doctor.
ReplyDeleteit took weeks to get in to see you, grumpy.
ReplyDeleteThis happens to us at least three times a week. It's ridiculous.
ReplyDelete"My husband and I are scheduled to have sex next Friday night at 9:30. I already had to cancel last year's session because of a headache, so I don't want to miss this one too."
ReplyDeleteBeing in pharmacy school, I sometimes feel like I'm this specific when asking about appointments (I'm taking 19 quarter units or so and working 8-12 hours a week... there's not a lot of free time to work with). However, I would never, ever suggest that the receptionist re-schedule someone else or accuse them of being inflexible!! Sheesh. You either work with what's available or don't complain about it!!
ReplyDeletePharmGirl
Ironically, early April is a really quick appointment too, especially for someone being that selective. (There are such things as sick and vacation days).
ReplyDeleteI once had to wait six weeks to see a neurologist and the need was rather "urgent," a term used loosely). Only got in that quickly due to a cancellation.
At the local large teaching hospital, it can take three to four months in advance to schedule a neuro appointment sometimes. Ditto for the ridiculously behemoth teaching hospital down the street.
You really need to train Mary better...she should be able to find spots anywhere! ;)
ReplyDelete