Mary: "Dr. Grumpy's office, this is Mary."
Miss Luthor: "Hi, I'm so sorry, I have an appointment in 1 hour, and I have to cancel it. I'm really sick today."
Mary: "I'm sorry. Would you like to reschedule?"
Miss Luthor: "Yes. Can I come in next Wednesday, at the same time?"
Mary: "Okay... Wednesday, July 24... Looks good! We'll see you then, and I hope you feel better."
Miss Luthor: "Thank you!"
Wednesday, July 24
Mary: "Dr. Grumpy's office, this is Mary."
Miss Luthor: "Hi, I'm so sorry, I have an appointment in 30 minutes and I have to cancel it. I can't get a ride today."
Mary: "Okay..."
Miss Luthor: "I'd like to reschedule to..."
Mary: "I'm sorry, but our office policy is that we don't allow 2 last-minute cancellations."
Miss Luthor: "But I really need to see the doctor! I've heard such good things about him!"
Mary: "I'm sorry, but that's our policy."
Miss Luthor: "Can't you make an exception? I told you! I'm really sick today!"
Mary: "I thought you couldn't get a ride today? You said you were sick last week."
Miss Luthor: "Okay, yes, you're right, I can't get a ride today. And I'm sick too! It's both!"
Mary: "Have a nice day." (hangs up)
11 comments:
Obviously, this patient suffers from a virulent strain of CRS (can't remember shit), known as CRL (can't remember lies).
This disease strikes young and old alike, and knows no socioeconomic boundaries.
In some geographical regions (Washington, DC) it has reached epidemic proportions.
Mary: worth her weight in gold and then some. Nicely played!
And just last week you were wondering why there were no patients in the waiting room and no calls..............hmmmmmmm
Prodigious detective skills.
That is why people are always calling me No Shit Sherlock
Maybe she's car sick, and nobody wants to clean her puke. You guys are so mean to not accomodate her. Geez.
LOL
"Tell you what- just on the off chance that something opens up, I'll skip coming next week too."
So, if someone cancels twice, they are forever barred?
I can see a "two last minute cancellations in a row" mean banning. I'm sure that it's not "two" ever, as in, "Yes, you last minute cancelled 5 years ago, now you did it again. I'm sorry but we will no longer schedule appointments for you."
People who cancel two in a row are bound to be problems. People who do it rarely are just having things happen in their lives. Shit happens, and I doubt the Amazing Mary is that inflexible.
Trust me, anyone who works anywhere that runs on appointments (whether it's your doctor, the dentist, or a hairdresser) can tell when someone's really sorry they have to cancel and when they're just blowing smoke up our asses.
Also, it wasn't just the cancellations, she was lying about why she cancelled, and Mary caught her in her lies. That makesa big difference, I think it was a wise decision on Mary's part.
i always read this blog to remind myself of the kind of doctor I don't want to be. :)
...wow...
Anonymous @11:18: Are you implying that you don't want to be the type of physician who tells someone who has already cancelled twice on short notice, that you are unwilling to give up a third appt time, when you probably have patients who need that space and would show up? So you would let them book a third time and cancel a third time? Who pays your bills?
If someone is old enough to dial a phone and cancel, they are old enough to take responsibility for their actions. And that includes being put on the "don't take another appt from this person ever again" list.
We tend to recommend the clinic down the road for their next appt.
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