Dr. Grumpy: "This is Dr. Grumpy, returning a call."
Mr. Scan: "Hi, doc, I need to talk to Annie, or whoever schedules tests for your practice."
Dr. Grumpy: "She's off this week, sir. My office message says we're closed until after New Years."
Mr. Scan: "Yeah, I heard that. Um, okay, maybe you can help me... Back in, uh, July, you sent me an order for an MRI. I have to get one every few years to follow up on my meningothingioma whatever, to make sure it isn't growing?"
Dr. Grumpy: "Yes."
Mr. Scan: "Anyway, I've been busy, and I need to get the scan done today, otherwise my deductible starts over tomorrow. So I've been calling MRI places, and none of them can get me in today, and I guess I need an insurance authorization for it, too, so I need you or Annie to get an authorization ASAP, and call one of these places and tell them I'm in a life threatening situation or something to get it done. Let me give you the numbers of the places I've called..."
Dr. Grumpy: "No, sir. Look, this isn't going to happen. Your MRI is not medically urgent, for one thing, and..."
Mr. Scan: "You don't know that! If the tumor is growing I could die from it tonight!!!"
Dr. Grumpy: "Well, it was ordered back in July, as you pointed out. You're the one who didn't call to set it up until the last day of the year. My staff is on vacation now."
Mr. Scan: "It's not like your note said 'please call before Christmas or we'll be closed,' did it?"
Dr. Grumpy: "I'm not going to argue with you sir. The bottom line is that the last day of the year is not the time to call to get a test done that you should have had 5 months ago. Just because you didn't think about this until today doesn't make it an emergency. Call back next week and we'll get it set up for you."
Mr. Scan: "You medical people are all such inconsiderate assholes."
Click
The noive!!
ReplyDelete"A lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part."
ReplyDeleteWords to live by.
This guy was definitely out of line, but the real enemy here is the American health insurance system. You shouldn't have to arrange a test by a certain date to avoid bankruptcy. You shouldn't have to panhandle on GoFundMe to cover medical bills. It's totally messed up that we consider this normal.
ReplyDeleteA month ago, my Doc of 30 years told me was retiring. He said that if all his patients were like my family he would never retire.
ReplyDeleteI consider that a high compliment, but all he was saying was that we were courteous. A guy who waits six months and makes idiotic demands is almost never being courteous. Let’s all try a little courtesy in 2022
"Look, man, I'm taking time out from my New Year's Eve party to call you. They're going to drop the ball in 45 minutes, so I'd appreciate it if you'd hurry up."
ReplyDeleteIsn't the insurance authorization still good? This seems entirely like a scheduling issue, if they don't have a slot they don't have a slot, nobody is going to be able to fix it.
ReplyDelete"Okay, but if the cops ask you where I was today, can you at least tell them I was getting an MRI?"
ReplyDeleteYou DID leave a message. On your blog, though, not on your voicemail.
ReplyDeleteDoc, sorry you had to deal with a jerk!
ReplyDelete"I just read the fine print and discovered that my policy will only cover MRIs in years that consist of consecutive two-digit numbers. If I don't get in today, I'll have to wait until 2122."
ReplyDeleteI'll bet that guy thinks all the waiters, car mechanics, and store clerks, along with all the other drivers on the road are inconsiderate assholes, too.
ReplyDeleteJust wondering -- has he called back yet for his stat /not stat, maybe he needs it// maybe he doesn't MR?
ReplyDelete