Why doesn't anyone return my calls?

Mustangsally82 · 01-07-2006, 02:25 AM

Do you guys have this problem with your physicians?

I have been to several different doctors in the past couple of months. I went to a new OB/GYN, a General surgeon, my family doctor, and will be going to a gastroenterologist in the next few weeks (if they will ever call me back!). A lot of things are coming together but I'm not dictating them, my docs are supposed to be communicating.

Basically I need to have a diagnostic laparscopy for pelvic pain, have to have a hernia repair. I also had a positive stool blood test, so my GYN wants me to have a colonoscopy, and my general surgeon agrees. So I called yesterday and left a message at the gastroenterologist's office. No one called me back. Today I had to go to town and when I got back I saw on my caller ID that the gastro office had called, but hadn't left a message. This was before ten o'clock this morning. It's now seven thirty, and no one called me back.

I'm just tired of being in the middle of this and not having any control. What can I do to be more productive and get doctors to call me back?

I don't want to leave a bunch of messages and be a pest, but at the same time if it would help I'd leave a couple. What do you guys do to be more assertive?

anh0810 · 01-07-2006, 02:49 AM

hey. i don't know if you got it but I wrote back on your endometriosis post. If you feel like your drs aren't giving you the attention you deserve or communicating with you like they should fire them. That's your right. There is no reason in the world why a person should feel out of control about their health. If you get them on the phone explain how you feel and tell them if it continues you will be finding a new dr (a pain I know). If you don't want to do that cancel everything with whoever isn't being cooperative and go to a new dr anyway. I left an amazing dr who was a great nationally known specialist with endo because his bedside manner sucked! I never got to ask all my questions and I wouldn't take it anymore. Find someone that listens to you. In my last post I mentioned a group called EndoDocs. A lot of those girls also know GI specialist as well...it's worth a chance.

hope this helps. let me know if there is anything i can help you with.

Ashley

Mustangsally82 · 01-07-2006, 04:13 AM

Hey, anh0810, thanks for posting. I actually hadn't seen your reply on my other thread, but I just went there and read it. I really appreciate it. My problem isn't really with my GYN right now, it's with the general surgeon and the gastro office. I hate it when you don't talk to a person but you have to leave a message and sit around and wait to be called back. And classes start on Monday, so I won't be home.

Anyway, thanks for the support and the great information. I'm going to see my GYN in Feb. so I'll let you know what happens.

I think I just needed to vent. Maybe I should have posted this in the ranting forum!

Britsky · 01-07-2006, 04:13 AM

Well, I was going to say what Ashley just said...If you aren't happy with your current doctors, find new ones. I went through the same (or similar thing) you are.....my doctor didn't know me from the man walking down the street, he would ask me questions about things we had talked about not even a month prior, and then have basically no idea or recolecction of what track we were on with dealing with my PCOS. Finally, though I have put off doing so until now, I have left his office for good and have found another, seemingly wonderful doctor who is open to my questions and doesn't rush me out of the room if I still have something I want to discuss. Though I know doctors get busy and I am not the only patient they have, I still felt as though he wasn't giving me the attention I deserved and I felt I had no choice but to go along with what he said as he was the one with the doctor badge. Now, though, things are looking up. So, if you aren't happy, find a different doctor who is attuned with your needs and get the answers and service you deserve.

Pattyannruss · 01-07-2006, 07:14 PM

Phone tag is such a joy(ya right)

You need to return any calls thay make to you.
So since they called your place, even without a message, you should call them back again.

They handle hundreds of patients a day and honestly don't have much time for phone calls. So make sure you have all your questions listed-even if you leave a recorded message- so they can have the answers in a more timmly manner for you.

Hang in there

Patty

powie · 01-07-2006, 08:02 PM

I am seeing my doctor Monday to discuss getting tested for PCOS, i already know I have it, before I have my hysterectomy done, I want to know the options are the correct ones you know? But he's such an arse, he is only about 10 years old and doesn't take anyone seriously, he's misdiagnosed so many times its a wonder he hasn't been struck off, I am realy worried he wont respond to this or even worse wont know what the hell i'm talking about! (I often have to tell him certain meds cant be mixed with others etc) I have no faith in him at all, I can't see any of the other doctors as there are only 3 in the surgery and they deem it unethical, and as I live miles from anywhere I am not in any catchment area to go to another surgery...I feel so doomed over this that i seriously considered siting up A&E last night and insisting they test me there and then.

isenephthys · 01-08-2006, 08:01 AM

sally, it's hard having to coordinate things with 4 doctors! you must feel like you are continually chasing your tail. i agree with the other ladies that if you feel that you are being totally ignored, then shop around for another doctor. but i do know both as a patient and a healthcare worker that it can be difficult to get back to patients by phone sometimes. it's very frustrating all around and b/c of the privacy laws they won't leave messages on your machine. most offices *tend* to return their offices around lunch break (anywhere between 12-130) or at the end of the day (usually after 430) i would just continue to call, and leave some detailed messages. give things a little bit of time to come together; sometimes if it's a really large practice it can (very regrettably) take some time to communicate with a real person.

isenephthys · 01-08-2006, 08:14 AM

powie, your situation sounds really bad! i mean, if your doctor is misdiagnosing you and you feel that you are getting bad treatment there has to be some recourse surely? there should be some sort of medical director of the practice that you can take your concerns to. you should have the right to switch doctors. where are you located?

you shouldn't have to lie back and accept substandard medical care.

powie · 01-08-2006, 09:18 PM

I'm in the UK and unfortunately live in the middle of nowhere, I have to put up or shut up, because there is no other surgery within my catchment area, same goes for dental treatment etc

If I go to the board of practicioners he's not going to be very happy with me, and will treat me with more contempt than usual

it's harsh but I keep telling myself there are 3rd world countries where there is NO medication whatsoever!

isenephthys · 01-08-2006, 09:44 PM

wow... i'm so sorry. that is just horrible. *hugs* i hope things get better for you.

if you go to the board of practitioners, could you switch doctors then? i mean, it wouldn't be ethical or in his best interests to continue treating a patient that has made a formal complaint against him.

Mustangsally82 · 01-08-2006, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by isenephthys

sally, it's hard having to coordinate things with 4 doctors! you must feel like you are continually chasing your tail. i agree with the other ladies that if you feel that you are being totally ignored, then shop around for another doctor. but i do know both as a patient and a healthcare worker that it can be difficult to get back to patients by phone sometimes. it's very frustrating all around and b/c of the privacy laws they won't leave messages on your machine. most offices *tend* to return their offices around lunch break (anywhere between 12-130) or at the end of the day (usually after 430) i would just continue to call, and leave some detailed messages. give things a little bit of time to come together; sometimes if it's a really large practice it can (very regrettably) take some time to communicate with a real person.

Thanks for the tip. I had thought it would be kind of rude to call back and leave another message, but since I've been encouraged here to do that, I will do it tomorrow. I didn't know that privacy laws prevent you from leaving a name and number on the machine to schedule appointments! But I guess it's nice to know they won't just leave any old message on there. I've kept the real reason for having my colonoscopy secret from my parents because my mom worries about everything and she already has an ulcer, so I didn't see any reason to tell her that blood had been found. I just told her that my general surgeon wanted me to have one to rule out any other causes of my left groin pain besides a hernia, which he did, but that was only after I'd told him I'd had a positive fecal occult blood test.

Anyway, I'll keep y'all posted. I know here in America we complain about not having health insurance, but at least we can pick our own doctors most of the time. Sorry those of you in the UK have such problems with physicians!

isenephthys · 01-08-2006, 10:11 PM

definitely keep us posted!

Mustangsally82 · 01-10-2006, 12:53 AM

I called today and actually got a person, I was so excited! Well, as excited as a person can be when they are scheduling a colonoscopy, anyway. It turns out my referring physician never sent in any information (went to see him Wednesday of last week), so I had to call his office, and I got the answering machine, so I left a message. I will call again tomorrow and see if my info is there.

I thought i was going to be able to schedule this morning. that would have been a load off my mind. Oh well, tomorrow is another day.