Tuesday, October 27, 2009

A Quick Rant About Healthcare Providers

As I have previously mentioned, I have excellent health insurance coverage. I pay about $90 a month for our coverage (two adults), and it covers pretty much everything. Had we needed IVF, it would have covered the whole shebang. My healthcare providers get paid quickly by my insurerer (I can look online at all of the billing), and they get paid pretty well, by my review of the bills.

Which makes it inexplicable that the staffs at the three doctors offices I currently visit are so incredibly rude. My physicians are lovely people, but their staffs kind of suck. Two cases in point:

I was at my PCP's, gvetting the regular flu shot. My PCP said they had the one that is thimerosol-free. That's what she recommended. That's what IS recommended for pregnant women. When the nurse came in to give it to me, I asked her to verify that it was in fact the thimerosol-free shot. Her response? "I can go get you the box if you'd like.". Okay, so far, so good. But when I took her up on her offer, she got very huffy. "I can guarantee you that there are NO side effects from getting the shot with preservative. I had it with both my kids, and they're fine.". Um, okay, lady. Your study pool of TWO has definitely convinced me. By the way, have you read my chart lately? See the weird bacterial infection I got last year AS A RESULT OF MEDICATION, which occurs very rarely, and happens to hardly anyone? Yeah, I'm not playing the odds with my baby, thank you very much.

And then yesterday, different docotr's office...I need a form filled out for this job that I want so much. In addition to regular background clearance, I have to get medical clearance. My doctor filled out the form, but neglected to fill in one of the boxes. The nurse was very nice when I spoke with her on Friday, but yesterday when I had to point out the oversight, she got huffy. "You know, you're lucky that she filled out the form at all. No other doctor in this practice would've filled out the form. You should've gone to your PCP.". Despite the major attitude, I patiently explained that I did go to my PCP, but she hadn't treated me for the aforementioned infection, she'd referred me to this doctor. And, that I was a patient there, and needed a form filled out related to my care, so there really wasn't anywhere else I could go. (Seriously-I pay THEM money for a service. Who are they to say no to a damn form? A SHORT form, at that.) What did I get? More huffiness. "I don't know if the doctor is going to want to do this.". Hmmmm, that's funny, because I've talked to the doctor several times about this very issue during my appointments, and she seemed just fine with it.

What do you suppose the cause is of medical staff rudeness?

4 comments:

Me said...

I'm right there with you and totally agree. I almost think that physician offices need to send their staff to customer service training. I rarely get a nurse that is nice - even in pediatric settings. When I do, I go to their supervisor and compliment the service. I just wish it happened more. When you're in a medical setting, you're typically already feeling vulnerable and crappy - last thing you want to feel crappy about is customer service! Good luck!

Jessica White said...

What a bunch of horrible sounding people! I think they need to slapped with a wet fish.

Jamie said...

I couldn't agree more. I just went dentist shopping because I couldn't handle the ancillary staff any more.

Sadly, pointing out that ~we~ make their paycheck only makes them angrier.

Io said...

I'm sorry you had to deal with that bitchiness. I think it's pretty common that doctors offices are staffed with angry rude people.
I worked in the office of a friend who is a doctor for a few months when I was between jobs. My coworkers were bitchy and so many patients were bitchy, so I became bitchy. Of course, 95% of therm were gay males so that may have had something to do with it - when we weren't bitchy we were hugging people and being fabulous.