I am thinking about switching doctors. For the reg doctor part, not for the specialists. I need someone who will work with me and with the docs.
Each of my specialists has shown me letters they have sent to my reg doctor after each visit. They show diagnosis, medications, procedures, recommendations, etc... The usual stuff. When I saw my doctor she had NONE of these in my file and said that none had come in. I find it hard to believe, esp when I have seen the copies at the other docs' offices.
I called several weeks ago. I needed to have some tests redone to see if the thyroid medications were at the right level and if the changes in diet and movement had made changes in the other blood work. also to see if they got the approval for the bone scan and mammogram that I need.
So far I have placed 6 calls to her nurse detailing these things. The pharmacy has tried to get her to auth refill of the thyroid medications. I am now out, no refill is authorized and I cannot pay for an office visit. Lab tests, bone scans, mammograms are all paid at 100% so if she could call in the orders I can get them done. I have gotten NO reply.
Over the years I have had a LOT of problems with her nurses. One told me I did not need help for fibromyalgia and that I needed to go to a psychiatric hospital because I was faking it. All I did was call to ask to have one medication lowered because I was having side effect problems. It was NOT a medication for fibromyalgia and I did not bring up anything related to that, or to pain.
The next nurse took months to submit things to the insurance company for pre-auth. The doctor would give her written orders to schedule things right in front of me, showing me the orders first, and giving verbal orders that matched the list. Then I would have to call over and over and over because the nurse wouldn't bother to do them. It literally took over 2 months to get an MRI of my spine so they could refer me to a surgeon for the spine problems.
The current nurse doesn't return calls and doesn't take messages to the doctor. I cannot even get faxed notes given to the doctor. I LOVE this doctor. She is really really excellent at what she does. Is understanding, gentle but firm, and compassionate. She doesn't talk down to me and doesn't take any bs. If you need something she is happy to help you, but if you want a quick fix for something and it won't help she will tell you up front.
If you go ahead and do it then she will help you with the problems with-o even saying "I told you so".
I just don't think that it is a coincidence that every nurse she has had in almost 9 years has had these types of problems. I am sure the doctor is not aware of most of what goes on because I don't think she gets many of the complaint calls. The times I have told her in person of the problems she has been shocked and unhappy. Nurse #1 was fired or reassigned because my report, but the problems didn't stop happening.
Right now I need a doctor who will work with me. Who will understand that $$ is tight and routine tests can be ordered before the doctor visit if we have already talked about needing them to happen. We spoke about the tests I need when I saw her a while back. When I couldn't pay for an office visit to get the second round of tests ordered it should not have been a big deal. I would have found a way to come in if the tests showed a big problem, but if they showed what was expected we could have handled things on the phone. If it was a problem to do that, esp when we had already talked about it, she could have had the nurse call me.
Instead I heard nothing. No tests were ordered when I checked with the lab. I couldn't get anyone on the phone.
Is it time to find a new doctor? Jessie is seeing a family practice doctor that I really like. I could switch to her fairly easily.
Or should I stay with my doctor and keep trying to get in touch with her? I still would have the record keeping problems because letters from the other docs would likely never show up in my file.
It wouldn't be a hard decision if I didn't LIKE the doctor.
Each of my specialists has shown me letters they have sent to my reg doctor after each visit. They show diagnosis, medications, procedures, recommendations, etc... The usual stuff. When I saw my doctor she had NONE of these in my file and said that none had come in. I find it hard to believe, esp when I have seen the copies at the other docs' offices.
I called several weeks ago. I needed to have some tests redone to see if the thyroid medications were at the right level and if the changes in diet and movement had made changes in the other blood work. also to see if they got the approval for the bone scan and mammogram that I need.
So far I have placed 6 calls to her nurse detailing these things. The pharmacy has tried to get her to auth refill of the thyroid medications. I am now out, no refill is authorized and I cannot pay for an office visit. Lab tests, bone scans, mammograms are all paid at 100% so if she could call in the orders I can get them done. I have gotten NO reply.
Over the years I have had a LOT of problems with her nurses. One told me I did not need help for fibromyalgia and that I needed to go to a psychiatric hospital because I was faking it. All I did was call to ask to have one medication lowered because I was having side effect problems. It was NOT a medication for fibromyalgia and I did not bring up anything related to that, or to pain.
The next nurse took months to submit things to the insurance company for pre-auth. The doctor would give her written orders to schedule things right in front of me, showing me the orders first, and giving verbal orders that matched the list. Then I would have to call over and over and over because the nurse wouldn't bother to do them. It literally took over 2 months to get an MRI of my spine so they could refer me to a surgeon for the spine problems.
The current nurse doesn't return calls and doesn't take messages to the doctor. I cannot even get faxed notes given to the doctor. I LOVE this doctor. She is really really excellent at what she does. Is understanding, gentle but firm, and compassionate. She doesn't talk down to me and doesn't take any bs. If you need something she is happy to help you, but if you want a quick fix for something and it won't help she will tell you up front.
If you go ahead and do it then she will help you with the problems with-o even saying "I told you so".
I just don't think that it is a coincidence that every nurse she has had in almost 9 years has had these types of problems. I am sure the doctor is not aware of most of what goes on because I don't think she gets many of the complaint calls. The times I have told her in person of the problems she has been shocked and unhappy. Nurse #1 was fired or reassigned because my report, but the problems didn't stop happening.
Right now I need a doctor who will work with me. Who will understand that $$ is tight and routine tests can be ordered before the doctor visit if we have already talked about needing them to happen. We spoke about the tests I need when I saw her a while back. When I couldn't pay for an office visit to get the second round of tests ordered it should not have been a big deal. I would have found a way to come in if the tests showed a big problem, but if they showed what was expected we could have handled things on the phone. If it was a problem to do that, esp when we had already talked about it, she could have had the nurse call me.
Instead I heard nothing. No tests were ordered when I checked with the lab. I couldn't get anyone on the phone.
Is it time to find a new doctor? Jessie is seeing a family practice doctor that I really like. I could switch to her fairly easily.
Or should I stay with my doctor and keep trying to get in touch with her? I still would have the record keeping problems because letters from the other docs would likely never show up in my file.
It wouldn't be a hard decision if I didn't LIKE the doctor.