Having finally connected to the Doctor's office after having dialed the number 26 times (total time spent trying to get through, despite using redial: 6:30 minutes), I get a protracted message talking about various medical forms that need to be completed IF you're calling about a number of health issues. This message was followed by a message stating that if you were actually calling for 4 different doctors who work out of the same offices, then dial this different number. (Total message time: 2:20 minutes)
Receptionist/Nurse (R/N): "Welcome to Medical Associates of _______. Could you please hold?"
Me: "Fi" (Never did get to say the whole word)
(Total time waiting for R/N: 8:44 minutes)
R/N: "Thank you for waiting. How may I help you?" (Monotone voice with just a bit of anger dripping from it, as if this day has started out on the worst note possible.)
Me: "Hi. My name is __________ and my doctor is Dr. _______. I've been waiting to find out the results of the ultrasound and x-rays that were done on my right shoulder approximately 6 weeks ago. I was hoping someone would have called my by now, as I believe the results should be in." (Despite everything, I'm calm.)
R/N: "We don't call patients and give out results over the phone. You'll have to make an appointment with your doctor to discuss the results." (An air of being fed-up pervades her attitude.)
Dead air for about 5 seconds as I waited for her to go on with asking me what day would be best for my appointment, etc.
Me: "Is this a new policy, as I've never been told that before and if I'd known that, I would have made an appointment before I left his offices when I was last there." (When I got the appointment for the ultrasound and x-rays) (A little annoyed that she didn't ask me when I wanted an appointment.)
R/N: "No, it's always been our policy." (Boredom at having to explain this to obviously someone who's an idiot.)
Me: "Okay. Why didn't anyone mention this and that I'd need to make an appointment to do a follow-up on the ultrasound and x-rays?" (Frustration mounting.)
R/N: "I can't answer why that didn't happen. You'll still have to make appointment though." (Defensive, with a hint of annoyance.)
Me: "Fine. I guess I need to make an appointment." (Abject surrender to what could have turned out to be a heated exchange should I had chosen to discover why it didn't happen.)
R/N: "Who is you doctor?" (I'd already told her earlier, but I'll give her the benefit of doubt ... having ruined her day already, I'm sure.)
Me: "Dr. ____."
R/N: "He's on vacation for 3 weeks and won't be back until 28 Aug." (Did I detect a hint of glee?)
Me: "That's fine." (I SURRENDER!!)
R/N: "I'm sorry, but I can't make your appointment right now, as our computers are down." (I think someone in the background laughed out loud, but I may have been mistaken.)
Me: "You're kidding me. You've just told me 3 times that I needed to make an appointment with Dr. ____ and all this time you knew the computers were down? Do you get enjoyment out of giving clients the runaround? Don't you think you could have mentioned this earlier instead of stretching this painful conversation out?" (I rarely get angry, but I was livid at this point. It's times and people like this that can make the most eloquent of people just want to explode into a profanity-laced tirade.)
R/N: "I'm sorry, but you'll have to call back later this afternoon and set up an appointment." (Back to monotone. She must do this regularly.)
Me: "I guess I'll have to, but I'm curious as to how you know that your computer problem won't be fixed until sometime this afternoon?" (Calm, cool, and collected.)
R/N: "I don't. It might be up this morning." (I know I caught her and she sounded guilty.)
Me: "I didn't think so. That's fine, you've been a tremendous help. I'll call back later this afternoon. B'uh Bye." (Despite dripping tremendous with a ton of sarcasm, I was calm, cool, and collected once again.)
I'm gobsmacked at this runaround, or am I being petty? I just wasted almost 20 minutes and got nothing to show for it.
How difficult would it have been to just have said, after I mentioned who I was, who my doctor was, and my reason for calling, that the computers were down and she couldn't offer an appointment with Dr. ____ at this time. Also, for my information, she was sorry that Dr. ____ was away on vacation and that when they are able to make an appointment for me, it won't be sometime until after he returns on 28 Aug!?!?!?!?!?
Would that have been so difficult? Sounds like their office needs to train their people a little better at managing calls. This would have saved me ... and her ... a bit of time and a lot of grief.
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