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Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,560
Registered: ‎12-31-2013

Re: Am I expecting to much from my chriopractors office?


@Mom2Dogs wrote:

@scotnovel....this office does not communicate very well....there were issues with this assistant when the MRI was ordered, she sat on the order for a week before sending the request to the insurance company, I know this because I waited so long I called the insurance company myself, they told me when the request came in.

 

No one at the doctors office gave me any instructions, I was just under the impression they would call me when the results were in, it takes a minute to call and leave a message to call their office.  In my office (self employed) I call my customers when their work is done, I do not expect them to call me. It's called customer service.

 

I cannot imagine working in a doctors office and having patients calling all the time to see if their test results were in....next time I will know better but I do know once I get these results, I am not going back to this doctors office. There are several other things about this practice that I don't like...wait time to see the chriopractor and making appointments that they don't keep are just part of the problem.


I fully understand customer service.  However, when it comes to my personal medical situation, I don't depend on others to do what I think they should do. If I don't understand something or they don't give me instructions, I ask questions and I take the initiative myself.  In my experience most doctors offices do not employ the number of people, especially admin help, that are needed to handle everything that needs done in a day. 

 

 

 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 18,504
Registered: ‎05-23-2010

Re: Am I expecting to much from my chriopractors office?

Doctors do not customarily call patients when test results come in, unless they are life-threatening. They expect and assume that if the patient wants to know the results before their next appointment, the patient will call them and ask.

 

Neither the doctor nor the office staff have the time to deal with this - multiply one person by the number of patients the doctor sees and multiply one test by at least five and you get an idea.

 

Office staff are *not permitted* to give out results. All they can do is ask the doctor to call you; the *doctor* must discuss the results directly with the patient.

 

I worked in a department where cancer diagnoses, simple and complicated, were made multiple times a day. Rule #1 on Day #1 was never, ever give a diagnosis directly to the patient or family member, even if it's a hangnail.

Life without Mexican food is no life at all
Honored Contributor
Posts: 8,250
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Am I expecting to much from my chriopractors office?

@Mom2Dogs My Dr or his nurse always call me to give results of tests.

 

If you are in a big city, things may be different.

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,631
Registered: ‎04-01-2010

Re: Am I expecting to much from my chriopractors office?

[ Edited ]

They should have called you with the results. This is a Chiropractic office not a big Cancer hosptial.   Most Chiropractors where I live have a small practice and don't have tons of patients to handle.  My Chiropractor always calls in person to let me know the results of any of my test. He values my being his patient. If need be I go in to discuss the results but normally he just waits for my next appointment to go over the results. Sounds like your office is maybe too busy to appreciate you.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 25,929
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Am I expecting to much from my chriopractors office?


@CatLoverDogsToo wrote:

Hello,

 

Most practices now are enrolled in something called a "Patient Portal" as are hospitals, labs and radiology centers. If either your chiropractor or the imaging center is enrolled in that, you can register and request they post the results on there. Then you can view them yourself and print out anything you need to. No office will allow the receptionist or nurse to give you the results until the doctor has reviewed it and initialed it. Hope you get your results soon and everything is ok.


My doctor does not ever post ANY test results to the patient portal until he has personally discussed the results with his patient.Patients would be very likely to misinterrept what they read.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 13,018
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Am I expecting to much from my chriopractors office?

@CatLoverDogsToo  I am enrolled in my doctor's patient portal to get test results as soon as my doctor does.  Am also able to confirm appts., renew scripts, see billing statements and pay bills.  I like being able to see the itemized monthly statement before remitting payment.  I find my emailed inquiries are responded to in a more timely manner than when I used to call the office.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 8,034
Registered: ‎03-14-2010

Re: Am I expecting to much from my chriopractors office?

I have had one MRI and this was my experience. Doctor ordered MRI. Took a week to get the appointment. Had the MRI done on Monday. They said the report would be prepared Tuesday and the Doctor would call me Wednesday. Did not hear from the Doctor so called on Friday. She said she had not looked at the report.  She said there was alot going  on with the report and she wanted to talk to the Radiologist. And she would call me back.  Never heard from her again.

 

Called her office to get the results of the MRI. The office personnel did not even open the glass partition and slipped the paper between the desk top and the glass.

 

Customer service is lacking sometimes. 

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Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,960
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Am I expecting to much from my chriopractors office?

[ Edited ]

nm

Honored Contributor
Posts: 25,929
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Am I expecting to much from my chriopractors office?

My neighbor ran over to my house all upset one day because she got her mammogram report in the mail & all it said was wnl.She was so upset and asked me what wnl means. She was so happy when I told her it means within normal limits. I think the least they can do if they are going to send results direct to the patient is not use medical shortcuts.

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,813
Registered: ‎05-29-2015

Re: Am I expecting to much from my chriopractors office?

Things run smoother for me now that I realize that "proactive" means that I get to do the job of the doctor's staff AND I get to do the research in order to ask the correct questions AND I get charged an arm and a leg for this privilege.  That's all I should say because I feel a rant bubbling up!

 

~~~ I call dibs on the popcorn concession!! ~~~