I really like my PCP - he's always been so good with my care. However, lately, I'm getting more and more frustrated with him. A week ago, I faxed him the orders from my surgeon for some pre-surgery testing as well as the request that the surgeon had for a letter of medical necessity from him. Most of it was for various blood tests - which he could have drawn in the office. There was also an order for the gallbladder ultrasound, which he does not do in the office. Since my PCP is in Michigan, and I'm working (and will have surgery in Ohio), I had faxed the paperwork to him along with my written request explaining my reasons for requesting that he order the gallbladder ultrasound so that I could get it completed on the same day that I would be seeing him and having the bloodwork done so that I wouldn't need to take another day off of work and drive 600+ mile round trip again. I also explained that I knew he wouldn't order it without seeing me (that's his policy), but I was hoping that if I explained my situation to him, he would be willing to make an exception just this one time.

Well, when I showed up this morning - he had not even bothered to read my written letter or the surgeon's orders. He finally did so when he came in to see me. Grrr.... Of course he said that he would order the tests for me - which I knew he would. So, his vampire came in and took the 8 viles of blood necessary to cover all of the blood tests and gave me the urine cup for that sample. Then getting out to his receptionist, I find out that he did not put down the order for the gallbladder ultrasound to be done today. I explained to the receptionist my issues and indicated that the doctor told me he would order it. Of course, she had to double check that. Then it took another 10 minutes and several phone calls to find a place that would actually do the ultra sound this morning "on short notice". I really hoped it would be today, since I was already fasting for the blood tests. It would have been nice if he could have gotten it scheduled before today so there wouldn't be the last minute rush to find a place to do it. But I wasn't going to leave until I had the test scheduled for this weekend if not today.

Oh, and he didn't do the letter of medical necessity. His nurse said that she would have him dictate it to her on Tuesday and she would get it sent off then to my surgeon. I plan to call them next week to make sure it gets done.

I get to the place for the ultrasound, give them the doctor's order and request that a copy of the results also be sent to my surgeon, and have that done. The technician then tells me to wait in the waiting room for about 15 minutes and they would let me know the results. Nice - I wasn't really expecting that. Then about 1/2 hour later, I actually got the results (negative) after again giving the information to the nurse to send the copy of the results to the surgeon.

So, there's the long story of my "first step" completed! Yay!!!!

Wow, that was more complicated than it needed to be. Sorry for all the stress you went through today. At least, you got everything you wanted to get accomplished done. Congrats, on a big step forward.

Coming off of a career of being a medical administrator I fully believe your story. This is what I do: I make an appointment BEFORE the appointment for anything hands-on. I make a "form" appointment. It's your 20min. Use it for what you need. I sit down with the MD with my forms that have to be signed, complete, written, and I don't leave until it's done or at least dictatated

Try it. It works for me!!!

Valentina

I really like my PCP - he's always been so good with my care. However, lately, I'm getting more and more frustrated with him. A week ago, I faxed him the orders from my surgeon for some pre-surgery testing as well as the request that the surgeon had for a letter of medical necessity from him. Most of it was for various blood tests - which he could have drawn in the office. There was also an order for the gallbladder ultrasound, which he does not do in the office. Since my PCP is in Michigan, and I'm working (and will have surgery in Ohio), I had faxed the paperwork to him along with my written request explaining my reasons for requesting that he order the gallbladder ultrasound so that I could get it completed on the same day that I would be seeing him and having the bloodwork done so that I wouldn't need to take another day off of work and drive 600+ mile round trip again. I also explained that I knew he wouldn't order it without seeing me (that's his policy), but I was hoping that if I explained my situation to him, he would be willing to make an exception just this one time.

Well, when I showed up this morning - he had not even bothered to read my written letter or the surgeon's orders. He finally did so when he came in to see me. Grrr.... Of course he said that he would order the tests for me - which I knew he would. So, his vampire came in and took the 8 viles of blood necessary to cover all of the blood tests and gave me the urine cup for that sample. Then getting out to his receptionist, I find out that he did not put down the order for the gallbladder ultrasound to be done today. I explained to the receptionist my issues and indicated that the doctor told me he would order it. Of course, she had to double check that. Then it took another 10 minutes and several phone calls to find a place that would actually do the ultra sound this morning "on short notice". I really hoped it would be today, since I was already fasting for the blood tests. It would have been nice if he could have gotten it scheduled before today so there wouldn't be the last minute rush to find a place to do it. But I wasn't going to leave until I had the test scheduled for this weekend if not today.

Oh, and he didn't do the letter of medical necessity. His nurse said that she would have him dictate it to her on Tuesday and she would get it sent off then to my surgeon. I plan to call them next week to make sure it gets done.

I get to the place for the ultrasound, give them the doctor's order and request that a copy of the results also be sent to my surgeon, and have that done. The technician then tells me to wait in the waiting room for about 15 minutes and they would let me know the results. Nice - I wasn't really expecting that. Then about 1/2 hour later, I actually got the results (negative) after again giving the information to the nurse to send the copy of the results to the surgeon.

So, there's the long story of my "first step" completed! Yay!!!!

Coming off of a career of being a medical administrator I fully believe your story. This is what I do: I make an appointment BEFORE the appointment for anything hands-on. I make a "form" appointment. It's your 20min. Use it for what you need. I sit down with the MD with my forms that have to be signed, complete, written, and I don't leave until it's done or at least dictatated

Try it. It works for me!!!

Valentina

The problem with that is it would require another day off of work and another 600+ mile trip. Not exactly convenient. I will call them daily if I need to next week to make sure it gets done.

SO glad you are past this- seriously the hoop jumping period from February to mid April was so frustrating- I encountered roadblock after roadblock and finally got over them all. You will too! ONWARD!!!

Thanks. It's just a bit frustrating that he wouldn't even look at the information I sent to him until he was in the office with me.

I knew he would support the decision as he did give me a referral to a bariatric surgeon in Michigan. I just couldn't go to that one because of my work situation (they see patients on Tuesdays - which would be impossible for me working in another state).

He was also concerned about the after care - suggesting that I find a PCP down there as well since I potentially won't be in Michigan as much as he would like for the proper follow up care. I told him the surgeon had a pretty extensive after care program and he seemed satisfied with that. Of course, my surgeon had also asked me if I would be around for the aftercare when I first met with him. I'm glad they were both concerned with that to be honest. It helps put me at ease for choosing the surgeon that I did.