ash (wolfbane) wrote in bad_service,
ash
wolfbane
bad_service

Receptionists...

I've been sick with pretty intense stomach pain for the past week and a half and decided to make an appointment on Monday. I called my doctor at 9am Monday morning and spoke to a receptionist. She told me it sounded very urgent and she would try to fit me in that day. A couple hours later she called back and told me to call their other office as the doctor was booked. I did what she asked. A bored sounding man answered. I asked if I would be able to make an appointment. He told me that no, the doctors were out to lunch and I would need to call back. I asked if I could at least leave a message and he sighed very loudly and said no, call back after one. I called back around 1:30 and he answered again. I asked him if they were still at lunch and he said "No, they're in a meeting now." I paused... "All the doctors and the receptionists are in a meeting?" He sighed again. "That's right." It sounded like I was calling some guy's house, not a doctor's office... it was really bizarre and off-putting.

The next day I called my original doctor's office at 9am. I spoke to a receptionist who got me an appointment at 11:45. My boyfriend was driving me and we happened to hit a section of construction on the road I live on. I called the office and said I was going to be a few minutes late. The receptionist asked if I knew how late I would be. I estimated maybe five minutes, and asked her if that was okay. She said it was fine, that I could be up to ten minutes late and it would be alright.

We showed up at the office at 11:50 (my phone said this along with the clock in the waiting room). At this point I was hobbling a little because of the pain and went up to the desk. No one was at the receptionist's desk, but I did hear two ladies talking loudly (out of sight) about someone who was late (presumably me). I called hello, and one of them came over. She said in a very rude tone, "Your appointment has come and gone."

I reminded her that I had called and she said I was able to show up as late as 11:55 and be fine. She repeated again, "Your appointment has come and gone," with no indication that she had even heard what I said. I was a little upset obviously, so I said, "I'm in a lot of pain. There's no way I can even be seen for a couple minutes? I talked to someone on the phone who said it was fine that I was going to be late." She said "No," and walked off! I'm not even kidding.

(A little off-topic but my boyfriend's sister went there with a migraine a few weeks ago and they told her they didn't believe she had one and was just seeking pain pills - she has been a migraine sufferer for years, and I can't believe they would even say that to a customer/patient. I didn't find this out until after my experience though.)

I went to the ER instead and they were very nice and I'm feeling much better... but seriously? I am just so confused about the receptionists. They weren't helpful in the least, were rude, and told me misinformation. I won't be going back there (the doctor isn't THAT great anyway) but I still wonder if I should say something to save other people from being subjected to the same service.
Tags: *medical/pharmacy
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