Frustrated With Doctors! (Very Long Vent)
About a month ago, I went to my PCP because I was experiencing shortness of breath, heart palpitations, and dizziness. She immediately noted some extra heartbeats and started me on some tests, including putting me on a Holter monitor for 24 hours. I was also sent to get an echocardiogram. She wanted me to come back the next week. So I went for the echo and 2 days later went back for my follow-up with my doc. She had no results yet and just wanted to see how I felt. She told me the test results would be in within a week or so and that I should come back the next week. So I did. Again, no test results and no purpose to the visit other than to see how I was feeling. She then decides that she wants to see me in 2 weeks, since she should have all the test results back and wants to do another follow-up. OK, no problem. I've now had 3 visits with her and 1 at the cardiologist (and I was supposed to get a consultation there and never even met with a doctor - just the technician who did the echo).
So I went back after 2 weeks, and she STILL didn't have my results. She called the cardiologist for my echo results and made me wait in the exam room for 10 minutes while she did this (after making me wait 30 minutes after my appt time to see her). She came in, said my results were normal, and made another freaking appointment for me to come back today, but sent me to a pulmonologist in the meantime. Went to the pulmo last week, he said I'm in perfect health and there's probably nothing wrong with me other than a few extra heartbeats, but wants me to come back today for a full pulmonary function test! So I canceled my appt with my doctor for today, and when I called, I asked if they had my heart monitor results and they said that they weren't in yet, and when she went back and checked (after putting me on hold for 5 minutes), she said the place that does the report was behind because of the Jewish holidays. Um, I'm Jewish, too, and I'm not behind on my work, and the holidays were on the weekend and this Monday. W T F? So I told her to have the doctor call me when my results come in. I mean, I know there's likely nothing serious wrong with me, but one month for the results of a HEART monitor??? Don't they know that people freak out when they hear that there's something wrong with their heart that needs to be dealt with?![]()
Went to the pulmo today, had the PFT, and was told that the results were available immediately, but the doctor (who happened to be there when I got there) was not in because he was going to the Yankee game, since he's a diehard fan, and was only stopping in to drop something off! When I asked if he could call me with the results because I have had to take time off from work 5 weeks in a row for doctor appts, and as an attorney, it's not very easy for me to rearrange my schedule, I was told that the doctor likes to have patients come in for the results so he can determine how they're feeling. So I asked for an appt after 4:30 since I work 8:30 to 4:30, and was told that my options were either first thing Tuesday morning at 8:30 or 4:00 in the afternoon any day. There is something drastically wrong with this picture! Do doctors not understand that their patients have to work and that we are professionals as well? Do they think that we can't handle hearing our test results over the phone, especially when you know it's not likely anything serious? Why is it that doctors' time is more valuable than their patients' time?
I am so frustrated and fed up with the lack of respect for my time that I have been dealing with from all of these doctors! I have had to take time off of work to go to these appointments and have to pay money each time, regardless of whether the doctor even does anything! And most of the time, they've been sending me off with no answers and no clue as to what's wrong with me.
GRRRR! Thanks for letting me vent, and especially if you read through this whole thing.
So I went back after 2 weeks, and she STILL didn't have my results. She called the cardiologist for my echo results and made me wait in the exam room for 10 minutes while she did this (after making me wait 30 minutes after my appt time to see her). She came in, said my results were normal, and made another freaking appointment for me to come back today, but sent me to a pulmonologist in the meantime. Went to the pulmo last week, he said I'm in perfect health and there's probably nothing wrong with me other than a few extra heartbeats, but wants me to come back today for a full pulmonary function test! So I canceled my appt with my doctor for today, and when I called, I asked if they had my heart monitor results and they said that they weren't in yet, and when she went back and checked (after putting me on hold for 5 minutes), she said the place that does the report was behind because of the Jewish holidays. Um, I'm Jewish, too, and I'm not behind on my work, and the holidays were on the weekend and this Monday. W T F? So I told her to have the doctor call me when my results come in. I mean, I know there's likely nothing serious wrong with me, but one month for the results of a HEART monitor??? Don't they know that people freak out when they hear that there's something wrong with their heart that needs to be dealt with?
Went to the pulmo today, had the PFT, and was told that the results were available immediately, but the doctor (who happened to be there when I got there) was not in because he was going to the Yankee game, since he's a diehard fan, and was only stopping in to drop something off! When I asked if he could call me with the results because I have had to take time off from work 5 weeks in a row for doctor appts, and as an attorney, it's not very easy for me to rearrange my schedule, I was told that the doctor likes to have patients come in for the results so he can determine how they're feeling. So I asked for an appt after 4:30 since I work 8:30 to 4:30, and was told that my options were either first thing Tuesday morning at 8:30 or 4:00 in the afternoon any day. There is something drastically wrong with this picture! Do doctors not understand that their patients have to work and that we are professionals as well? Do they think that we can't handle hearing our test results over the phone, especially when you know it's not likely anything serious? Why is it that doctors' time is more valuable than their patients' time?
I am so frustrated and fed up with the lack of respect for my time that I have been dealing with from all of these doctors! I have had to take time off of work to go to these appointments and have to pay money each time, regardless of whether the doctor even does anything! And most of the time, they've been sending me off with no answers and no clue as to what's wrong with me.
GRRRR! Thanks for letting me vent, and especially if you read through this whole thing.
