Ok.....I'm ranting tonight!

I'm sure that I am not the only one with this complaint & I'm only venting to hopefully lower by blood pressure which has been through the roof, since visiting my OB/GYN's office today. I live in an area of West Palm Beach, Florida much like other metropolitan areas across the country, where good doctors wishing to make ooooodles of $$$$$ form a large group, thereby reducing their patients to a mere number. We need to stand up against these type of groups! There is no personalization anymore in an area that really demands it. I apologize in advance for any grammatical errors. I'm angry, in a hurry to make up for missed work today and am not going to proof any of this - it's ranting.

I have been going to this particular Doctor for a number of years. When I first started seeing her, she was only with one other female Doctor in a small office behind a Target store. Since I feel more comfortable with female OB/GYN's, I was fine with seeing either one of them. After a few years they split, one staying in my neighborhood, but forming a group with what is now 9 other doctors and the other moved a few cities away on her own (but is now with one other Dr). I visited her once, only because I could not get get an appointment within a decent time frame (should have been a clue). I couldn't continue going to her location, because of it's location and my work location, so I returned to the other partner.

This year, when trying to make my annual appointment, I had to wait 3 months! I was told that since it was "just routine" it was not a priority, but if I was having a problem, I could get an appointment in a week. She suggested that I should relay my feelings about their scheduling, to the Doctor, during my appointment. Sounds like a touchy subject! Anyway, I don't know about you, but if you're having a problem, even a week is too long.

I made the appointment three months ago, for today's date. Well, during that time my period was thrown off schedule. So, one month before this scheduled appointment (being the considerate person that I am), I called her office and explained that my period might interfere with the appointment and that I needed to cancel and reschedule. I was told that it would be another two months before I could get in, so obviously, I was a little upset that my annual visit would now be about 1 1/2 years since my last. (because of issues that arose at my last appointment) I explained this to the secretary, I'll call Karen, and she was very understanding. She scheduled an appointment for March and said that she would let my January appointment stay the way it was and that way, if I could make my January appointment, I could cancel the March appointment when I came in. Great! I was very happy and appreciative for her quick thinking.

So today, I walked in 20 minutes before my appointment, waited patiently & then was called up to the desk by the a woman who claimed to be the "supervisor" - she said that my appointment wasn't until March!!! I proceeded to tell her just what I have told you and she said they "never schedule two appointments" "it just isn't done that way" - I asked her to look at who scheduled the appointment (how I love computers) & ask her. I mean, really, why in the world would I make up such a thing? So she told me to "sit back down" and closed the 'window' (oooohhhhhhh!). Ten minutes later, she called me back up to say that Karen "didn't recall the conversation" .....of course; imagine my shock and surprise. Basically I am a liar & the smirks from the waiting room (full of pregnant women more important than I) reduced me to a non-entity. So, I asked if I could at least get the "prescription" (more medical b.s.) for my mammogram that I had already scheduled. Gee, I'd hate to have something show up on that. I might be dead before I could get an appointment.

Needless to say, and sadly to say, I'm shopping for another Doctor.