Does/did your doctor's office ever do this?
By Amber
@AmbiePam (85270)
United States
August 5, 2009 11:07am CST
I had an appoinment at 9am this morning with my primary care physician. I show up early, but since they don't open until 9am, I waited. Eventually me and another lady who was also waiting walked up to the door. And there we saw a sign informing us that all appointments today would be cancelled, and later on someone would contact us all to reschedule.
How is that okay? My first thought to excuse their actions were that overnight something happened to have to close down the place. But that doesn't ring true. They close at 7pm, including last night. Between then and apparently before 9am something happened? They just had the place remodeled after being closed for two months. I could see in the window and nothing was damaged. There is more than one doctor that works there, so if one doctor was sick, patients would still be allowed in.
But then the other lady said they had done this before. She said this is the third time she's shown up and there had been a sign like that. And they never ever have called beforehand to cancel the appointments. I don't know how many people are going to show up there today just to find out they wasted their time.
Until I got on disability, I'd never been treated like that. That my time was not valuable enough for them to call the night before and cancel the appointment. No way did they not have time to do that. Especially since it has happened before.
Has that ever happened to you? Those of you with good health insurance and aren't treated like ignorant pests, has your doctor ever closed their office without you knowing until you show up the day of the appointment? I've been spoken to like I've lost mind mind. Even those of you on disability, are you treated like this?
9 people like this
25 responses
@jessi0887 (2788)
• United States
5 Aug 09
That hasn't happened to me before but I would certainly be filing complaints. I do know that one time I had to take my son to the eye doctor. I had scheduled it a few days prior. I even told them the doctor and everything. I got there only to find out that the appointment was for their other location. First off I never go their other location and second off I didnt know where it was. They should of been able to look at his chart and tell that this is where he always comes. Luckily they allowed him to be seen anyways just by one of the other doctors there.
4 people like this
@pweety_princess (2012)
• Australia
6 Aug 09
That's also horrible, that you make an appointment and they don't even inform you that it's in a different location. Yes, I think that you should make a complaint to the health authority, and don't hesitate to do so. I would actually make a complaint to the doctors place first, and if they do it again, then I would make a complaint to the health authority.
2 people like this
@jessi0887 (2788)
• United States
6 Aug 09
Hey ambie. Sorry I didn't reply sooner. Yes I would file a complaint. It would help get the situation solved and preventing it from happening more.
2 people like this
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
5 Aug 09
You have every right to be upset over this treatment,. It is rude and non professional. So when would you have been informed if not the day before? I hate being treated this way and it is such a waste of time. why could not your doctor reschedules his patients amongst the other doctors. Sometimes I really wonder why they became doctors. I had had some horrific experiences when my husband was ill but then I also had some good doctors. I have good ones now thank God.Blessings
4 people like this
@pweety_princess (2012)
• Australia
6 Aug 09
I agree with you when you say it's not professional. What kind of doctor is that? Obviously one that doesn't care about his patients. He could loose patients if he continues doing this. If it was something huge like the thing was burnt down, fair enough, but there's no excuse. We will always have some good doctors, and some will always be horrible, people who should have never even became doctors.
1 person likes this
@polachicago (18716)
• United States
6 Aug 09
Maybe you have HMO, so your doctor is paid regardless....it happens more often, I know one doctor who is on vacations for at least 6 months a year...I am serous...
they decided to have day off suddenly and personnel have to deal with...
2 people like this
@polachicago (18716)
• United States
6 Aug 09
this is not acceptable, it wouldn't be in Europe where medical treatment is free, most doctors in USA are so spoil....regardless who they treat, they are not working for free...
1 person likes this
@Shaun72 (15959)
• Palatka, Florida
5 Aug 09
Yeah I went to my nerology appointment which is about 2 hours away from where I live to get told that my nerologist wasn't there. No one called me or anything. Most of the time they do but not time. I was so upset. There secetary just forgot I guess but they should know people in my condition have a hard time gettng out in the heat. I was so upset last year when that happened.
@GardenGerty (157485)
• United States
6 Aug 09
I would say she was not very compassionate, and good riddance to her. How inconsiderate on both counts.
1 person likes this
@Grandmaof2 (7579)
• Canada
5 Aug 09
This has never happened to me at all. I used to have an old English lady doctor and was she ever good. She was smart and did all in her power to help everyone. There were many times I've sat as long as three hours past my appointment time to get in to see her because she was that busy. She was always over booked and couldn't say No to anyone. Now she's retired so I see someone else. I have a few times been told I could rebook or sit and wait because my doctor was called out to the hospital. Because I am disabled I always just wait rather than have to return.
@pweety_princess (2012)
• Australia
6 Aug 09
Something like this has never happened to me either. I think that's really sweet. You had a doctor who deserved her job and wanted to help everyone. She wouldn't cancel anybody's appoitment, no matter how much she was running late. Sad thing she's retired now, but she's lived a great life by the sound of it.
1 person likes this
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
5 Aug 09
That IS NO WAY TO RUN ANY BUISNESS. i WORKED BY APPT. WHEN I WORKED & IF I COULDN'T BE THERE EVERYONE ON MY BOOK WAS CALLED. iF I WAS NOT ABLE TO DO IT MY CHILDREN DID .I can't believe everyone who had an appt. was on disability alto i see where u are coming from. If it had anything to do w/people on disability then they should not take them if they feel that way about it & let the people find them someone who is not predjudice againist people who do draw it. THE doctors, hospitals , health ins. copmanys have all forgotten about the trials & tribulations a person has to go through. All they are concerned about is getting the big bucks if it means u have to do w/out food or whatever to pay their damn high bills.
.
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@amitavroy (4819)
• India
5 Aug 09
well i think it is very common for the doctos to get late and that is quite obvious with the kind of work that they do but then completly cancelling the appoiontment and that thing which you have mention di feel this is too much and no professional doctor should do such a thing. no matter what he is liable to a big risk.
@soulist (2985)
• United States
5 Aug 09
I couldn't imagine a doctors office doing something like that. Whenever my doctors had to cancel my appointment I would know at least a day in advanced and if something bad happened I would definitely know before the night was over. I mean they had to have come back to put the sign up so why not grab a list of the people who had appointments and make a few phone calls. THat is just rude.
2 people like this
@pweety_princess (2012)
• Australia
6 Aug 09
Like soulist said, most doctors would tell you if they need to re schedule and even if something bad happened, you would get atleast like a 1 or 2 hour notice. You should complain to the receptionist and say that if this happens again that you will have to take it further because this is not fair on you and the other patients who come to have there appoitment.
2 people like this
@whiteheather39 (24403)
• United States
5 Aug 09
I am not on disability but even if I was and had this happen to me more than once then I would find a new doctor.
2 people like this
@AmbiePam (85270)
• United States
5 Aug 09
The thing is, this is the third primary physician I've had since I got on disability. The other two were so bad I had to file a complaint against one. These people don't have good equipment, they obviously aren't organized, but it was the first time since I got on Medicaid that a doctor had been kind to me. I was so sick of being talked down to. Going from regular insurance to Medicaid was a rude awakening in the manner of which I was treated.
1 person likes this
@newzealtralian (3930)
• Australia
7 Aug 09
I've been lucky with my doctors. They always check 24 hours before an appointment that i can make it, and call immediately if they know there is going to be a need to cancel. And yes, that means 2am!!!! LOL.
My dentist is the same. They called me the other day to let me know that they needed to change my appointment and if I was ok with that (like I can control it). I was a bit annoyed, as I had to cancel the last appointment, but was told they were taking over teaching clinic and that my appointment would be that day instead. Now, this appointment isn't for another 6 weeks, so I think that is great service.
Common sense and common curtousy seem to be two things many people in this world lack, and people wonder why I can't stand humans as a species - not everyone, just some or a majority (now I sound mean).
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (85270)
• United States
7 Aug 09
Really, 2am?
I have a specialist I see that is very good at calling and reminding me the day before the appointment about coming to see them, and getting the time right. I appreciate their diligence. I always mark my appointments on my calendar. I respect their time, and I would have hoped that all other medical professionals would feel the same way about mine.
2 people like this
@newzealtralian (3930)
• Australia
8 Aug 09
Ok, so not quite 2am! LOL. They called at 8am to let us know of the changes, but they would have sent a text at 2am if they'd had my mobile number.
2 people like this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
5 Aug 09
hi ambie pam when I was with this one doctor I would come for my appointment only to see a room filled with people evenstanding. and as for my appt time, he would see all the ones without hmos first then see us lowly hmos. I got to the point that I just changed doctors. I lucked out the primary care doctor I now have is very diligent in informing his patients that something happened and they must reschedule, there are four other doctors in this clinic and most of us are hmos but we are treat just like the ones with the big fancy insurances, they have to wait their turn just like everyone else. he sent me to a diabetic nurse practioner who is just subperb and several times her office phoned me to tell me something happened and I needed to schedule a new appointment.that other doctor did just what yours did, left a note on the door and made us all waste our time, he never called nor did his office girls ever call to warn us. some doctors really suck,. ambie. hatley here.
2 people like this
@glords (2614)
• United States
6 Aug 09
that is very strange. I've had my appointments canceled but usually they would give an explanation why, and ask if I wanted to see another doctor or reschedule. Once they told me that a woman had gone into labor and was having a very difficult time with the baby. I was very understanding about that situation because I've been there myself, and I wouldn't have wanted my doctor to be worried about his other patients, but it is so strange that the entire office would shut down like that. I guess they could have a gas leak. That way no one could be in the building and there would be no signs of destruction.
@catdla1 (6005)
• United States
5 Aug 09
To be treated like that is inexcusable. Somebody showed up to put that sign on the door, so somebody could have also called the appointments scheduled for the 1st hour or two. I would think that there will be office staff working, and they could have called the rest of the patients, so that nobody had a wasted trip. If this was a walk-in, no appointment necessary clinic, then it would be the potential patient's faults for not calling ahead.
What would is doctor do if you didn't show up for a scheduled appointment? Most likely they would have billed you (or your insurance) for that time slot, right? I'd send them a bill for your time ($15/hr) and transportation (.35/mile). I've done that 3 times and was paid once. And the one that paid NEVER stood me up again without a call.
1 person likes this
@okkidokitokki (1736)
• United States
5 Aug 09
While this has not happened, today I took my mother in law to the doctor's office because she needs to have surgery to remove a tumor. Today she recieved her date for surgery. The appointment was at 8:20 this morning, we were 15 minutes early and we sat in the waiting room until 9:45. It would not have been so bad except that she had a chemical stress test preformed yesterday and sitting in the chairs was extreamly painful.
Then when we went back, the nurse actually laughed when we explained why my mother in law was moving so slowly.(she could hardly take the tiny step up onto the scale to be weighed and that woman had the nerve to laugh about making her wait.)
My mother in law is on Medicaide and I KNOW that she recieves poor treatment due to this. The doctors and staff at the clinics that will accept her are extreamly unprofessional.
1 person likes this
@okkidokitokki (1736)
• United States
6 Aug 09
no you are not alone, it is sad really, because the people that are on these progams only use them when they are sick because they are so horrible. I am surprised that I was able to keep my calm and not slap that woman.
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (85270)
• United States
7 Aug 09
It's sad. I get migraines a lot. Well, once after four days of throwing up, and none of my regular prescription migraine medicine worked, my dad came over and took me to the ER. By then my vision was blurring and I was extremely dehydrated. Two days later I get a letter in the mail from Medicaid. They asked me not to go to the ER unless I was going to be permanently disabled, or was about to die. I'm not kidding. That is exactly what it said.
@tammytwo (4298)
• United States
11 Aug 09
I have never had this happen. What happens with the people that specifically took off work or cancelled other things to make sure they could make it to their doctor appointment? I would be very upset. this is rude and unprofessional and when someone is answering their phones I would be certain to let them know how I feel.
If you left a note for them saying you weren't going to be at the appointment they would probably still charge you for it. Most charge unless you give 24 hours notice.
1 person likes this
@tammytwo (4298)
• United States
11 Aug 09
Yes it would be frustrating for those moms. I know how hard it is to get three kids together and make it on time to an appointment. This was very unprofessional of that doctor's office. But I'm sure you will be better off without having to deal with them.
1 person likes this
@LittleMel (8742)
• Canada
6 Aug 09
It never happens to me exactly like that but it happened once my dentist needed more time with a patient and we had to reschedule
we were there for our apptment on time but had to go back home
but in my case the dentist was treating other patient, not that he is ignoring us
so I wasn't upset.
but back to your case, I hope you can report them somehow or at least make a complaint to someone and go to a different doctor
If you are on disability, does this mean the govt pays for your treatment?
they may ignore you because the govt pays for it and it's not as much as other people will pay them
it doesn't sound like doctor's code of ethic to me - what a gold digger
@AmbiePam (85270)
• United States
6 Aug 09
The government pays for some of it. But this particular practice ONLY treats people like me. You have to be poor to be able to get into this doctor office. The government won't approve most doctor offices, they only cover certain places. So putting that note on the door probably didn't bother the center because all of their patients are not well off, and they treat us like we aren't worth their time. I can't imagine a regular person going into a regular doctor office, and finding out that their doctor's office is completely closed, and no one called to tell them. Nothing like this ever happened to me before I was on disability.
1 person likes this
@LittleMel (8742)
• Canada
6 Aug 09
definitely against this:
International Code of Medical Ethics of the World Medical Association - 1949
Adopted by the Third General Assembly of the World Medical Association at London in October 1949. (World Medical Association Bulletin, vol. 1, no. 3, October 1949, pp.109, 111).
[CIRP Note: The two most important parts of this code for the study of the ethics of child circumcision may be 1) the statement "Any act, or advice which could weaken physical or mental resistance of a human being may be used only in his interest", 2) the requirement to be "loyal" to his patient, 3) the requirement to "observe the principles of The Declaration of Geneva", because that document requires that a doctor must not use "medical knowledge contrary to the laws of humanity", and 4) the requirement that a doctor must "practice his profession uninfluenced by motives of profit."]
1 person likes this
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
• United States
6 Aug 09
Not the exact senario but I have two recent incidents that come to mind. Like I had a filling done a couple weeks ago it was done by a different dentist that I normally see they said she was in Jordan on a visit. I do prefer that dentist I would of liked to of been offered to be recheduled when she was back or offered to keep the appt despite my dentist not being there.
Then you have my daughters eye appointment. They called to cancel it saying the Dr would not be in. Well if he's got off, why schedule people? Especially since I called say the week before it's not like someone takes vacay at the drop of a hat?!?! THen I rescheduled & had it in my head it was Tuesday & not Monday. Well they did not do a reminder call like the Dentist, Ped, or other clinics ran thru dh's company do. I was not happy that I forgot but I didn't like that they don't have the reminder calls & had to yet reschedule again. Grrr.... but atleast they didn't charge me for a no show thank goodness.
1 person likes this
@pweety_princess (2012)
• Australia
6 Aug 09
That is absolutely rude and yes you do have every right to be upset. If I were you and this happened again I would make a complaint to them. As a human you have the right to know if your appoitment is being cancelled or not. I don't even know how they can be that rude, and since that lady said that they have done this before, it looks like they can never ever be bothered to even call up to cancel and re-schedule an appointment. Shame on them.
1 person likes this
@eternal_ink (132)
• United States
20 Aug 09
Even though I am only a young adult I have had some problems with going to the doctor. Like if you show up on time then they push your appointment back. But I've never had that happen to me or anyone in my immediate family. I think it's sad that they didn't even call the day before, or even call that morning.
1 person likes this
@cxtcliuyi (14)
• China
6 Aug 09
haha,the phenormenom is very common despite it is disgusted! what we can do is that we reflect the thing to their administrater. to say truely ,this thing express
dishonesty between people.
1 person likes this
