Not accepting any new patients WTH!!!

@tlb0822 (1410)
United States
April 18, 2011 3:21pm CST
SO today I called to see about getting a check up so I could schedule the surgery to get my gall bladder removed. The lady sets me up with an appointment for later on this week and everything is fine. This is the surgeon that the E.R. referred me to, to have this done. Then a few hours later she calls me back and says, Sorry ma'am we are going to have to cancel your appointment because the Dr. is no longer excepting any new patients. So I am like WTH.. So now I am clueless of what to do because this is who I was solely referred to. Just really upset and confused of what to do right now. I am open to any suggestions that anyone might have. Has anyone else gone though something like this that the dr wasn't able to see you because they have to many patients? Would you be angry also?
1 person likes this
8 responses
• Canada
18 Apr 11
This happens all the time where I live. None of the doctors (from GPs to OBGYNs) working in my town are taking new patients so people have to use the drop-in clinics or the hospital emergency room to get prompt medical care. From there, they can receive referrals to the specific specialists or services they may require. To get a new GP, we have to branch out and look in other communities. For this reason, I still have the same GP I had when I lived out in the country (rather than the suburbs where I moved back in 1999). I drive an hour each way when I have to see her. It's really frustrating and people do get angry -- but doctors are also limited on the number of patients they are allowed to see. Go back to the E.R. (or call them, to start with) and tell them that the referral they gave you was rejected. I have to admit that really surprises me because referrals usually mean you get scheduled. I'm sure they will be able to help you. Best of luck on your surgery when you get it ... I had gall bladder attacks too (only the stones got removed, not my gall bladder, though) and know the pain of them
1 person likes this
@lacieice (2060)
• United States
18 Apr 11
The ER people apparently were not aware that this particular doctor was not accepting new patients, or it could be that he won't accept your insurance. I suggest you contact your primary care physician and see who he/she recommends.
1 person likes this
@zeloguy (4911)
• United States
19 Apr 11
If you were referred the referral should suffice as NOT being a new patient. I would go back and check with your primary doctor to find out what to do. Zelo
@Opal26 (17679)
• United States
19 Apr 11
Hey tlb~ I would first call the doctor who referred you and ask him if he could possibly call this doctor and ask him if he could possibley make an allowance for you and take your case. They are probably colleagues of some sort and usually have some sort of an agreement about referrals. It couldn't hurt. If that doesn't work then ask your doctor who else he can refer you to. I called my Primary Care Physician recently to ask about a "change in insurance" and they told me he wasn't "seeing new patients". I had to tell him that I was one of his first patients since he started working there and then they checked with his nurse and she told them "of course we"ll take her insurance! So, just check with his office first and see what they can do.
19 Apr 11
I used to face this kind of terrible service, too. I brought my gran to the hospital very early in the morning to book the time. We waited for many many hours. But they delay our appointment for hours! That's terrible!
@lyamsitiy (104)
• Philippines
19 Apr 11
Listening to your situation you have the right to be angry because you were given the assurance and was denied later on. But there really instances that doctors have too many patients and they opted to not accept anymore because the quality of their service might be affected. But the doctor should refer you to another surgeon and not just turn you down flatly.
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
18 Apr 11
hi tlb usuallyits really because if you have an hmo some will no longer take people on hmo these are usually the really high mucky mucks. the elie of surgeons for example but when I w as told that they did refer meto another doctor. However that doctor proved to be a quack so I dound my current doctor whom I trust and depend on him to refer me to an excellent surgeon should I ever need one. lol I wo uld get my primary doctor or any doctor you trust to set you up with a qualified surgeon.
@jaiho2009 (39142)
• Philippines
18 Apr 11
So,it's the ER personnel's fault. You can report this matter to the hospital admin. People should not give schedule and just cancel like that. You have all the right to complain,you can even asks help from media about this. You can expose this hospital for doing such thing to their patients. I am sure you will get lot of help from media people. You really have to make some move to stop this crap...hospital people should stop doing this...this is really crap.