That's so true, Bernie -- sometimes the doctors don't know how their staff is acting. It should certainly be mentioned to them. My family dr. quit the practice he was in to start his own, partly because of how the staff acted. There were multiple doctors and it was under the hospital system, so he couldn't run it the way he wanted to. I just saw a new dr. for the first time, and she told me that even though it was a busy office, she wanted to be available, and I ever needed to speak to her, to just keep insisting to the staff that I needed to. She said the doctors have layers of protection because sometimes they have drug addicts hounding them or people making threats when they can't get what they want, so it is not always easy to get straight to the doctor. But she told me to keep insisting. I imagine it is that way with other doctors, too. Barbara H. _http://barbarah.wordpress.com/_ (http://barbarah.wordpress.com/) In a message dated 6/20/2007 10:00:35 AM Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
Hey All, So sorry I have not been around, things have been hectic as all get out here at our place. But when I read your email Kevin and others, I felt I had to respond in some kind immediately I have had experiences like this before, and 9 times out of 10, the doctor did not know what was going on. To explain; I was called on the phone by the financial administrator of my pain doctor, and told if I did not pay the $13.00 balance before my next appointment, I would not be allowed to see the doctor. I also had them tell me that I had to schedule extra appointments because Medicare rules say I have to actually "see" the doctor once every three months. I asked why I could not see him/her when I had my pump filled, and I was told: "you are not his/her only patient, he/she has work to do besides you, and you must see him/her at his/her availability". So they suck more money from me.... HOWEVER: when I finally got in to see my doctor, I told him of these tactics being used by his staff on his patients..... he knew nothing of them! A lot of these doctors are so busy, they put subordinates in charge of everything else, and these are the ones who are becoming little Hitlers and taking their angers out on us. So please speak with your doctor on a personal level, and explain what is being done to you. And if it ends up that your doctor knows of these things, turn him/her in to the ethics board, if he/she doesn't, ask him/her to speak to his/her staff. Hope this helps some, and that life gets better for y'all. It may be sometime again before you hear from me, things are still not going well here. Keep us in your prayers, as you are in ours. Blessings and Peace, Bernie ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.
