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I may have been an SC at the orthotics place this morning. Ooops.
So, for background, back in mid-April, my son's orthopedist recommended that we have a lift put on one of his shoes to help even out the limb length discrepancy in his legs. I agreed it might help, so the referral process was started. I was expecting to receive a phone call within 10 days, as it does take some time for the insurance to approve everything. Three weeks later I get a letter in the mail saying that they tried to call me but were unable to contact me. Hmmmm. I called them back and verified they had the correct phone number for me. They said that the notes indicated that when they tried to call, the number was disconnected. Since my phone has never been disconnected, the likely thing is that the person in the office mis-dialed but didn't double check the phone number and try again, as a reasonable person would do when trying to call a number that's been recently given to them. So I was annoyed at that, and also annoyed about the really long wait for an appointment, but that really can't be helped, so I dealt with it. The office confirmed the appointment day and time via a letter sent by mail, and had a note on it to arrive 15 minutes early because he's a first time patient. Pretty standard.
So today I get there for the child's appointment as instructed. There's NOBODY in the office, but there is a note on the counter saying that everybody's in a meeting and somebody will be there shortly. I patiently wait 45 minutes, but as I had other things to do today, at the point where we were already 30 minutes past his appointment time, I decided to go ahead and leave.
Right at that point, the staff wandered into the reception area. One of the women asked me who I was there to see, and I said the appointment had been for my son, but that I was leaving since I no longer had time to wait. She glanced at her computer and said, "oh, his appointment isn't until <one hour after the letter stated>. I showed her the letter and told her that I was here for the appointment at the time I was instructed to be here, according to *their* instructions, and I no longer had time to wait. She tried to argue with me. I wanted to yell, but instead I took a deep breath and said "you know, I think I'm just going to call his orthopedist's office and ask for a referral to someplace different. I don't have time for this." Then I left.
I feel as though I might have been quite rude, but on the other hand, that's the second major mistake the office has made. I no longer trust that anything they do will go smoothly, hence my decision to go elsewhere.
So, for background, back in mid-April, my son's orthopedist recommended that we have a lift put on one of his shoes to help even out the limb length discrepancy in his legs. I agreed it might help, so the referral process was started. I was expecting to receive a phone call within 10 days, as it does take some time for the insurance to approve everything. Three weeks later I get a letter in the mail saying that they tried to call me but were unable to contact me. Hmmmm. I called them back and verified they had the correct phone number for me. They said that the notes indicated that when they tried to call, the number was disconnected. Since my phone has never been disconnected, the likely thing is that the person in the office mis-dialed but didn't double check the phone number and try again, as a reasonable person would do when trying to call a number that's been recently given to them. So I was annoyed at that, and also annoyed about the really long wait for an appointment, but that really can't be helped, so I dealt with it. The office confirmed the appointment day and time via a letter sent by mail, and had a note on it to arrive 15 minutes early because he's a first time patient. Pretty standard.
So today I get there for the child's appointment as instructed. There's NOBODY in the office, but there is a note on the counter saying that everybody's in a meeting and somebody will be there shortly. I patiently wait 45 minutes, but as I had other things to do today, at the point where we were already 30 minutes past his appointment time, I decided to go ahead and leave.
Right at that point, the staff wandered into the reception area. One of the women asked me who I was there to see, and I said the appointment had been for my son, but that I was leaving since I no longer had time to wait. She glanced at her computer and said, "oh, his appointment isn't until <one hour after the letter stated>. I showed her the letter and told her that I was here for the appointment at the time I was instructed to be here, according to *their* instructions, and I no longer had time to wait. She tried to argue with me. I wanted to yell, but instead I took a deep breath and said "you know, I think I'm just going to call his orthopedist's office and ask for a referral to someplace different. I don't have time for this." Then I left.
I feel as though I might have been quite rude, but on the other hand, that's the second major mistake the office has made. I no longer trust that anything they do will go smoothly, hence my decision to go elsewhere.
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