Why am I always apologizing for everyone else?!

[angelgirl]

I work in a rehab center (physical, etc. not drug). I have a patient scheduled for discharge home. Following a specific test we sent him out for. He came back. Without getting the test. The insurance failed to authorize it in time. Now we have to reschedule.

To patient: I'm sorry you can't go home for four more days. I'm sorry your insurance is charging you a $50 copay per day to stay here. Yes, you can go AMA, but I'm sorry, if you do then your insurance won't cover any follow-up care when you're home.

To doctor: I'm sorry the test wasn't done. I'm sorry the patient called you demanding to go home. I'm sorry the insurance company didn't give the auth. and I'm sorry you don't trust your patient to go for the test from home.

To transport company: I'm sorry you took him there for nothing and had to listen to him $%&* all the way back. And I'm sorry you'll be taking him again in four days.

To nurses: I'm sorry you did the discharge paperwork for someone who's staying and you'll have to completely re-do it in four days. I'm sorry he's pissed and taking it out on you.

And mostly I'm sorry I had to explain the entire saga to multiple people today, all of whom walked away even more pissed than before. Happy Friday to me.

[wolfie]

I work in a rehab center (physical, etc. not drug). I have a patient scheduled for discharge home. Following a specific test we sent him out for. He came back. Without getting the test. The insurance failed to authorize it in time. Now we have to reschedule.

To patient: I'm sorry you can't go home for four more days. I'm sorry your insurance is charging you a $50 copay per day to stay here. Yes, you can go AMA, but I'm sorry, if you do then your insurance won't cover any follow-up care when you're home.

WTF? His insurance company is going to charge him $200 (4 days copay) because of THEIR mistake (failing to authorize the test in time)?

[teh_blumchenkinder]

Feh. I need to find some way to say "I express sadness that you had to go thru x, but x was in no way my fault by deed or by not-deed. I'd fix it in a heartbeat if I could." Much like you had to do! Holy Crackers... that's a lot of sorry. No doubt you felt it too.
Wolfie... i have no doubt that that is the case. It's an insurance company. What ethics?/stops here at the border of Fratching...

[Raveni]

WTF? His insurance company is going to charge him $200 (4 days copay) because of THEIR mistake (failing to authorize the test in time)?

$200 is a great deal for 4 days at a full-service rehab center. Heck, meals alone would probably cost more than half of that. But I'm sure that the patient is sick of being there and wants to go home.