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Being fired by my doc

IreneF

Senior Member
Messages
1,552
Location
San Francisco
A bit of background: I've been seeing this doctor (a family physician--like a GP) for several years, but I hadn't been in for at least three years because I didn't have a desperate need, and because it's so hard to get myself anywhere. (The last few times I drove by myself were to take my husband to the emergency room in the wee hours or pick him up from the hospital. And that was last year.) Plus it's really hard to communicate with him through the office. He refuses to use e-mail and the staff seemed to never give him messages.

So I went to see him last Friday, I get a lab slip, but the lab is closed, and by that time I'm exhausted and getting light-headed. I had already asked my daughter's boyfriend if he would be able to help me if necessary, so I called him to come and get me. (He lives only about three blocks from the doctor's office.)

The next day I crash, of course, but I also get a call from the local drugstore saying my prescription is ready. I hadn't asked for a refill, but I figured they had done it automatically for a drug I started last month, so I sent my son down to pick it up.

It turns out my son paid $50 for a drug that I get by mail, and which is prescribed by my CFS/ME specialist, not my local doc, which is what it said on the label.

I called the pharmacy for an explanation. They said my local doc had called it in, and they could not provide a refund. If I wanted a refund I would need to call my doctor. Which I did.

So--today I get a call back from the nurse at my doctor's office saying they had made a mistake and they were willing to refund my money, but if they did so I would need to find another doctor. WTF?

It's so difficult to get out of the house, and he was fairly close, and reasonably intelligent. It's hard to believe he would not correct his own mistake.

My husband says I need to find another doc, but it's so hard. He also thinks I shouldn't post on yelp or write my doc a letter or anything else; I think it's important to warn other potential patients.

Advice?
 

AndyPandy

Making the most of it
Messages
1,928
Location
Australia
Hi @IreneF

What a bizarre situation. They make a mistake and then offer a refund, but only on condition that you leave the practice.

It sounds like the only thing that makes you prefer this doctor is proximity to your home, but you have only actually physically visited him once in over 3 years.

You also say it is difficult to communicate with him as he doesn't use email and the staff never seem to give him messages. So communication without a visit seems problematic. Are you getting what you want and need from this doctor?

You also have a CFS/ME specialist who is prescribing medication for you, so that aspect of your healthcare is covered.

If it were me, I would take the refund and start looking for another doctor. As a starting point, perhaps you could contact your CFS/ME society and ask for a list of sympathetic doctors in your area. Are home visits by a doctor a possibility for you?

If you want to take your complaint further, you could write him a letter carefully setting out the facts as they occurred and making it clear that you have also sent a copy of the letter to the regulatory body for doctors (whatever it is where you live).

But you need to weigh up whether it is worth using your energy in this way. He would likely come back with a self serving response.

Personally, I would avoid a written warning to others on a publicly available site.

Best wishes
 

Gingergrrl

Senior Member
Messages
16,171
@IreneF In this case I would find a new doctor as I'm not really hearing any benefits or positives to seeing him. If there were a lot of positives then I would feel more conflicted but this seems more straightforward.

As far as Yelp, if you write a negative review then you are for sure cutting all ties and cannot change your mind if you decide you want or need to go back.

Is he helping you with disability paperwork or providing any services that you are unable to get elsewhere?
 

IreneF

Senior Member
Messages
1,552
Location
San Francisco
@IreneF In this case I would find a new doctor as I'm not really hearing any benefits or positives to seeing him. If there were a lot of positives then I would feel more conflicted but this seems more straightforward.

As far as Yelp, if you write a negative review then you are for sure cutting all ties and cannot change your mind if you decide you want or need to go back.

Is he helping you with disability paperwork or providing any services that you are unable to get elsewhere?
No, he's not helping me with disability or anything.

I liked the guy. He's kind of sarcastic, but so am I, and he's intelligent. I thought he had a clue about how hard it is for me to do much of anything, since he never told me to exercise or anything else stupid, and helped me get a disabled parking placard. It's not like I take too much of his time.

Driving is a bigger deal here in San Francisco than it is in other places I've lived, because it's so crowded, and parking is at a premium. It can be incredibly difficult to find parking, even with a placard. (According to the newspaper, there's a lot of parking placard abuse.) I need to find a doc who is easy to drive to, and where I can find ultra-close parking.
 

taniaaust1

Senior Member
Messages
13,054
Location
Sth Australia
So--today I get a call back from the nurse at my doctor's office saying they had made a mistake and they were willing to refund my money, but if they did so I would need to find another doctor. WTF?

It's so difficult to get out of the house, and he was fairly close, and reasonably intelligent. It's hard to believe he would not correct his own mistake.

My husband says I need to find another doc, but it's so hard. He also thinks I shouldn't post on yelp or write my doc a letter or anything else; I think it's important to warn other potential patients.

Advice?

I too are going to say even thou its very difficult, that you do need to find another doctor. We all need understanding doctors (one of mine even told me to get my things from iherb to save myself money when he recommended things). I wouldnt even bother wasting energy on doing a letter to this doctor as it wouldnt do a thing and just uses your valuable energy. Blackmail is nasty and something a doctor shouldnt do.
 
Last edited:

IreneF

Senior Member
Messages
1,552
Location
San Francisco
@IreneF I just re-read your post and now unclear if the doctor actually said you shouldn't return or if his nurse just said it out of her own annoyance or laziness?
His nurse was the one who called me, but now I am wondering whether something got muddled. I don't know what he was actually told. I don't know if it's worth following up. I'm just terrified of going from the frying pan into the fire.
 

golden

Senior Member
Messages
1,831
Negotiate the refund plus an additional $1,000 if they want you out the practice! (For additional expense, effort and time of finding a new Doc). :)
 

golden

Senior Member
Messages
1,831
His nurse was the one who called me, but now I am wondering whether something got muddled. I don't know what he was actually told. I don't know if it's worth following up. I'm just terrified of going from the frying pan into the fire.

yes, best speaking direct to the doctor about it i think.
 

taniaaust1

Senior Member
Messages
13,054
Location
Sth Australia
It would be horrible to loose a doctor who was previously good if that nurse had a ME/CFS biased and hence treated you like that. The more I think about it the more I think you should make sure the doctor actually did say this. (that nurse certainly would get a talking to if she's made it up).
 

Butydoc

Senior Member
Messages
790
A bit of background: I've been seeing this doctor (a family physician--like a GP) for several years, but I hadn't been in for at least three years because I didn't have a desperate need, and because it's so hard to get myself anywhere. (The last few times I drove by myself were to take my husband to the emergency room in the wee hours or pick him up from the hospital. And that was last year.) Plus it's really hard to communicate with him through the office. He refuses to use e-mail and the staff seemed to never give him messages.

So I went to see him last Friday, I get a lab slip, but the lab is closed, and by that time I'm exhausted and getting light-headed. I had already asked my daughter's boyfriend if he would be able to help me if necessary, so I called him to come and get me. (He lives only about three blocks from the doctor's office.)

The next day I crash, of course, but I also get a call from the local drugstore saying my prescription is ready. I hadn't asked for a refill, but I figured they had done it automatically for a drug I started last month, so I sent my son down to pick it up.

It turns out my son paid $50 for a drug that I get by mail, and which is prescribed by my CFS/ME specialist, not my local doc, which is what it said on the label.

I called the pharmacy for an explanation. They said my local doc had called it in, and they could not provide a refund. If I wanted a refund I would need to call my doctor. Which I did.

So--today I get a call back from the nurse at my doctor's office saying they had made a mistake and they were willing to refund my money, but if they did so I would need to find another doctor. WTF?

It's so difficult to get out of the house, and he was fairly close, and reasonably intelligent. It's hard to believe he would not correct his own mistake.

My husband says I need to find another doc, but it's so hard. He also thinks I shouldn't post on yelp or write my doc a letter or anything else; I think it's important to warn other potential patients.
 

Butydoc

Senior Member
Messages
790
Hi IreneF,

This entire event with your doctor seems so strange that it doesn't make sense to me. I wonder if there was some miscommunication. If I were you, I would want to understand why your doctor wants to fire you for a small mistake that he did. If you liked this doctor before, then I think it would be worth while talking with him on the phone. Most doctors return patient calls at the end of their day.

Best,
Gary
 

Gingergrrl

Senior Member
Messages
16,171
I agree with @Butydoc and if you like this doctor, then clarify with him directly that this is what he said.

I had a doctor last month who called in the wrong version of a prescription to the pharmacy and my husband picked it up for me. I didn't look at it until the following day and realize it was wrong. The pharmacy said they could not exchange it b/c it was the doctor's mistake. When I reached the doctor, he realized he called it in wrong as he was in a hurry and the whole thing got corrected.

So, maybe this nurse just did not want to be bothered and went rogue making up her own rules. I think you need to clarify for peace of mind and then decide.