I am SO MAD and scared! Yesterday I cancelled my rheumy appointment because it was snowing and icy outside. My rheumatologist's secretary called me and told me that my doctor was mad that I cancelled and I have cancelled a lot. The last time SHE cancelled on me and I didn't leave her! Anyway, she will not fill my Enbrel anymore. I asked the secretary to have the Doctor call me back...no call yet!
Enbrel has given me my life back. I have been on it since July 2003 and I am doing so well. I am mad, scared and without a doctor. I went through 5 doctors before I found her. Do you guys think that I should try to patch things up with her or find another doc?? Thanks for your help!

Ellyn

You may find help through this link
college of rheumatologists

I dont thihnk it would be right to beg. And the information so far is only from the secretary. Very unprofessional too.

Ellyn, I'm so sorry to hear. I went through the same thing this summer, and your best bet is to get another doctor. Most docs won't "undump" you, although legally, they have to give you some kind of written notice, not just a phonecall. Usually there will be a thirty day window where they should still call in your meds, but not always.

As scary as this is, trust that there is a better doctor out there for you. Someone who will be a little more understanding with your situation.

Hope things look up for you soon.

Thanks for the reply I am starting to look for a new Doc, it just blows my mind that she could be THAT insensitive and have the secretary call me.

I got my notice from a business manager I had never met in the two years I had been seeing the doc. He was a real jerk about it. The fact is, when the money becomes more important to them than the quality of your care, it's time to go anyway.

Best of Luck

I noticed a sign in my Doctors office last time I saw him that said three cancellations and he will not see you anymore. I live in a place of ice and snow. There are many reasons a cancellation could happen as well, like illness.
I think if you value the Doctor you could try writing and put personal on the envelope. Tell the Doctor you value her care and that she has helped you and you went through a long time of trying to find someone you liked. Remind her she had cancelled last time and not you. Solicit her understanding.
If that does not work, then she is not anybody you should be seeing. I don't like the practice anyways of dumping you because of having to cancel.
Your PC should be able to prescribe the medications for you such as Enbrel.
~Kewanee

Hi Kewanee,
This is great advice. Thank you very much. I am partially glad that she didn't call back yesterday. I WAS SO MAD! I am more calm about it now. I still have 2 months of Enbrel in my fridge and I have 2 refills left (hope she dosn't cancel them on me!!).
Thanks!
Ellyn

My last rheumy and Primary Care Physician both had me sign forms that if I cancelled three times they had the right to refuse treating me. If I failed to show without calling to cancel I would still be billed for the office visit.

Medicine is now a big business... money talks unfortunately, but that seems to describe our American society in general.

Not attempting to turn the tables on you, just trying to understand why the doctor may have responded with such a comment, something I do in my personal life when I have a conflict/problem/issue with another party. If you have been cancelling quite a few times and it is habitual (inferred from the offices reply to you), then I would be hesitant to treat you in the future as well. If these cancellations are the day of, they probably have great difficulty filling the cancellation and it is a lost revenue stream. If they have numerous patients doing the same, it would be a serious issue to their business.

If you do value this doctor and the treatment I would follow the earlier advice and write the doctor and state that you understand how cancellations impact their business... ,that you value their treatment and will be more diligent going forward.

That is my 2 cents,

Tim

Ellyn,
You are so welcome. I can only imagine how you feel. Do remember that perhaps your PC can make a new script for you and that was good advice about mentioning in the letter about you know how it affects their patient flow and income. hmmmm.
Let us know how you do wont you and best wishes.
~Kewanee

I don't like this at all. It goes against Patient Autonomy, which is the patient's right to make their own health care decisions.

First, you NEVER dump a patient. It's unethical. You always give the names of two equally qualified physicians.

You'll need some documentation and let me find out what board you should complain to, K?

Yippee Mike. Hey Doc. wish you were in my hometown. You are right you know. One hundred percent. Things are changing these days. Not always for the good. Keep that good opinion you have won't you.
~Kewanee

Hi Ellyn,

I think I'd be rather upset, too. Out of courtesy, I'd certainly always notify my doc well in advance if I have a real need to cancel an appt, however reasonable notice is not always possible. And likewise, I expect my docs to have in place reasonable policies that I'm made aware of in advance.

I understand their interest and need to discourage last minute cancellations, but every employer out there faces lost productivity/revenue due to illnesses and storms and that's just one of the costs of doing business. My GP has a policy of charging a nominal fee if not given 24 hrs notice/ or in absence of a valid reason. I once had to cancel with my GP, as that day I had an iritis attack and you take whatever appt you can get when the Ophtho is kind enough to squeak you in. Murphy's Law that it would overlap with my GP appt. Kindly, they didn't charge me, and were perfectly understanding about my predicament.

Rheumies (over anyone else on the planet) should have a deeper understanding for how difficult it can be for us spondylitics to venture out in pain and in midst of a snowstorm. The recent snowstorm in T.O. equated to > 400+ car accidents in the span of a few hrs! Personally, I don't go out in serious weather unless I must.

I sure hope your Enbrel will not be interrupted by this.
mig

Thanks for all of your replies! I have never cancelled except for Friday with the weather. The other times I have re-scheduled in advance well before the 24 hour policy. I totally understand that this is a business for them.
Mike, I thought it was odd that she (her secretary) had NO info on other docs for me, she actually told me that I would have to find another rheumatologist. Do these doctors realize that there are people with feelings behind the disease??? I don't think so. You are all so helpful. THANK YOU.
Ellyn

Hey Ellyn

I dont think that they can cancel the refills once the script has been written. You may want to double check, but you may be safe.

I would start working on the next script as soon as you can though...

Lori

ellyn, aloha

i bet your doctor doesn't even know what his receptionist is doing...lots of doctor's offices have 'dangerous'
receptionists/supervisors...just a petty Witch with a bad attitude...some people are just mean.

write your doctor, don't phone- it leaves no record...and send the letter by 'registered mail' so the office staff
can't just lose it...inform him that you only canceled one time because of the storm...you know his receptionist
will document every prior cancelation as 'last minute'...and demand a referal to a competent and more used friendly,
more professional care provider, if he does indeed want to dump you.

and he can't unwrite the scripts.
best of luck
aloha Ben

Hey Lori!
Thanks! Long time no chat! Hope you and Eric are doing well!

Ellyn

Hi Ben,
OK, thanks. I will put it in writing to the Doctor. I bet the secretary didn't even relay the message that I wanted a call back and, of course, I waited all day for the return call! Thanks for the advice!
Ellyn

Hi Ellyn

Yes, Eric and I are doing very well. Thank you.

I am going to be in your neck of the woods today. Meeting up with a girlfriend that lives down there to do some shopping....Should be fun getting everything home on the train.

Good luck, and even if I dont post here much any more, I am still always around. Give a holler if needed.

Lori

Hey Ellyn

start giving your doctor a cell number if you have one. That way you dont need to sit around waiting for a call that may never come....You can get it on the go!

keep smiling, things will work out.

Lori

A lot of people who "seem" nice use real pieces of work for their office staff so they can continue the charade. You don't know what the real story is, and I would easily wager you money that the receptionist didn't bother to relay your message either.
My first thought was have you just changed insurance or employment? Because this sort of thing is common when they don't like your insurance but they are on the list of Preferred Providers, but they don't want that many patients from certain insurance groups, so they're doing a little cherry picking.
As hard as it is to get an appointment, and as long as they make you wait in the waiting rooms, this "crisis" when a single patient cancels because of weather or whatnot is just a fabrication of convenience on their parts. Come on, give me a break, why don't they just see the next person within the hour of the appointment instead of making them sit there 2 or 3?
I got an incredibly nasty letter from a doctor's office a few years ago that said if I cancelled one more appointment I would be "dropped from patient care"...guess what...it wasn't ME that was cancelling the appointments. Since she had also done some very unethical things like lie to me about test results (yes, I have proof, I got the nastygram after I obtained copies of my medical records from her office...strange coincidence, that) I dropped the ******.
I'm pretty sour on doctors, I just haven't met very many ethical ones in the past 6 years since my husband changed jobs and we moved to a different state. We just got a letter recently saying my PCP is leaving his group so I've been "assigned" to someone else again. Oh goody. I have no idea what this person is going to be like, and it was hard enough finding someone who didn't act hostile, inept, or wierd.

It may be too late but here is my 2cents too..

I work in a pediatric office.. while we rarely ever have to ask a pateint to find a new MD due to no show or late cancell appointments, if we do.. they will be seen for "acute' visits for 30 days. Enough time to find a new doc. There is something seriously wrong with a doctor kicking you out for missing an appointment b/c of bad weather... I hope you find a new MD fast!

Take care.

~diane

I have never had to sign anything, and I don't think I would....

If someone approached me with a paper saying that if I canceled 3 times they would drop me, or if I canceled they would bill me...I think I would say I will sign that as soon as you sign one for me that says by signing this it means that I will see the Dr. within 10 minutes of my appt. time and if I have to wait longer my visit will be free...they don't seem to understand that my time (although) they may not think so is just as valuable as theirs...I can't help it that they are behind, or they got back late from the hospital, or they overbooked.

They are getting ridiculous about things....

Ellyn, I don't blame you for being mad in the slightest. What a shocking thing to have happen. Did you send the letter? Did he ever call back? How're you doing with it today?

Hugs,