I am SO ANGRY. Just need to vent.

[taitai]

There are things you can do. Does the office have a Facebook page? If so, post a brief explanation of your bad experience there. If not, post it on the Facebook page of the hospital with which the doctor's office is associated.

There are tons of online MD review sites....Healthgrades, Vitals, RateMDs.com, etc. Post a review of the office on one of those. Let the office know that you did.

If you do one of these things, they will call you back asap.

Also, if you have requested that the communicate with you in a confidential manner, and they don't, that can be viewed as a HIPPA violation.

Good luck. I would be seething as well.

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

I would be seething too OP!!! Complain if this dr doesn't own the practice. No excuse for this behavior.

 

[horseshowmom]

I can't even begin to imagine how angry I would be in your position.

 

[LongLiveDisney]

Such unprofessional behavior. There would be steam blowing out of my ears. Your rage is justified OP.

 

[StephMK]

I agree with the others, I would be livid. The wasted drive and time would be enough. But then to be lied to on a message which should not have been left, that would throw me over the edge.

 

[dsneprincess]

I believe this would qualify as a HIPPA violation & a fireable offense. I can see where it gets OP satisfaction, but little else. I would be LIVID & finding a new doc ASAP. I would go about posting this any & everywhere. If this is how they do business, they should be out of business! Totally unprofessional & dangerous to boot. I hope you get some sleep & some satisfaction, not necessarily in that order.

 

[Lynne M]

Not calling you about the changed appointment.....very poor office management.

Leaving the message about test results on your machine....eh, probably not a HIPAA violation. It wouldn't have bothered me.

Leaving a FALSE message about 'concerning' test results to scare you into coming back......absolutely, completely, utterly indefensible, childish and unprofessional. Appalling.

I can tell you for sure, my doctor would have fired the person who left that message on the spot. I'd like to think she would never have hired someone stupid enough to do such a thing.

After I calmed down, I'd be speaking with the doctor to let him know why I would never return to his practice.

 

[undertheradar]

File a complaint with your insurance company. There is nothing to be gained from contacting the doctor's office, they already have written you off as a wanted patient. Your husband is right that you should sleep on it. Do you work as a nurse? If so, creating waves in the medical field might not be your best choice. Notify your insurance company and move on.

 

[S. C.]

I would also demand that they not charge me a dime.

 

[badblackpug]

Not calling you about the changed appointment.....very poor office management.

Leaving the message about test results on your machine....eh, probably not a HIPAA violation. It wouldn't have bothered me.

Leaving a FALSE message about 'concerning' test results to scare you into coming back......absolutely, completely, utterly indefensible, childish and unprofessional. Appalling.

I can tell you for sure, my doctor would have fired the person who left that message on the spot. I'd like to think she would never have hired someone stupid enough to do such a thing.

After I calmed down, I'd be speaking with the doctor to let him know why I would never return to his practice.

With this, I absolutely agree. There is absolutely no excuse for this type of behavior. I would find out who the managing partner is and I would make a formal complaint. I would also complain to the insurance company.

A simple call that said, "We are sorry about the scheduling mix up and we would like to re-schedule your appointment at your earliest convenience." Would have gone a lot further.

 

[Rence]

First I would find a new doctor. Even if you complained and got them to take action would you really ever want to go back there? Even if they did something you would always be the one who "caused all that ruckus" - even if you were 1000% justified. I just don't see anyway that I would want to return after this type of treatment. So first and foremost, find a new doctor.

Then file complaints as you see fit.

 

[FlyingDumbo]

I would be livid. There is no justifiable excuse for that behavior. Find a new doctor and write letters to the doctor, the practice manager, and the health system involved. Completely unacceptable. What if there had been an accident? That kind of worry can be distracting. You need a doctor closer to home, too.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I would be livid. There is no justifiable excuse for that behavior. Find a new doctor and write letters to the doctor, the practice manager, and the health system involved. Completely unacceptable. What if there had been an accident? That kind of worry can be distracting. You need a doctor closer to home, too.

They knew you had been up all night, but still left a worrisome message that caused you to make the drive back in to their office. Inexcusable.

 

[nursebetty]

There are so many things wrong. If they forgot to call, then you should have been worked in. I guess the doctor might have been called to surgery, in that case nothing can be done, but wait or reschedule. Why were they so against rescheduling. It just doesn't make sense. I would talk to the manager and find out what exactly happened. If you are happy with the doctor, I would hate to see you leave, with what might be one person's mistake. Then again it might be a very poorly run practice and time to go.

 

[jaminmd]

HIPAA, not HIPPA. Pet peeve of mine. Two A's not two P's. Moving right along...

http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/faq/incidential_uses_and_disclosures/198.html

That was very unprofessional for them to have done that, especially if you acknowledged the privacy practices and checked NO to messages.

 

[dakcp2001]

Well I slept, had some food and you know what? Still angry. I did get a voicemail from an "office manager" asking if I still had the voicemail because the employee said that I was exaggerating and they want to hear the message. She also said that she had a copy of my form saying it was ok for them to leave info on my machine. Apparently she does not realize that I keep copies of everything I sign and I checked no. I am going to deal with it tomorrow. I will not be returning to this doctor.

 

[Robbi]

Well I slept, had some food and you know what? Still angry. I did get a voicemail from an "office manager" asking if I still had the voicemail because the employee said that I was exaggerating and they want to hear the message. She also said that she had a copy of my form saying it was ok for them to leave info on my machine. Apparently she does not realize that I keep copies of everything I sign and I checked no. I am going to deal with it tomorrow. I will not be returning to this doctor.

It's great you kept copies. What a jerk to insinuate you were exaggerating! Sounds like an extremely poorly run practice.

 

[JusbKoz]

I work in the medical field. You have every right to be mad.
A previous poster Tiatia had great advice on what you could do.
Sounds like a very bad office manager and staff. I would definitely not let this rest and would make copies of everything. Take someone with you when you go talk to the office manager and ask for the Doctor to be present.
I would be more upset they told me falsifying or misleading information about my health. They should get in trouble over this.
Let us know what happens.

 

[modisneychick]

If I were you, I would talk to the practice, but I would also consider filing a report over the false information (especially if you still have proof) with the state medical board.

 

[dbarker]

If it were me, I would be calling AMA and filing a complaint.