Your own advocate

• by Theknotguy
• 2014-03-01 09:03:05
• General Posting
• 1268 views
• 1 comments

I've told people on this forum you have to be your own advocate. Or, if you can't, get someone to be your advocate.

I'm finishing with cardio rehab at a place I'll call Malleys. They've done a wonderful job and deserve all the credit. But in case someone takes this posting the wrong way, they'll remain nameless for the moment.

So I'm finishing with cardio rehab. Malleys says I have to have another stress test and blood work. Where to go? Malleys says they'll be happy to do it. But the last time I did work with them only God knows where my records went. No one at Malleys seems to know what happened. Not to mention the vampire, blood draw lady took 2 1/2 attempts to get blood. They're only supposed to try twice but not having another person she bent the rules (and the needles) a little bit.

I decide to go back to my cardiologist's office for the stress test and blood work. In case the records get lost, at least they'll be in my cardio's office.

Make a quick call to the cardio's office. The person on the other end of the line says sweetly, "We'll need to see the written records before we can make an appointment. You can fax them in." Not a bad answer but one little problem. I don't have a fax. Hmmm. Guess I'll just run them over. No big deal.

So I make a quick trip to the cardio's office. He's out but some of the other guys are in. Not to worry as I'm only going to be dealing with the office staff. I approach the receptionist. "Do you have an appointment?" she says sweetly. Nope, I'm here to turn in the written records so I can get a stress test and blood work done. At this time she has a deer in the headlights look on her face. "Where did you get your orders?" Got 'em from Malleys. "Oh, you should go back there!" No, I don't want to have Malleys do the tests. If they do 'em they'll lose the records like they did the last time. I want to do them here so my cardiologist has the records. "Oh, I'll have to get one of our scheduling people to do that. Wait just a minute." Hmmm. Good idea. Let's see if I can get any further with her.

She leaves the reception area and there is a hurried, whispered conference out of sight. She returns and says,"If you'll go back to the second cubicle she'll see you now." So I step back to the second cubicle.

Please notice: The following conversation sounds like one of the previous paragraphs.

I approach the scheduling person. "Do you have an appointment?" she says sweetly. Nope, I'm here to turn in the written records so I can get a stress test and blood work done. At this time she has a deer in the headlights look on her face. "Where did you get your orders?" Got 'em from Malleys. "Oh, you should go back there!" No, I don't want to have Malleys do the tests. If they do 'em they'll lose the records like they did the last time. I want to do them here so my cardiologist has the records. "Oh, I'll have to get the doctor's nurse to see if they'll approve that. Wait just a minute." Hmmm. Good idea. Let's see if I can get any further with her.

A hurried telephone call. No answer. More deer in the headlight looks. Hmmm. "We will have to call you." Good idea. Here's my phone numbers.

I know my English isn't that good. My American is really good, but apparently my Medical language is very poor. Can't wait until Monday when I call back in to find out they've lost the records and I have to start all over. Like I said, you've got to be your own advocate. Sometimes even that isn't enough.

Theknotguy