Re: Whew! pretty long dry spell here is ASA

[Bob La Londe <none@none.com99>]

On 9/29/2020 8:29 PM, ABLE1 wrote:
 > On 9/29/2020 1:43 PM, Jim Davis wrote:
 >>
 >> Another rant I went on was when I had a 3PM appointment with a
doctor. When I arrived the waiting room was packed, standing room only.
They asked me to sign in. The sign-in sheet asked what time my
appointment was so I wrote in 3PM. As I glanced at the list I saw that 5
other people had 3PM appointments with the same doctor. I asked the
receptionist why there were so many for the same time and she said " Oh
we regularly over book so the doctor is never without a patient." I just
hit the ceiling! WHAT ???? So we're all supposed to sit here for the
next 2 or three hours because there are 5 other people with the same
appointment time ? ? ? And what about the other doctors here? Are they
all over booked too? I loudly asked the other people in the waiting room
if they thought that was appropriate to do and did they plan to spend
the rest of their day waiting for a doctor who overbooked 5 people?
 >> AHHHHHGGGGGGG Two other people walked out with me after my rant.
 >> I'm sure they must have changed their sign-in sheet after that event.
 >>
 >> Try it. Treat them like a business. It confuses the hell out of them.
 >>
 >> And for me, it does my soul good   8-))
 >>
 >> As I've said before. I used to wonder where cranky old men come from.
 >> Now I know.
 >>
 >
 >
 > Funny!!  A number of years ago my wife was working for a Temp Agency.
 > She was sent to a Dr. Office.  She was told to double and triple every
 > appointment.  So your experience wins!!
 >
 > Also about 20 years ago my family doctor retired and transferred all his
 > patients to another doctor.  I ended up making an appointment at the new
 > office.  I showed up as I always do about 5 minutes early.  I checked in
 > and took a seat in the waiting area.  I sat there for 45 minutes before
 > being called back to an exam room.  Sat in the exam room for 15 minutes
 > till the doctor came in.  Bla Bla Bla  He said, make an appointment for
 > two weeks and I will give you small bottle to come back with a urine
 > sample.  So I went out to the counter and asked what was the very first
 > appointment in the morning.  The girl says that will be 8:30am.  I said
 > I will take the 8L30am appointment in two weeks.
 > So, I returned again 5 minutes early for the 8:30am appointment.
 > Checked in and went to the waiting area.  There was another guy
 > sitting there and he was doubled over in pain.  In my humble opinion
 > the guy was having a Kidney Stone attack.  Having a large number myself
 > I really do know.
 >
 > Anyhow I sat there for 35 minutes.  The other guy was still there
 > as well and still in visible pain.  At that point I got up and went
 > to the counter and asked the girl "What is the value of having an
 > appointment in this office."  She giggled and said "What time was
 > your appointment."  To which I said, "It really doesn't matter
 > because you can flush it!!"  I slammed the pee bottle down and
 > walked out.
 >
 > Later when I got home I sat at my computer and drafted a letter to
 > the doctor.  Explaining and detailing my experiences in his office.
 > At the end I stated the following.
 > "You will find with this letter an invoice for my time.  You may pay
 > it or not.  By your action I will understand."
 >
 > Two weeks letter I received a check in the mail.  I never went back
 > and I found another doctor.

Ever wonder if you made the wrong call?  He did recognize your dilemma
and pay for your time.  All doctors except surgeons overbook.  Most have
posted policies that if you are no show there is a charge, and some will
charge you for a walkout.  Had that happen with a dentist once.

Their forms required you to waive all your HIPA rights, and had you
agreeing to insanely onerous and maybe illegal collection practices.  I
black lined everything I didn't like.  On my second visit they handed me
the new patient form again to fill out and I black lined everything I
didn't like again.  This time instead of seeing me they told me I had to
fill out the form again.  I told them their form was illegal, and if
they refused to remove the illegal parts or allow me to they were
functionally refusing to see me.  Of course they had a posted policy for
no shows.  They said I if did not complete the form "properly" they
would not see me.  I made a point of saying I was here on time for my
appointment and you are refusing to see me.  It would be in your best
interest not to commit fraud by charging me as a no show, and I walked
out.  The dentist himself may not ave even been aware.  He was nice,
professional, and personable chair side.

They sent me a bill.  I debated what to do for a couple days.  Then I
filed a complaint with the Arizona State Board Of Dental Examiners for
HIPA violations and with the State Attorney General for institutional
ongoing fraud and illegal collection practices.

I started shopping for a new dentist, and found one among my old clients
who had all their forms publicly available on their website for patients
to review at their leisure.  There was nothing I objected to in any of
their forms.  I've been seeing them for years.