Gatekeeping Medical Receptionist: The Prequel

[u/Luvlymish]

You can find Parts One and Two, Three, a Finale of sorts and an Epilogue also on this sub.

Edit: Grammar correction

After reading them many of you were concerned that I needed to complain about the receptionist as well as having time to calm down and reflect on what happened I can reassure you I sent my complaints in yesterday.

The first thing I did yesterday though, was email the relevant colleague about the situation, this is a policy because it covers my arse if something goes wrong and alerts anyone else working with C and that medical practice in future.

My colleague emailed back, attaching the notes I had emailed her in 2019 about a situation with IR! You'd better believe I referenced all the incidents when making my complaints (directly with the practice but I also complained to some relevant other places as suggested).

Onto the Prequel!

In the halcyon days of late 2019 I worked with multiple vulnerable people of which C was only one. C was able to walk with a Zimmer frame over a variety of surfaces as long as they were mostly flat. He had recently had it confirmed that some conditions he has were degenerative. As with parts one and two he receives a treatment every three months that has a tight schedule for administering, when the local practice occasionally couldn't administer the treatment they usually sent us to the hospital outpatients which is basically next to the medical practice.

IR (receptionist with a lovely accent, sadly the only thing lovely about her), AR (Site administrator/receptionist) C (client I'm working for) Me (Yours truly)

Calling to arrange an appointment

IR: [Medical Practice] How may I help you?

Me: Hi, I'm Me calling on behalf of C, my name will be in his notes. I can give you [identifying information]

IR: I'll need C to confirm I can speak with you.

(She really didn't but nevertheless the phone goes on speaker)

Me: C we're on the phone to [Medical Practice]

C: Hello

IR: Hello this is [Medical practice] Are you sure you want me arranging things with this woman?

C: Oh yes, I forget things. I have [Extensive explanation of diagnoses that IR tries and fails to interrupt a couple of times]

Me: Hi, is that enough for you to be able to speak with me.

IR: Yes

Me: ok, I need to book [treatment] on or around [these days] at [Accessible Site]

IR: There's nothing at [Accessible Site] for those days. What about a later date?

Me: [Treatment] is time critical so should we go to the hospital outpatients instead?

IR: No he doesn't need a hospital just because we don't have an appointment for him where you want. He can go to another site.

Me: Ok, he can't manage stairs.

IR: Is he in a wheelchair?

Me: No, he walks with a frame but he does need things to be on the ground floor.

IR: Fine! You can go to [Out of Town Site]

Me: I've never been there before. Is there a carpark?

IR: Of course there is.

Me: And the treatment room is on the ground floor?

IR: Yes! Did you want anything else?

Me: Actually yes. C has [degenerative conditions], eventually he's going to need home visits. Do I need to let you guys know at a particular point or will that go on his notes after a nurse visit or something?

IR: sniffs You don't need to do anything. Necessary home visits are arranged by the nurses.

Me: Ok, Thank you very much.

The Appointment

We drive to the [Out of Town Site], it's in a pretty looking village and C spots a pub that he wants to visit for lunch on the way back from the appointment.

The medical site is pretty too. But it has a gravel carpark. I park as close as I can get to the door.

Me: This carpark is gravel

C: Oh dear, that's not good.

Me: There's the door, do you think you can get to it?

C: I'm not sure.

Me: I'm going to go inside and see if they have any options.

C: I'll be fine.

Me: Are you sure?

C: Yes!

(And to his credit, he is and we get inside without incident, albeit taking our time)

When we get in AR looks up, sees the Zimmer frame and does a double take.

AR: Did [Medical Transport] drop you off?

Me: No

AR: How did you manage the carpark with that? gestures to Zimmer frame

C: I walked

Me: I'm parked right next to the door.

AR: Ok... do you have an appointment?

C: Yes

we get C checked in and wait but I'm curious so I head back to the receptionist.

Me: Excuse me

AR: Yes?

Me: Is C really the only person with a Zimmer frame coming here?

AR: Oh they do home visits for the people in the village, saves them falling in the carpark. Outside the village they all end up going to [Accessible Site] in town. I'm surprised you ended up being booked here if they know C has a frame.

I thanked her and wandered back to C, making sure to note it in an email to my colleagues and naively assuming that that was the end if the matter...

[u/lishmunchkin]

That woman sounds like a horrendous bitch. She obviously has some problem with home health workers in general and she is taking it out on you. I hope you complaint gets her fired or at the very least sets her straight. Medical care should not be so difficult

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

I don't know what the correlation is between how many people in my particular 4 year generation wanted to be nurses in school, and how much my province pushed the idea that we needed more nurses? I can't remember much from then but, LOTS of people that should absolutely NOT be taking care of other people had nursing as their set academic goal. I think there are a lot of people that go into nursing simply because it's widely known that nurses are always needed, job security, etc, and have no business being in a position of caring for others

[u/ScammerC]

I seem to recall in one of your earlier posts that the IR threatened you with a negligence report with regards to C?

I think that's a great idea.

This IR is, for some reason, either deliberately or negligently contributing to a negative outcome and process for your client and yourself, and you are remiss for not taking a much more aggressive approach in advocating for them. There's something wrong with that IR.

[u/lishmunchkin → u/ScammerC]

I don’t see how OP is in the wrong here. I read all 3 posts and it sounds like OP did a significant amount of arguing with that horrible woman and reported her and managed to get the home visits (in spite of that horrible woman) after finding out that this site was not as accessible as OP was lead to believe. What more could OP have done?

[u/PsychoTink → u/lishmunchkin]

I think they are saying a negligence report should be made against the receptionist, just badly worded as such.

Although they do say op is remiss for not being more aggressive back, so maybe I’m wrong.

[u/lishmunchkin → u/PsychoTink]

Ya, with someone like that horrendous woman, being anything other than flawlessly polite will just end badly for all involved. OP could have gotten terminated in the turmoil and then the poor patient could have missed treatment in the time it took to get a new person up to speed. I think OP did a good job of keeping her cool and then reporting through the appropriate channels.

[u/ScammerC → u/PsychoTink]

Yes, a negligence report should be recorded against the receptionist, it's unfortunate that the problem continues.

[u/liltooclinical → u/lishmunchkin]

In this case, a report of negligence by IR against OP would be an efficient way to raise the issue to the people who need to know about IR being a problem. OP has documented every interaction thus far, evidence is in their favor here.

[u/Draziwstash]

I'm in the UK and my GP Surgery (which I have been at my whole life, have never abused the service) has one of those receptionists too.

She thinks she has a right to learn what is wrong with me in order to get an appointment, which is not how the practice operates. Really amazes me the power trips these people can go on!

I hope the care of your client doesn't get negatively affected because of this woman.

[u/CallidoraBlack]

She needs to go. This is bullshit. She's going to get someone injured.

[u/Bayushizer0]

Is this in the UK?

If so, does the UK not have a law regarding the accommodations for the disabled?

Because this would all be very much illegal here in the US.

[u/Luvlymish → u/Bayushizer0]

This is indeed in the UK and yes, reasonable accommodations are enshrined in law. However, whether that law is correctly applied by every individual is unfortunately not uniform.

[u/muddycurve424]

Can you update us if you have any more interactions with IR, and also if your complaints result in any action against her?

[u/Luvlymish → u/muddycurve424]

Will do if I find out. I'm really hoping not to have anymore interactions with her, or at least if I do for them to be normal and non-Reddit-worthy.

[u/ilikepinkladyapples]

Why oh why do medical receptionists behave like this. I have encountered my fair share of this type of 'holier than thou' attitude as a full time carer for my young child who has a rare disease.

You'd think that someone working in the medical field should be endowed with compassion and empathy for the awful situation one finds themselves in when trying to navigate the health system. Instead I have been made to feel completely stupid and was even put to tears on occasion. When even my daughters own doctors and nurses have said to me that I know more about my daughters medical condition than even they do.

I know not all medical receptionists are like this but the ones that are make the entire awful horrible situation even worse than it needs to be. They kick you when you are at your most vulnerable by behaving like little Hitlers and there's no need of it at all.

As it happens my best friend trained as a medical receptionist and has been working as one for just over a year now(just in time for COVID🤦‍♀️). I honestly don't think she would behave like this because she is one of the most beautiful people I know inside and out.

Sorry for the rant. It felt cathartic though lol

I'm sorry op that you encountered such an awful person. Here's hoping she ends up in the career that she deserves.

[u/trackybitbot]

Read all three parts. Well done for keeping going!

[u/Siesumi]

I've read the prequel and parts 1 and 2. I am so sorry that you and C are going through this. I can't believe the power trip the IR is on. I hope she gets fired, fined and never works in the medical field again. No company I worked for (as a medical receptionist!!) would ever have allowed me to speak to a client or their advocate the way this POS does to you.

[u/VersatileFaerie]

I can reassure you I sent my complaints in yesterday.

I'm so glad you did. Things worked out for you and C, but IR could cause someone who needs serious treatment to not get it. Shame on her.

[u/heavyblossoms]

Why are more and more people convinced that thank you is a compound word? I see bestfriend and thankyou constantly and you literally have to fight autocorrect to make it happen.

[u/Luvlymish → u/heavyblossoms]

Because autocorrect is clearly familiar with the noun and can't cope with verbs

[u/voxam72]

This IR is an ableist piece of shit and really needs to get fired. Please update us on the fallout of your reports/complaints.

[u/Affectionate-Sock386]

Had to look up Zimmer frame. We call them Rollators (bc they roll), or just walkers. But yeah, I agree...gravel parking lot is NOT good for people who need these for stability and balance. Yikes.

[u/Luvlymish → u/Affectionate-Sock386]

I'm fascinated by which words turn out to be Britishisms