Frusterated- What Would You DO?

I saw my physician for the first time about a month ago. I have attended my first monthly support group meeting. I have met with my NUT for the first time and I have my second appointment with my NUT in two weeks. Here is my dilemma...

On Mon. 11/30 I received an email from the program director asking if I was going to be able to attend support group on 12/2. I replied, "yes" and she said "Great-see you then". I then emailed her right away and asked her a question about my insurance and out of pocket expense so I could plan accordingly with my Medical café plan at work. She never responded. I attended group and didn't have a chance to speak with her afterwards because I needed to pick up my children and get them to their doctor's appointment at the pediatrician office. So on Friday 12/4 I emailed the program director again and asked my same question about my out of pocket expense. I let her know that I was needing an answer ASAP because I needed to complete my online enrollment for the Café plan by end of the weekend. It is now 12/12 and I have not received a response from my last two emails I sent her almost two weeks ago. I feel like if she doesn't know the answer or if she is researching it, she could at least email me back and say she doesn't know or is looking into it. I feel very ignored and want to complain to someone at the office but I don't know who. I don't have an email for anyone but the program director and the NUT. I want them to know if this is how they are going to respond to questions then I need to look for a new surgeon. I can't understand why she responds to some emails prior to this with in minutes but then for this example she wont replay at all.

When I was at my first appointment my surgeon and my NUT both mentioned a closed Facebook group that the program has and that I would be added to it, if I wanted to. I told them I did want to be added and they said the program director would add me when she was back in the office on 11/23. She did not add me and when the NUT emailed me on 11/24 I asked her again about the Facebook group, she said that she had sent an email to the program director and would follow up with her again. I still have not been added to the Facebook group. I know it probably seems silly that I am complaining about something like this but I just don't get a good feeling about this program director. She is the one who is in charge of making sure everything is ready to go on the insurance end for my surgery. If she can't handle answering my questions or adding me to the Facebook group I can only wonder if she will be able to make sure I have everything I need for insurance approval when it comes time for surgery!

I feel I am a customer and my surgery makes up their paychecks. I HATE poor customer service and I am borderline ready to drop this program and look for a new doctor. PCP recommend this program so I am trying to give them extra chances but nothing burns me more then being ignored.

What would you do?

• Switch programs/surgeons?
• Email the NUT and let her know that I still haven't been added to the Facebook page?
• Email the program director again and let her know that I am getting irritated with the no response?
• Call the office to speak with the surgeon about the issues I am having?

Do you think I am being too sensitive and overreacting or are these warning signs of a dysfunctional program?

Thanks for the advice and support!

BankerBethany

Find out the stats on how well the program does and complication rates. You mentioned support group- ask the patients how it went. The program director is 1 person out of many. It is normal to be a little impatient with the process once we have decided to progress with it. Give it a little time.

I'd give it a little more time. For 1, it's the holiday season & they might be in slowdown mode & 2 its the end of the year so maybe they're getting an influx of patients who are trying to get into the program & get their info/ducks lined in a row b4 their ins/deductibles kick in for the new year.

However stay on them & check your own insurance as to your out of pocket expenses.

Everyone has a preferred communication method.  Yours is email, the program director's is obviously something else. 

I prefer voicemail to email.  Many people prefer a direct phone call.  I am disappointed when I call someone and they pick up, I prefer to leave a voicemail.  But I know many people ignore voicemails. 

I am guessing this person does not read or respond to her email.  You need to communicate with her another way.  Call and ask to speak with her directly.  If necessary, go to the office and talk to her in person.

Do not send any emails to anyone, especially the surgeon or the NUT.  Do not call the NUT or the surgeon. Going over the program directors head will just make you an enemy.  You need her to be your friend.

Every program will have people that you may not communicate well with.  It is your job to communicate to get the answers you need.

What is the best communication method?  The method that the other person prefers.

My program told us not to use email for anything that was time-sensitive, as they do not necessarily check it regularly.  I'd suggest contacting them by phone and see if you get a better response. Hopefully, they'll do better by phone.

best wishes,

Carol

I would call the office and ask to speak with the director. If you can't get to talk to her then call and ask to speak with the surgeon. Ins choice is a big thing and in the long run affects their bottom line if people back out because they have the wrong or no coverage. I agree with other peoples suggestion as well about finding out their stats etc. Good luck.

Is the email going directly to the director or a generic/group mailbox?  I know from monitoring many of those at work that the response time can be slow.

Halfway through my 6-month approval process, I decided to switch to a different surgeon and hospital for the very reasons you're describing. It didn't matter whether I phoned, e-mailed, begged, or threatened; they just would not answer my questions. I even phoned adjoining offices begging them to ask someone in my office to call me. That sometimes worked.

I finally had enough. I figured if they were this sloppy and careless about the way they were treating me pre-op, how could I be sure the surgeon (who is supposed to manage his office efficiently) wouldn't treat me as carelessly in the OR.

My new surgeon and his team were like the dream team of bariatric surgery. They were prompt, kind, accessible by phone or email, and my surgery couldn't have gone better.

My advice is to get the heck out of there and find a surgeon who knows how to run his office in addition to his OR.

psychoticparrot