Re: Advice on Appointments

[Guest guest]

One last little blurb about getting to talk to a real person and making an appointment. The phone at my RD's office is busy 90% of the time. I bring my day calendar with me and book my next appt before I leave the office. If you have to see a new Doctor, ask if they double book? Do they cancel pts appts alot? Do they run behind alot. Can they take Emergency appts within a reasonable amount of time? Does the doctor have a patient assist as well as a nurse incase you need a prescription or need to talk to someone right away. Another HUGE piece of advice. Write to a new Rd before your consultation. Introduce yourself and give a brief history of your condition and your treatment along with the medications you are taking. Set parameters about what you expect from the office. You want the doctor to take time with you, not get you in and out, if you need to talk. My RD, sits with me and talks to me like I am a collegue. He even gives me chemistry lessons about new drugs and how they work. Awesome or what!!! I do this with every new doctor before I even get in the office. It does make a difference. I also give a copy to the nurse AND the receptionist. That way they will all see me as a person not just a medical number and an insurance code name. What works for everyone else??? Chime in all. Hugs, Deborah