Squeaky Wheels And All That

[ladysprite]

Apparently it is much harder to deny and/or ignore a stern-voiced male than it is a young-sounding female, especially when that female is doing her best to be as conciliatory as possible after past negative experiences.

After my week of calling and begging and nagging my health providers, umbran took on the task of calling the Pain Management Center for me today. And he pushed and prodded and was stern and persistent at the receptionists until he got them to actually look through my record. And admit that, actually, the doctor *had* answered my question. On Tuesday. And that no one had bothered to relay the message to me, and that apparently the person I had talked to on Wednesday hadn't actually checked before telling me that it hadn't been answered.

(For the record, the support staff at Brigham & Women's Pain Management Clinic are, in my experience, nigh universally.... ungood. I have no idea whether this stems from lack of skill, lack of give-a-damn, or lack of enough bodies to do the work, but ALL of my problems so far have been due to support staff actions.)

And anyway, my doctor there has granted me a referral to a neurosurgeon. Sing hallelujah, praise all the Powers That Be, and let my gratitude be known to all the world.

It's not the finish line - I still need to actually schedule an appointment with said surgeon, which I can't do until I'm officially insured next Tuesday. And the surgeon needs to agree that I'm a valid candidate for surgery, and we need to schedule the procedure. But it's a hell of a lot more than I had yesterday, and a lot faster than I feared, and for that I can't express in words how glad and grateful I am.

Comments

[johnpalmer.livejournal.com]

Oh, thank heaven... and wow, there's no *good* place to have poor office workers, but what an exceptionally *bad* place to have 'em... where people are already in pain, frustrated, and possibly running out of cope.

[dagibbs.livejournal.com]

Yay for umbran!

And boo for the staff you've had to deal with.

And *hugs* for you.

[citabria]

Yay!!!!!

[grum]

Oh thank... whatever.
I'm so glad you had someone to make that phone call and badger the people for you.
I wish the people didn't need badgering, but I'm glad it got done on your behalf. And I hope you get a (reasonably) quick appointment and some improvement with whatever it is you decide to have done.

... do you know Tylik? She has spine stuff that is talked about on LJ that may or may not be of interest to you.

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

I am really glad he could push this through another step for you! *hugs you gently*

(As a receptionist I am offended in my professional pride by their malfeasance, and would apologize if I could.)

[quietann.livejournal.com]

Ugh, I hate it when guys can do that and I can't.

I work at BWH and all I can tell you is that yes, some of the departments suck at patient relations. Others don't. I think the place is plenty well staffed (for the most part), but there are a lot of staff who have been there for years, doing basically the same thing over and over, and they're marking time as much as they are working.

I hope your experience with the neurosurgeon goes much better!

[evcelt.livejournal.com]

It's a pity that you had to unleash the umbran upon them, but I cannot deny his effectiveness.

Hope things go better for you.

::hugs::

[vettecat.livejournal.com]

Yay for progress!