Patient Survey #3
I have more questions to ask all you ‘patients’ out there.
This is about return phone calls from the doctor.
As the number of patients grows at the clinic, I find it is getting harder to return phone calls.
I try very hard to return AM phone calls at the lunch hour; I return the PM phone calls in the early evening. Once in a while I have to call first thing the next morning (trying to get them before they get to work).
I thought this ‘very good’ but I hear complaints of:
A) this isn’t fast enough and
B) new patients show up because they were dissatisfied with their old doctor ‘he never returned my phone calls”.
So, 3 questions for you;
#1 – how quickly to you expect to hear back from your doctor?
#2 – how soon do you hear from you doctor?
#3 – have you had a doctor who did not return phone calls?
Thanks for your comments.
This is about return phone calls from the doctor.
As the number of patients grows at the clinic, I find it is getting harder to return phone calls.
I try very hard to return AM phone calls at the lunch hour; I return the PM phone calls in the early evening. Once in a while I have to call first thing the next morning (trying to get them before they get to work).
I thought this ‘very good’ but I hear complaints of:
A) this isn’t fast enough and
B) new patients show up because they were dissatisfied with their old doctor ‘he never returned my phone calls”.
So, 3 questions for you;
#1 – how quickly to you expect to hear back from your doctor?
#2 – how soon do you hear from you doctor?
#3 – have you had a doctor who did not return phone calls?
Thanks for your comments.
posted by Ur-spo at 6:24 AM
17 Comments:
If I call the doctor, I expect a call back in the same day -- sooner if I inform the staff that it is an emergency. I try to not call for anything and so have no real experience there. An even greater problem is getting to SEE a doctor. Every time I go, I get seen by a PA. Now, they do a fine job, but I don't think I'm getting a discount for not seeing the doctor--ah, life's little beefs
Doctors don't call patients in the UK, you don't get an appointment for days after having to explain your symptoms t some young girl on the phone.
I don't believe I've ever heard back from a "doctor." That's usually handled by some underling in the office. Which pisses me off and makes me look for someone else, because if a doctor can't strain himself, why am I giving him my money?
I would expect a return call the same day, however. Preferably within 4 hours. A guy can dream, can't he?
When my doctor was on maternity leave, I needed a RX refill, I must say I was impressed by how quickly & efficiently the refill was handled by the staff.
But then today, I was on hold for ever and ever just to get an appointment (all I need is an RX refill).
I've never asked for a doctor to call me back, so this really isn't an answer to your question.
But since it's been over a year since I saw the doc (a combo of she was on maternity leave and me without insurance due to switching jobs) now I have to go in for an appt instead of just having a refill called in.
Which would be fine, except now my new insurance does NOT cover doctor visits (I hate that!), and so I'm going to have to pay $125.00 for five minutes, so I can get a piece of paper so I can get my meds so I don't kill anyone or myself...
... aren't you glad you asked about being a patient on the same day that I had to call my doctor's office?!?
My doctor calls me back at lunch if I call before noon - by 6:00 if I call after 12:00
This is certainly a reasonable time frame for me unless it is a REAL emergency...
My doctor also calls back within one hour if you call after hours or on the weekend through his service...
I have HAD doctors who did not call me back - notice the past tense...
Have I mentioned I LOVE my doctor!
#1 - within a couple hours of my call. any professional should allocate a certain amount of time between billable hours for their non-billable patients
#2 - within a couple hours (luckily, I only see one every other year)
#3 - nope; and they'd not remain my doctor if so!
I luckily haven't needed to see a doctor (except for a dentist, eye doctor, a clinic for blood tests and immunizations) for the last 25 years. But I would assume how quickly I expected to be called back would depend upon how urgent the situation was.
I would leave a message indicating the level of urgency, and expect him to act accordingly. I would not expect a doctor to call back immediately if there were no indication of urgency. And if it was very urgent, I would go to the emergency room of the hospital and have them calll the doctor.
Unless it's an emergency I expect it to be within 2 days, but I guess I'm more patient than most, I have had doctors call me a week or two after I called them, that's unacceptable, I don't see them anymore so all is well.
I guess I would expect to hear back in a couple of days unless it is an emergency. Problem is, most people think their problem is the most important.
My docs are pretty good about calling.
My docs or at least their nurses have returned calls.
Actual calls from the Doctor:
(In Canada)
1) Never
2) Never
3) YES!!!
The receptionist will call back to find out what is the problem but the doctor........NEVER!!!!
I think your patient's are spoiled.... tell them to smarten up and that you have real problems to attend too.
If it is a serious situation of course you should deal with it, one on one, but in the office, not on the phone.
That's just my opinion for what it's worth. :)
It's interesting that you asked this question today as I just got a call from my psychiatrist. I called him late last night about calling in a prescription and he called back at the end of business today. He's always been great about getting back to me in a timely fashion. Of course I don't call him that often that I expect him to get back to me, but when I do it's usually fairly quick.
Depends on the situation as to how quickly one should hear back. I guess in your field one has to assess the urgency in one's voice? If a doctor has an assistant, then it seems that a call back that day is reasonable. If they don't - then patients need to be patient LOL :) And yes, I've had docs who don't return calls. It's annoying :)
1. Same day but after 3pm I will let it go to noon the next day.
2. All depends on the situation. Most time's if he is there I can talk to him when I call. PA's and nurses to a lot of work.
3. Not that I can recall.
Doctor? Return phone calls?
Qu'est-ce que ce?
Ur-spo, are you SURE you're a real doctor?
At least within that same day. Sooner , if I have communicated to whoever is manning the phone, that I feel
that I have an ergent issue. Usually I get a call back from the nurse.
#1 Depends on the severity of the situation. Not high priority, within 24 hours.
#2 I hate doctors (no offense, your far enough away I don't have to worry) so I rarely call them. I can't even relate t this question. If I do call the Dr I usually talk to a nurse.
#3 Nope, but my FIL waited days for his to call him back recently.
That's not to helpful is it?
#1 – how quickly to you expect to hear back from your doctor? within 24 hours...unless it's an emergency.
#2 – how soon do you hear from you doctor? RIGHT AWAY, that's why he's my doctor...and he knows what he's doing too.
#3 – have you had a doctor who did not return phone calls? Not for very long. :)
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