Dear Clinic; Efficient? Nope.

Actual (almost) exchange by way of the messaging system at our local Clinic That Shall Not Be Named

Dear Family Doc's Office;

You will receive (or may have already received) a request from (insert insurance company's mail-order pharmacy here) to transfer four prescriptions to them from the local Pharmacy Who Shall Not be Named. Please keep Pharmacy on my list for short term medication needs.

Sincerely,

Daisy

Dear Daisy;

Refills of your medications have been sent to (insert new pharmacy here) this morning. You are due for a medication/asthma check appointment in April. If you mention the "wait list" the scheduler will know what to do.

Sincerely,

LPN a.k.a. Refill Associate

Wait list? In my vocabulary, those are four letter words. Oh, wait, they ARE four letter words. But anyway, the saga continued --

Confused, because I usually take care of this kind of med check in the summer along with my annual check-up, I made the appointment anyway. After enduring a cold silence when I mentioned that my lack of flexibility was due to my job as a teacher, we managed to find an appointment during my Spring Break. I was to fast overnight, get blood work done, and then talk with the doctor. I wasn't convinced, though. This was out of the ordinary.

Dear Messaging System at the Clinic That Shall Not be Named;

For the past several years I've combined my med checks with a physical in July or August. The message that I need a fasting medication check in April caught me by surprise.

Is the appointment really necessary?

Why the change in routine?

Oh, well, why bother asking,

Daisy

Hi Daisy -- all the Docs agreed on medication protocols/visits for certain chronic illnesses, which is usually every 6 months -- each MD does have exceptions to the rule though.

I will route this by Family Doc for you, and we'll be back in touch with his response.

Thanks.

RN in Family Doc's Offices

Ooh - I actually got an answer from an RN this time. Maybe MD is next. Have I jumped through enough hoops yet to get to the top?

Hi, Daisy - Family Doc had the following comment:

Daisy can be seen for her annual visit in July or August and meds checked then.

Sincerely, RN in Family Doc's Offices

All of this leaves me wondering once again: is this supposed to be efficient?

Stumble It!