Irritated about making an appt.

Agnus · Feb 25, 2003

So why can't we say that is is confidential or personal and will discuss it with no one but the doctor.

I don't see that this could get them in trouble with medicare or medicaide. or any other insurance.

Since when is a patient qualified to Dx themselves anyway? I have to tell you I have gout to be treated for gout? This is silly. IMHO.

Yea, I understand we are talking about "Chief Complaint."

but lets face it a C/C can be a bit more complicated than just a single line of words. Too simplified a CC could cause a problem if insurances insist that tx and CC must match.

The whole physician's note needs to be considered for determining payment.

So if I tell the receptionist that I want to see the MD for one thing and actually there is more or something different then the MD is guilty of fraud? Makes no sense. (but them I'm not the insurance company)

No there must be a way to see the doc without having to tell Miss perky about my very private personal problem.

I think this practic alone keeps many people away from the MD. not just nurses. some folks have a hard enough time discussing certain problems with the doc without having to reveal it to Miss Bubbles

Agnus · Feb 25, 2003

Back sometime between 1973 and 1977 I walked in to ask for a preg test (we did not have home test then) The receptionist responded very negatively because I said, "Pregnant." This was not exactly the victorian erra geez. She was all bent out of shape because I used 'that word'.

It was not confidentiality that she was concerned about it was that word.

Besides it way MY confidential information and if I chose to say it out loud it was my business.

deespoohbear · Feb 25, 2003

At my doctor's office, the nurses are the ones who answer the phone and schedule appointments. They have always been tops when dealing with sensitive stuff like that.

I get aggravated when I have to call a doctor's office about one of my hospital patients to get orders changed etc. Almost all the other docs in our area have receptionists answering their phones and they want to know who you are calling about and why. I want to tell them it is none of their freakin' business...I just usually ID myself and inform them that I need to speak to a nurse. We have one office where the doctor's wife works and she answers the phone and tries to give orders and such. We got a stop put to that right away....

I don't see how it can be fraud either. How many times have you gone to the doctor for one complaint and end up bringing something else up? How can that be fraud? Now I can see if the doctor's office tries to bill for stuff that never ever happened being fraud.

Geesh, I hate insurance companies and Medicare/Medicaid... :devil:

Agnus · Feb 25, 2003

Originally posted by deespoohbear
Geesh, I hate insurance companies and Medicare/Medicaid...

Hear, hear.

hogan4736, BSN, RN · Feb 25, 2003

Originally posted by KRVRN
Sometimes you can get by the receptionist by using the medical term rather than a more common layperson term.

Dyspareunia, for instance. Who would want to tell the window peon the layperson term for that?

"Window Peon"...come on KRV...that's a lame outlook...Everyone from the janitor to the CEO makes this place run well...

sean

fab4fan · Feb 25, 2003

Originally posted by hogan4736
"Window Peon"...come on KRV...that's a lame outlook...Everyone from the janitor to the CEO makes this place run well...

sean

That bothered me too, hogan. We all have our own contributions. Nurses may be a big part of the healthcare team, but they are not the only part.

sjoe · Feb 25, 2003

dees writes: "I don't see how it can be fraud either. How many times have you gone to the doctor for one complaint and end up bringing something else up? How can that be fraud? "

But you are not an insurance company looking for ANY excuse not to pay, either.

kittyw · Feb 25, 2003

Originally posted by hogan4736
Everyone from the janitor to the CEO makes this place run well...

sean

yes, but not everyone needs to know your health history.

cindyln · Feb 25, 2003

I wonder where this falls under HIPPA? Does that receptionist really have a need to know for this info??

fab4fan · Feb 25, 2003

Originally posted by kittyw
yes, but not everyone needs to know your health history.

True...but it's still no reason to refer to a receptionist as "the window peon."

cindyln · Feb 25, 2003

guess I should have read more replies before I replied. Some others have thought of HIPPA also.

emily_mom · Feb 25, 2003

My PA told me to tell the receptionist that I am coming in for personal reasons. He also agrees that it's none of their beeswax what I'm coming for. They schedule times how they want anyway.