Ped office - am I being unreasonable?

[Delicateflower]

We live in a small town. There is one massive pediatrics practice with two locations and about 15 peds, then two peds in one small practice, then family practice docs.

The peds practice closes for lunch, and calls go through to an answering service. When they're not closed for lunch, calls go through to the answering machine of the assistant of the doctor you specify, then you wait for a return call. You can't call and talk to a human.

I have called them once to ask for an urgent appointment to get steroids that day for croup, once to ask if I should come there or go striaght to a hospital to get a hernia I couldn't reduce seen to. For the croup they called back the next day. For the hernia I waited five minutes and then went there. They couldn't help us, we needed to go to the hospital.

Am I unreasonable to stop using this practice? Or am I being over-emotional and demanding?

[laohaire]

You're not unreasonable. You are the customer. If you're not happy with the service, shop aroud. I wouldn't be happy with that, personally.

[lilyka]

I think it sounds resonable. at the very least you should be talking to a nurse who can tell you "i am sorry but you'll need to go the ER/urgent care clinic/whatever". I go to one of the busiest peds offices in town and they always pick up - always! even the after hours service is staffed by RNs. they can't make an appointment for you or anything but thyey know weather to page the Dr or can leave a detailed message .., and the Dr. always calls back within an hour or two of returning to the office. or the nurse calls back to give the Drs messgae or whatever.

[MovingMomma]

Have you asked how you can call to talk to a person? Let them know you would appreciate that option? If not, and you're otherwise satisfied, then I say at least give them a chance to make things right before you take your business elsewhere.

[Daphneduck]

My DD's ped office has a similar system. I've never waited more than two hours for a call back and usually not that long. I would be really irritated if I waited days or even one day. That would probably be a deal breaker for me.

[Areia]

You're definitely not unreasonable. I can always reach a human at my ped's office and if they need to call back, I usually get one within 15 min. During off hours, calls are routed to the attending ped at urgent care. A receptionist always answers the phone and again call backs are quick (sometimes they are from the nurse or PA). I would personally go to another practice.

[Alyantavid]

I'd definitely find somewhere else. We live in a very small town and have a ped's office 1/2 away. Its the only ped office within 2 hours. I finally stopped going after being treated horribly and dealing with the same kind of thing. We now see a family doc here in town who can get us in immediately and have always been wonderful.

[LindyLou]

I would definitely go somewhere else. That is uncalled for.

[Delicateflower]

Oh man, they are appalling! I finally got through to someone by calling random numbers.

Simple question, he's due for a DTaP and Hep B vax, do I need to make an appointment for it or can the nurse just do it. They're all non no no, he needs a checkup, we only do vaccines at well baby visits, blah blah blah. The stupid person wanted me to wait until the next well baby to have the vaccine. ARGH! If he ends up in the freaking hospital having hernia surgery without a current DTaP or HepB I am going to want to do more than write a stiff letter.

We are switching practices.

[teale]

My old doctor's office was like this, and then to boot, when you finally did reach a nurse, they generally had no effin' clue what was going on. The receptionist knew more about my file then the nurses!

I finally switched practices. I couldn't take my health being in the hands of someone who couldn't a) be bothered to pick up a phone b) return a phone call when they said they would or c) couldn't keep track of all their patients. The clinic was just too busy, and it showed.

[LynnS6]

We go to a massive peds practice and one of the reasons I like it is that they have an on-call nurse for urgent questions. Even if my doctor's nurse can't get back to me, someone will. I've NEVER waited more than an hour. Everyone in the office is competent. (They also have evening hours, and weekend mornings for urgent care. They also have a fair number of docs who split a practice so that they can be home with their kids 2 1/2 days a week and at the office 2 1/2 days a week. How sane is that?)

I would switch practices AND I would tell them why.

[Delicateflower]

Originally Posted by teale

My old doctor's office was like this, and then to boot, when you finally did reach a nurse, they generally had no effin' clue what was going on. The receptionist knew more about my file then the nurses!

Oh yeah, the nurse didn't know the different between the DTaP and the TDaP!

[Honey693]

I don't think you're being unreasonable, I would definitely switch peds. Our office transfers you to a nurse when you call, if the nurse is busy the front desk takes a message and you get a call back within 15 minutes. If the nurse is free you go right to her and she'll either answer your question or write it down, find the doctor and call you back within an hour (and the hour is the longest it's ever taken, usually it's closer to 30 minutes). And this is for minor questions, like can I take Tylenol while I'm nursing, etc.

[phathui5]

If he ends up in the freaking hospital having hernia surgery without a current DTaP or HepB I am going to want to do more than write a stiff letter.

Ok, I have to ask. Why does he need vaccines for surgery?

[mommy2maya]

our ped has a sick line where you can talk directly to a nurse, right away, no waiting on a call back. It is my favorite part of this practice!

[ErikaG]

Originally Posted by LynnS6

We go to a massive peds practice and one of the reasons I like it is that they have an on-call nurse for urgent questions. Even if my doctor's nurse can't get back to me, someone will. I've NEVER waited more than an hour. Everyone in the office is competent. (They also have evening hours, and weekend mornings for urgent care. They also have a fair number of docs who split a practice so that they can be home with their kids 2 1/2 days a week and at the office 2 1/2 days a week. How sane is that?)

I would switch practices AND I would tell them why.

We see a pediatrician who is in a solo practice and they've always got someone covering the phones for triage when they're open. After hours, if it's urgent enough to call, you get the pediatrician himself.

The way after hours and urgent calls are handled was an important factor in choosing a pediatrician that we were comfortable with-it ranked up there with breastfeeding supportive and vax-friendly.

I'd switch practices and I'd let them know why.

[mamadebug]

I think they are unreasonable. You should be able to reach your child's doctor easily. I would switch to a new doctor. Our ped is a part of a huge practice. We can reach a person (receptionist) anytime. If we have a question, an on-call nurse calls back usually within 1/2 hr - anytime, day or night (I have found they actually call back a lot faster if it is the middle of the night). The nurse can then answer the question, tell you to go to the hospital or get the on-call doctor to call you back, which usually happens within 15 minutes.

[Bluegoat]

I wouldn't be crazy about this method of doing things. With that many doctors, they probably need a dedicated receptionist for the phone, and as some said, maybe a nurse. Of course receptionists can't answer medical questions, but at least they can tell you that they are booked solid and you might as well go to emergency!

I'd try the family practice - specialists are for special cases, family doctors are for families - they are usually much better at seeing things as normal rather than pathological.

[yarngoddess]

I would find a new ped. I also wouldn't worry about the vaxes untill after the surgery and after the baby has recovered from the surgery. Just because your ped is against delayed/selective or no vax is not a good reason, IMHO, for you to vax blindly- (not saying that you are). It seems that you need to research those vaxes and the diseases and come to your own conclusion- it's your CHOICE, not the doc's right to FORCE upon you by threat of leaving an alreday crappy practice! Also- you might want to look for a ped that has interenet capabilities- I'm able to email my ped and get an answer faster than a phone call would. I love being able to email my ped- makes my life MUCH easier!!!

[operamommy]

Switch peds and don't look back!

Our old dr's office was very similar, but I kept going because it was only 5 minutes away. Finally I got fed up enough to switch to another dr. and it has been wonderful. Even though he's 30 minutes away, we get much better care and he actually SEES my sick kids instead of shipping them off to Urgent Care because he's too busy.