"Hi, we need to reschedule your ultrasound. How's March 5 at 1 p.m.?"

[ProtoLawyer]

Me: "Um, that's not going to work. The whole reason my doctor referred me to the perinatologist is so I could get in a little earlier than 20 weeks to assess for twins and dates but not have to redo an anatomy scan later. The original appointment is already a week later than she wanted it, and this suggested time will put me over 20 weeks, and after my next prenatal appointment. We might as well schedule with a tech in radiology if that's the case."

Ultrasound lady: "Dr. So and So is very booked. I apologize for having to reschedule."

Me: "Also, I have a hard time with mid-day appointments. I can do before 10 and after 3:30 but that's about it. I work a distance away." (Note: I will do mid-day appointments if I *have* to, but I won't tell them that.)

Ultrasound lady: "Well, it looks like we have an opening Feb. 23 at 9 a.m. Will that work?"

Me: "Yes. Thank you."

Why the heck didn't they offer this to me in the first place instead of trying to push me to March?

Sigh...

(Moral of the story: Speak up. Ask. I read an essay called "Women Don't Ask" as part of a negotiation workshop--it basically showed how we sometimes lose out simply because we don't ask for things. It was an eye-opener.)

[PapayaMom]

wow interesting. If your do that again I would ask your ob for a referral to another imaging place. Surely they can't be the only game in town. We have tons of them here and never had an issue making an appointment

[Romana]

It's not just an imaging place, though - sounded from the OP like it's a perinatologist doing the scan.

Still, I see an awesome MFM for u/s and have never had a hard time getting an appointment. I'm glad you "asked," OP!

[ProtoLawyer]

Yeah, it's the peri at the hospital with which my doctor (family medicine) is affiliated. He does block off time each day to see same-day emergencies (and he works at two campuses of the hospital, one of which is an hour away), so getting a non-emergency appointment at the local campus can be tricky.

If I went the regular US route, I could have it scheduled within 2 days, 3 if I was picky about the time. If I get bounced again, I'll be calling my doctor back to see if maybe I could just go to the regular imaging.

There's no *medical* need for the perinatologist this time (though she coded the referral in a way so my insurance would be OK with going to the peri rather than the regular imaging center), but we chatted and we're both more comfortable with me going to the peri and getting both the dating US and the anatomical scan out of the way, than me going a bit too early and either having more uncertainty or having to go back.

[laohaire]

I'm not even pregnant so shouldn't reply. But I think that medical offices have protocols for managing appointment slots. Some slots are reserved for specific needs, urgent issues and so on. They try to schedule routine stuff into the general slots wherever they can, and reserve some slots for when they need to be flexible. It sounds like the receptionist didn't understand/realize/consider the needs in this case, and the OP very correctly alerted her to those needs, and she responded the right way, to provide an acceptable alternative.

So, OP, you're right on that we need to speak up when things don't work for us - but I just thought I'd reply on the thought of "why don't they just offer the next appointment in the first place?"

[LittleBirdy]

Just chiming in to say my u/s is the day before yours Proto! And if you are looking forward to yours as much as I am to mine, I can understand why you would be irked with them - beyond the fact that the receptionist obvioulsy didn't get your situation, telling a pregnant women they have to wait 2 more weeks for an u/s is like telling a child you screwed up and Christmas isn't tomorrow, it's next month!

[ArtsyHeartsy]

I have run into this a few times too, where it really wouldn't work and they go, oh, well how about this earlier time.

I guess it's similar to us not telling them we actually CAN do an appt, but it would be disruptive so we don't volunteer the info.

[a-sorta-fairytale]

Just dealt with a similar issue this morning. I had an apt about a week ago - ob gave me referral for 20 week u/s. So far all u/s have been in office in their one room u/s. i go to book it (5 weeks out!) and they have no apts. the apt lady calls me each morning for the last 4 bus days just to let me know there were still no openings.

So today i ask "um, cant i be seen by radiology or at the hosp or another clinic?" She is like "probably - let me ask the doc." yup,i got in at 18 weeks at radiology in the same freaking building. So instead of this lady wasting her time everyday trying to find a slot and them only getting busier with more u/s i just got it done. I dont know why that was so difficult though.

I wanted to be seen as soon as possible during the 18-20 week time frame because i think my placenta is close to my c/s scar and i want to know if that is the case.

[neonalee]

I'm ALWAYS offered mid day appointments first. MW, eye doc, dermatologist, all of them. I think it's because the before and after work slots fill up faster and they are just offering the first opening. I hate when I say before 9 or after 5 and they say, how about 1?