A few days ago I posted about post about not being to sure about my primary. Well the experience I had yesterday afternoon tops all of that. Monday morning I called my doctors office to see if I could be seen because my back was still hurting, they told me that my primary Dr. Cindy Atkins was off on mondays and they asked me if I would like to see someone else. I said sure and my whole reason for making the appointment was to ask for a referral to pain management because when I called them they said I needed a referral. So I go to the appointment to see Dr. Edgar Emeric. He walks in the room, shakes my hand, asks me my names and says you have chronic back pain and I said yes. He then said and I qoute word for word "They made a mistake in making your appointment with me, I have nothing to offer you." He turned and said follow me. well needless to say he took off walking down the hallway and disappeared around the coner while I tried to play cath up. He told the lady behind the counter something and then disappeared. By the time I reach the counter the lady is on the phone so I have to wait for her to finish and then she asks do I need to make an appointment. In my head I screamned WTF!! Oh I was angry, Im still angry.
I told my therapist on the phone today that I was tired of feeling bad because I am sick, because thats the way they make me feel. I also told her it's not my fault I'm sick and I have to believe that. I didn't ask to have Lupus and I damn sure didn't ask for all this physical, emotional, and spiritual pain.
If anybody knows the right channells for me to go through to report this doctor llet me know.
Oh my goodness. I am so sorry to hear this. I hate that you had to go through that. I wish you all the luck in finding answers to your pain. Thank you so much for sharing.
OMG! I hope you didn’t pay for that non-visit. I would write to your state’s medical board about this. Seems like a money scam to me. What a terrible bedside manner. Make sure you give him a horrible rating on the doctor search sites. I would’ve stayed in the room until I got treated properly. I’m so sorry. Maybe it is time for you t o change practices. That is beyond comprehension. ~ Annemarie
I am so very sorry you are having such a difficult time, and having such unnecessary anxiety over the lack of proper care. I certainly understand your anger and frustration, and want to fight back at the doctors. Living with Lupus is so exhausting, I would hate to see you take your limited energy, and use it towards revenge, or negative emotions. If you could somehow put these experiences behind you, and take a proactive approach to getting good care, I think you would feel better. I would call your doctors office, and ask that they release your medical records to you, and also request a referral to a Rheumatologist, it doesn’t sound like the doctor you have been seeing are familiar with SLE, and chronic pain. If you would feel better, you could put your requests in writing and send the letter with a return receipt. Keep in mind, you would get a better response with honey and not vinegar. I hope you take my views in the way they are meant, only to provide help to you. My thoughts and prayers go with you.
I would start searching the web for patient ratings of doctors in you area. Then I would check if your insurance allows you to see them and then I would make an appointment to see the one you like best. I would jot down your major complaints such as chronic back pain and tell him that you tried to make an appointment with a pain doc and need a referral. I never speak badly about another doctor to a new doctor. I have been pressed to give a reason for leaving the previous doctor and have been honest without being mean spirited. I have left two incompetent doctors since moving back to this city last May. I won't put up with it bad docs anymore. Good luck!
You might first speak to your reg PC doctor who was not there that day. It might be they have problem with each other and he let it carry over into her patients...which is very unprofessional but not the first time i seen or heard of this. He might be upset with her having monday's off as they tend to be one of the busier days for GP's.
Otherwise, you can ask if there is office manager over the doctors there and their name please. At this point you can either ask for appointment with them or ask to speak on the phone.
If you really are angry and do not care if you cut all bridges there ..so your PC doctor might get upset at this, call your insurance do a complaint with them...that office carries a contract with them including in it is professional treatment. After calling them...and write down names of whom you are speaking with at every office..their dept name etc...i would call your state dept of manage health. This is a state dept that makes sure doctors and offices are following the legal rules as to patient care...they will take it seriously..but they like you to make complaint first with your insurance...why i said to call them first.
Once the office manager hears you have called them...you will be taken seriously. They hate for this state dept to get involved in their office workings etc...as usually most do not follow all laws to a T. Just opens a huge can of worms. Plus can put formal complaint against that entire group of doctors or just the one. Why your PC may not want you as patient anymore .
BUT..do you even have diagnosis about your back? Has they taken X rays at least to see if it bone issue like some of back arthritis or spurs etc. They should do at least the x rays before sending you off to pain specialist because they need to know exactly what is wrong with you back....they are not so much there to diagnose but to treat pain which we know the cause.
He sounded like he was upset about seeing one of his co worker's patients...i do not know why doctors can be so little as to take out their personal issues with other doctor's patients but they do...in future, you might say i am not done to the person he took you too...and said he left and i could not find him to even say this he was gone so fast.
good luck and don't blame you for being upset...try heating pad, epsom salt baths and hope you are taking nsaids to help with the pain....they should all help.
There should be a notice, posted in the medical office, that shows how you can report medical issues to the State Board. Look it up on the internet for your state, too.
There is no reason to be treated this way no matter what his excuse might be!
Hi Shawn, that doctor's behavior is so reprehensible. i would go straight to the top of that medical center with the complaint and what he said. I work at a university hospital and the complaints that go to upper management are handled with the most consideration and absolutely everyone hears about it. You are a consumer as well as a patient and deserve every consideration and respectful treatment--no excuse for that guy whatsoever, feel like giving him a knock upside the head. take care. mary