What do you think about this?

[Anonymous 1]

I had to cancel a doctor's appointment.

I did so within the time frame to cancel it so I didn't get charged a fee.

A few minutes after I hung up they called me back and said they were going to need me to come in anyways. They said they are a small practice and can't just get another patient in within the time I had. I reiterated that I could not make it and they said if I canceled again then "they didn't know" and trailed off. I have never canceled on them before and always kept prior appointments.

Honestly it really pisses me off because I feel like they were guilt tripping me. I canceled for personal reasons and since I did so within the time frame they should have accepted that.

I honestly just feel like I don't want to go back to that doctor now. I already have a ton of anxiety when it comes to medical care and they are aware of that. I absolutely hate going. I hate strange people touching me and I hate conversing with them in a medical setting. It's just overwhelming to me. I literally have to force myself to go. The only people I'm really comfortable with are my OB doctors just because I saw them so much during my last pregnancy so I've no issue going there but any other type I dread going to.

They didn't want me to come in for test results either so that wasn't it. It was just a routine checkup, nothing being done, etc.

[Anonymous 2]

If they can't get someone else in in the time slot, that's not your problem.

I don't like doctors. I just don't go. It's not a requirement.

[Anonymous 3]

Find a new dr asap. Sounds like they will be out of business soon

[Olioxenfree]

I would honestly file a complaint. That was extremely unprofessional for them to call you and try to guilt you into coming in. You canceled within the time that you were allowed to in their policy. If they can’t find someone to fill that time slot and having one opening is really going to hurt them that much, that’s not your problem.

[Inmybizz]

Find a doctor different doctor. I don’t like businesses that don’t follow their own policies…. I don’t like confusion or making up new policies on the fly to benefit the business.

Good luck!!

[Valentina327]

If you're not comfortable with them, then change doctors. That call wouldn't have bothered me, but it obviously bothered you.

It sounds like maybe they're a smaller, independent practice, which I prefer over being just a number, having corporate overlords dictate how my doctor treats me and telling him what he can and cannot do. I actually seek that out in this current medical climate.

Best of luck and I hope you find someone you're ok with. That's a very important relationship for us to get right!

[Pjmm]

If you're not comfortable with them, then change doctors. That call wouldn't have bothered me, but it obviously bothered you.

It sounds like maybe they're a smaller, independent practice, which I prefer over being just a number, having corporate overlords dictate how my doctor treats me and telling him what he can and cannot do. I actually seek that out in this current medical climate.

Best of luck and I hope you find someone you're ok with. That's a very important relationship for us to get right!

Doctors I know might bitch but it’s not right to guilt trip someone. If it’s a treatment regiment she has to keep to that’s one thing. If she habitually cancels appointments that’s understandable. But this is something else. They could offer her telemedicine. Seems she’d be more comfortable with that.

[Quorra2.0]

I’d look for a different dr. The little bit of trust built would be damaged by that call. I’d question if the dr truly is more interested in your best care or whether they’d ordered unnecessary tests or treatments just to pad the bill with the insurance company.

[Traci_Momof2]

That's ridiculous. They can't make you come in and it's ridiculous that they even tried.

My doctor's office tried to do something similar but different. One day I had back to back appointments for my two boys. I had to pick them up in the middle of the school day to take them to the appointments. Well the school was being ridiculously slow about getting my kids out of class and up to the office, so even though I was intending to arrive early we actually arrived right at the appointment time. But there was a big ol' line checking in and from the time I walked in the door to the time I got up to the window to check in it was another 20 minutes. The check in lady was trying to tell me that since we were late that we weren't going to be allowed in the future to book back to back appointments. Even when I mentioned about waiting in line for 20 minutes that didn't seem to make a difference to her.
But in the appointment I talked to my actual doctor about what happened out there. He said he would talk to the office manager because he knew we weren't a 'problem family'. I haven't had a reason to go back yet and test it out so I don't know if he actually did so we'll see.

So that's another avenue you can try if you want - talk to the doctor directly about how the office staff treated you. Sometimes the office staff get snippy and get strict with rules but if you talk to the doctor themselves then they will straighten it out. We have many doctor clients running their own individual practice and we've seen how some of those office gals can get.

[SisterSomeone]

I honestly think I would file a complaint. I'm not comfortable with the guilt trip aspect or the language they used for it. It is 100% not your problem if they can't find another patient to take your slot, and you shouldn't be made to feel like you're at fault for that.