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Medical Receptionist RANT

Waiting in the queue to check in for an appointment once, I was behind a total waste of skin who had staggered in off the street and was demanding some needles so he could shoot up his next fix. I realised in that exact moment that in reality we are all a series of problems, of varying degrees, to the practice receptionists. I'm always pleasant to them, they're probably having a far worse day than me...
 
My fav question when you ring for an appointment is.. Are you I'll enough for Dr... Lol love answering yep dying... It's not a lie I am slowly like us all :-)
 
semiphonic said:
Waiting in the queue to check in for an appointment once, I was behind a total waste of skin who had staggered in off the street and was demanding some needles so he could shoot up his next fix. I realised in that exact moment that in reality we are all a series of problems, of varying degrees, to the practice receptionists. I'm always pleasant to them, they're probably having a far worse day than me...
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I had a few problems with them giving me medical advice a few years ago. They all seem to be very good now.
 
This one is hard to beat. In June of this year I was having chemotherapy and thought I would treat myself to a pedicure. When the pedicurist looked at my right foot she said I had an infection under my nail and should see my GP for antibiotics. As I was really close to the surgery I thought I would go and make an appointment. I explained to the receptionist that I was having chemo and the urgency of needing antibiotics for an infection. She couldn't give me an appointment but said I should go home and ring for a telephone consultation which I did. Spoke to my GP who saw me straight away and gave me antibiotics although my oncologist did double the strength and the length of the course. How jobs worth was that receptionist?
 
Some Practices now... You have a telephone interview before you are even considered to see a GP........you are screened by a health professional over the phone (not receptionist) who can magically determine whether you actually need an appointment!

However, please remember that acute clinic nurses can prescribe and some of our nurses are preferred now compared to the GP's....
 
donnellysdogs said:
Some Practices now... You have a telephone interview before you are even considered to see a GP........you are screened by a health professional over the phone (not receptionist) who can magically determine whether you actually need an appointment!

However, please remember that acute clinic nurses can prescribe and some of our nurses are preferred now compared to the GP's....
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Am I lucky or very very lucky? We have a rather old fashioned surgery (not a large modern medical centre) just an old Victorian house with 6 Doctors. We have six receptionists working shifts and they are always really pleasant, helpful and go out of their way for us patients. It's not always possible to get an appointment within a couple of hours but if they think you genuinely need to see a Dr that day they will usually fit you in at the end of surgery time or early the next day. Maybe they feel stressed and overworked and maybe sometimes need a quiet scream but their mood is never reflected in their dealings with patients, they are wonderful. I regret to say I am not divulging the address of my surgery because then you would all want to register and then I WOULD NEVER GET an APPOINTMENT!!
 
poohtiggy said:
Am I lucky or very very lucky? We have a rather old fashioned surgery (not a large modern medical centre) just an old Victorian house with 6 Doctors. We have six receptionists working shifts and they are always really pleasant, helpful and go out of their way for us patients. It's not always possible to get an appointment within a couple of hours but if they think you genuinely need to see a Dr that day they will usually fit you in at the end of surgery time or early the next day. Maybe they feel stressed and overworked and maybe sometimes need a quiet scream but their mood is never reflected in their dealings with patients, they are wonderful. I regret to say I am not divulging the address of my surgery because then you would all want to register and then I WOULD NEVER GET an APPOINTMENT!!
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Our practice is the same... But I have a lot to do with GP's and other practices and there are huge fluctuations
 
this is too difficult two said:
If they think? Are they medically qualified?
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If they were 'qualified' they wouldn't' be receptionists would they,I do know that they go on courses so they must have some kind of background knowledge and the ability to distinguish whether a patient needs to be seen sooner rather than later and sometimes they will put you through to the triage nurse to be sure. I have never had a problem
 
My most memorable doctor's receptionist moment was when she rang me to ask me to come in for an Oral Glucose Tolerance Test.

Her: Your other blood results were inconclusive, so Doctor wants you to come in for an OGTT test.
Me: Can't you do an HbA1c to diagnose with?
Her: The doctor wants you to have an OGTT so that he can be sure.
Me: But the last time I had one I had to have 2 days off work because it made me feel so ill, and my eyes went blurry. I couldn't drive home.
Her: Well (getting irritated) when I had my OGTT I ended up in hospital, but you still have to have it!
Scuffling noises, as the nurse grabbed the phone from her
Nurse: Hello? This is the nurse. I understand you don't want an OGTT?
So I explain again.
Nurse: I see. Well, we can do a test to find your average blood sugar over the last few months.
Me: Thank you. When do you have an appointment?

Unfortunately, my a1c was 48 (borderline) so I'm going to have to fight my corner again next time...
 
Brunneria said:
My most memorable doctor's receptionist moment was when she rang me to ask me to come in for an Oral Glucose Tolerance Test.

Her: Your other blood results were inconclusive, so Doctor wants you to come in for an OGTT test.
Me: Can't you do an HbA1c to diagnose with?
Her: The doctor wants you to have an OGTT so that he can be sure.
Me: But the last time I had one I had to have 2 days off work because it made me feel so ill, and my eyes went blurry. I couldn't drive home.
Her: Well (getting irritated) when I had my OGTT I ended up in hospital, but you still have to have it!
Scuffling noises, as the nurse grabbed the phone from her
Nurse: Hello? This is the nurse. I understand you don't want an OGTT?
So I explain again.
Nurse: I see. Well, we can do a test to find your average blood sugar over the last few months.
Me: Thank you. When do you have an appointment?

Unfortunately, my a1c was 48 (borderline) so I'm going to have to fight my corner again next time...
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I had almost exactly the opposite conversation today, getting an OGTT in a few weeks.
 
anna29 said:
At my surgery we have a brand new young receptionist .
Only been there about 3 weeks I think ?

She hollers back at you whatever you ask or say to her .
So if its personal the whole waiting room can listen with amusement
what ever you ask or say to her :***: :oops::stop::shy:
Real cringe moments !

Have decided if she does this again - I am going to holler back at her or complain .
Probably be the latter ...

She needs a training course immediately on patient confidentiality and consideration
with her dreadful receptionist skills .
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Do they not have a suggestion/complaints box in the reception area....if not why not suggest they place one in a corner of reception. My surgery deals with things this way and you don't have to identify yourself.
 
Receptionists can be a bit weird at times. Saying that I had my bloods done recently for my hbac1's etc etc and yesterday my husband rang up to book me a follow up appointment as part of my diabetes review. The receptionist said the tests were fine and i didn't need an appointment!!
I rang up again today and flat out asked to see the diabetic nurse, which I straight away got booked in for.... really confusing and makes you wonder if they actually know anything at all to do with the job they're working in.
 
There is a receptionist at my diabetic podiatrist's office who is so nasty I actually changed my reoccurring appointment day. I had a bad foot infection and have been having treatment for about 4 months now. I was very scared my first few appointments. However, I would approach the desk, quietly cheerful, smile and say "Hello" and start to give my name and she'd bark "Take a seat." When I had to make my next appointment, she'd busy herself at her desk and not even look at me for a least a full minute. Then she'd look up and say nothing, just stare at me. When I told her I had to make another appointment, she'd say, "Friday. 3 p.m." I'd say, "Okay, thank you very much. Goodbye." She wouldn't say WORD to me in response. This went on at every single appointment. She barely looked at me or spoke to me. I understand that everyone has a bad day now and then but she was consistently and openly rude to me.

I noticed she chatted pleasantly to other patients and couldn't for the life of me figure out why she was so cold and rude to me. One day, shortly before July 4th, I was sitting in the waiting room, waiting to be called back to the exam area. She asked another woman in the waiting room if she'd be celebrating the "4th of July" and they both laughed and proceeded to put down Americans, saying we'd all be having "burger parties" (whatever the hell that is) and saying other stereotypical things. I said nothing. The receptionist knows I am American. Maybe her boyfriend left her for a redheaded American, who knows.

I had to change my day for one appointment and she wasn't there. I asked another receptionist if she (the new receptionist) always worked on Monday and she said she did. She was very nice and kind to me. I started scheduling all my appointments for Mondays. My podiatrist casually remarked, "Ah, coming on Mondays now. Are you taking Fridays off then?" I said, "I apologize if I am out of line but I could no longer stand to come on Fridays because of the receptionist. She is a miserable witch!" She didn't seem all that surprised but asked for the full story and I told her!
 
Fallgal said:
There is a receptionist at my diabetic podiatrist's office who is so nasty I actually changed my reoccurring appointment day. I had a bad foot infection and have been having treatment for about 4 months now. I was very scared my first few appointments. However, I would approach the desk, quietly cheerful, smile and say "Hello" and start to give my name and she'd bark "Take a seat." When I had to make my next appointment, she'd busy herself at her desk and not even look at me for a least a full minute. Then she'd look up and say nothing, just stare at me. When I told her I had to make another appointment, she'd say, "Friday. 3 p.m." I'd say, "Okay, thank you very much. Goodbye." She wouldn't say WORD to me in response. This went on at every single appointment. She barely looked at me or spoke to me. I understand that everyone has a bad day now and then but she was consistently and openly rude to me.

I noticed she chatted pleasantly to other patients and couldn't for the life of me figure out why she was so cold and rude to me. One day, shortly before July 4th, I was sitting in the waiting room, waiting to be called back to the exam area. She asked another woman in the waiting room if she'd be celebrating the "4th of July" and they both laughed and proceeded to put down Americans, saying we'd all be having "burger parties" (whatever the hell that is) and saying other stereotypical things. I said nothing. The receptionist knows I am American. Maybe her boyfriend left her for a redheaded American, who knows.

I had to change my day for one appointment and she wasn't there. I asked another receptionist if she (the new receptionist) always worked on Monday and she said she did. She was very nice and kind to me. I started scheduling all my appointments for Mondays. My podiatrist casually remarked, "Ah, coming on Mondays now. Are you taking Fridays off then?" I said, "I apologize if I am out of line but I could no longer stand to come on Fridays because of the receptionist. She is a miserable witch!" She didn't seem all that surprised but asked for the full story and I told her!
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Very sorry to hear about your bad experience with the receptionist. She seems totally unsuitable to be a receptionist. I was just wondering if there was a positive outcome when you told your podiatrist.
 
Thank you! Not sure yet as I told my podiatrist at my most recent appointment. The podiatrist is extremely nice and helpful and she did say that she was going to investigate. I guess I'll find out on my next appointment!
 
Not a Gp receptionist but a hospital receptionist in the eye clinic was rather rude when I went for an appointment. I stood at the desk which had a sign above saying reception and the women completely ignored me for at least 5 minutes while she carried on writing. When she finally looked up she pointed and said "you should go over there." I moved to where she pointed and stood for a further 5 minutes while that receptionist was dealing with another patient. Then the original receptionist finally called me back and said " can I help you?" Why she couldn't have dealt with me in the first instance I will never know.
 
Fallgal said:
Thank you! Not sure yet as I told my podiatrist at my most recent appointment. The podiatrist is extremely nice and helpful and she did say that she was going to investigate. I guess I'll find out on my next appointment!
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It would be good if there was a positive outcome as for you and any other patients she deals with like that. I wouldn't think it is good for the reputation of the surgery.
 
Oh wow, it's amazing, isn't it? Letting you stand there for 5 minutes is outrageous! >:( My mom is an office manager of a large dental practice and if she or any of the front desk staff ignored a patient, the dentists would go ballistic! In the States I would definitely speak up to anyone who is rude to me but I am hesitant to do so here as I don't want to be thought of as a "pushy American".
 
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