u/MealDowntown3940

Just had a call. This lady wanted to see a OUR Rhuematologist, so they called this morning and was told they don’t have availble before Nov and asked ME (The Operator) if I could do anything.

I tell her, she can talk with our Rheumatology office and she relays the same thing she just told me and that she has a referral from the ER/Hospital.

I tell her again, Rheumatology handles scheduling and that if they were already told they wouldn’t have scheduling until later in the year, I would not be able to change that, but I could transfer them over if anything had changed.

I’m sorry but like, schedules don’t change within hours for 1 and for two, I heard what you said the first time, I don’t need it rehashed like that’s going to change my answer. I offered a solution, after that you’re just annoying.

Earlier this week I got a coaching email about a call I got. Told me I was polite until I was interrupted and said “ma’am, I am speaking”. Wasn’t rude, just a short, curt “ma’am I am speaking” because when you call somewhere to *GET* information you shouldn’t open your mouth to say a damn word until I am finished. No, I don’t need to know *why* you have that appointment or what you had on your calendar, someone is talking you wait, that’s how a conversation works. The rest of the call wrapped up fine.

Now I get an email this morning cuz that call got audited and graded. Apparently I’m not supposed to “speak with the patients that way” and I was “rude” and “unprofessional”. Marked as “needs improvement” after coming off essentially a perfect score last month.

At what point does “professionalism” just start to mean compliance? There was no rule against this, the patient didn’t complain, otherwise that’d have been noted in the email. Cool, you want a door mat who responds to nothing? Fine. Only reason I’m staying is because this job market is a fuck.

Just had a call come through, older woman returning a call for her husband (strike one) but I get his name, DOB, phone and address and when I go to ask for his PCP and Insurance info (asked of every caller to make sure its up to date, if I had it my way, I wouldn’t ask seems needless) she ignores the question and starts yammering about why they missed the call.

So I ask again and she gets made, “Well I don’t have it, what’s the problem?”

i tell her its just to make sure the information we have is up to date and current and she goes, “I think I gave you enough information” so I put her on hold and I *was* going to get a hold of the main office but then i thought, nah.

You want information from *me*? After you just chewed me out for some bullshit? Nah, you’re waiting for me to take a leak, sip my water and scroll my phone. She was on hold for a minute and 40 seconds before she dropped the call.

Like there was genuinely no reason for the attitude. Is it annoying? Yes. But guess what, it takes nothing to be a decent human being. Don’t want to authorize? Use fucking MyChart and *wait*. Or have the patient, your spouse call for his own shit.

On this fine, brisk Thursday before I dip out on PTO i have two calls with two absolute fucking dregs of human society.

First lady we’ll call Gertrude, see Gertrude had her appointment cancelled because the doctor would not be in office. Sucks, but shit happens, I don’t know why doctors call out and frankly its not my job to know (or care really) So I look, they have an HMO insurance, and they had a referral to a *SPECIFIC* doctor (i.e HMO insurance plans require an authorization and in some/most cases, that authorization is provider specific so you can *ONLY* go see the doctor you are being referred/authorized to)

I think “oh easy reschedule”. So I tell Gertrude that she 1) Has a referral to this specific doctor and 2) her next opening is gonna be October (This is a specialty clinic, not a PCP) she says “no I’m not doing that” and goes “I’m the patient I’m allowed to choose who I want to see, do you have any other female doctors?” Now, I could have very well told her the availability of our other docs, but it wouldn’t have changed anything, because they’re ALL BOOKED. So I reiterate that I cannot schedule with anyone other than who they are authorized/referred to see and to reach out to her PCP for a new referral to see another doctor and she gives the most indignified “I’ve never had to do that before, what’s your name?” Typical Karen. I give her my name and she hangs up.

The second one was just slow. And aggravating. Talked over me constantly. Made me repeat shit I already said. Like I *JUST* told you this. “What time is the appointment?” “Okay what doctor?” “Could you spell that?” “What time do I arrive by?”

Like I told her the date, the time, and the arrival time for the appointment and still goes “Okay what time do I get there so I can get a ride” BITCH I JUST SAID IT!! 15 MINUTES BEFORE APPOINTMENT TIME, APPOINTMENT AT 3:15 ARRIVE AT 3:00 (not the exact time but still)

Like UGGGGHHHH people are fucking insufferable. But this job market is ass and I lowkey do like what I do. But it’s just, fuck man. Happy Thursday, ya’ll be safe.