I have a direct personality usually (but am very polite and reserved in public), but my doctor gets me and is VERY nice to me (we even have little side conversations sometimes about random things). I usually don't put up with garbage from anyone for too long, but for some reason, I have avoided directly confronting this woman. It has gotten to the point that SOMETHING/ANYTHING needs to be done now.
Before I get into my story, I have considered swapping doctors but this doctor is just SO amazing (and understanding) that I can't bring myself to do it. It is a small town, and my doctor will be delivering my third child. Being a military spouse, having a constant doctor that accepts Tricare is like a godsend...especially a doctor that finally takes the time to find a PERFECT solution to a problem that has plagued me for over 10 years. She went completely out of her way to provide me with specialized treatment, while other military doctors told me I was insane.
I have a chronic problem that requires alcohol nerve ending killer treatment every 2 months. I am now currently pregnant (and due any day, phew), thus the original treatment has stopped and I am being treated like a "normal pregnancy". I have also developed Symphisis Pubis Dysfunction and my hips are actually out of alignment by 3-4 inches. I am currently taking loretabs and seeing a physical therapist (who is amazing!). I went from having a normal pregnancy, to overnight (Halloween night to be exact) not being able to walk at all. It is excruciating pain if I attempt to walk. Thus far, we can keep my hips in alignment for an hour tops before they "pop" back out of place...but that one hour...is a godsend. (I am also at high risk of having my entire uterus falling out, and/or having hip replacement surgery AFTER the baby is born due to this condition. I was informed that if I had been 5-6 inches out of alignment, that I would immediately be scheduled for c-section and surgery if no improvement in a week.)
I have been seeing the same OBGYN for over 3 years now, and have had CONSTANT problems with one of the receptionists there. I have had zero issues with the OTHER receptionists, but she refuses to let them check me in. If I asked to be checked in by another receptionist, they are busy according to her.
Okay, so onto the receptionist. Keep in mind these instances are almost always done in front of other patients, using "hospital policy" as an excuse (most of which are NOT hospital policy), talking down to me, and in a very LOUD tone. Sometimes it can be downright embarrassing to be treated like trash in front of my two kids and random strangers. I would also like to note that the ONLY comments I have EVER made to this woman are my DOB, my name, "everything is up to date", "I will discuss that with my doctor", or "I understand it's hospital policy". For some reason, I just didn't have it in me to actually tell this woman off or be rude to her. I figured for a long while that my doctor is so amazing, that if I just get through the receptionist...it will all be okay.
It started out with smallish problems such as: constantly trying to do a poll on my medical history, which is in my file and frankly NONE of her business. Most of these occurrences happen in front of OTHER patients or her fellow coworkers. She is NEVER nice about asking either, and she gets REALLY specific while asking. After I got tired of telling her over and over again, I started using the phrase I would "discuss it with my doctor when I see her"...she stopped asking me after 4 appointments.
In the beginning, she would also do things like scheduling my appointments for two years in advance instead of during that year. For example: June 24, 2013 appointment would show up in their system for June 24, 2015. Sometimes, she didn't even schedule the appointments at all and I'd show up to confused looks as to why I was there without an appointment (even though I had a card saying when the appointment was??). I've also received phone calls from her regarding medical testing that I NEVER had done. One time she told me that I had an STD (in a very snotty/uppity voice), when 1) I didn't have one, and 2) I was never tested for one. That information about the STD was paraded in front of 3 other receptionists, 2 patients, and my husband.
From there it went onto a "racial" survey every time I signed in for appointments. No matter how many appointments I had, for well over a year, she asked me every time what race I was. I'm white. I tell her every time. She almost always launched into a tirade about hospital policy, and every question was generally the same (with very SLIGHT variations). It was about 15-20 questions, and ALL of my answers were "I'm Caucasian". Every. Single. Time. Yet, I still put up with it...because hey, she's just doing her job right??
Then it was the random paper filling out. Same paper every 2 months, same questions. If I refused to fill it out, she'd claim hospital policy was to "update" records every year. Yet, every 2 months, I was being required to fill out the same paperwork over and over again. I wised up, and made a photocopy of the paperwork. I filled out enough to last a year's worth of appointments, and brought it with me. That stopped her from handing them to me and making a big stink over it.
I guess because I HAD wised up, she decided then to start attacking my insurance card. That also needs to be updated once a year, I know. So, from then on, I had to have her photocopy my insurance card at every appointment - all the while she is lecturing me on hospital policy and her attempting to "shame" me in public came out in full force. No, she wouldn't accept my own photocopies as supposed hospital policy was SHE needed to be the one to make the copy, not me. She also made a HUGE effort to scream loudly (every time) that I had better of brought my copay. Mind you, I have Tricare, there is ZERO copay and she knows it. So why mention the copay if 1) she doesn't even handle the billing and 2) she can SEE I don't have a copay nor EVER had one?? I also don't ever have a physical bill, due to my amazing health coverage.
By the 2.5-3 yr mark, I was aware of her passive aggressive tactics and her attempts at "shaming me" in public (this is what I see it as). I knew she was not really doing her job, and was just harassing only me, as she wouldn't do this with OTHER people - from what I have seen. I also realized that after years of trying for a 3rd child, that we were FINALLY pregnant again. (Yay!) So, that starts in with even MORE appointments. (Gah!) My entire 9 months of MANY appointments, has been made even worse by this woman!!!