I'm going through some serious health issues between my back and kidney stones. My life is not the…read moresame as I'm dealing with constant pain, and yet my doctor can't seem to find the time to see me.
The PA is not supposed to be my primary care physician--Dr. Halim is. She is not personally familiar with my medical history or my previous conversations with him. Dr. Halim initially diagnosed my back issues as a muscle tear. He ordered an X-ray, but when I came in to review the results, I was assigned to his PA, whose diagnosis was different. They ordered a CT scan, and when I returned to review that, I was yet again assigned to the PA. Then they ordered an MRI.
I had the MRI done on a Friday. After another weekend of dealing with the pain, I called Monday to make an appointment to review the MRI. I thought I was being completely reasonable in requesting to see my actual doctor this time. I hadn't been able to talk to or see him since the X-ray or CT scan, and I wanted to discuss the results of all three tests with him. This is a big deal--not only the three large kidney stones, but also the other unrelated pain I've been experiencing. It has been horrible.
When I called, I specifically told the receptionist that I needed to see Dr. Halim rather than his PA. I was told, "I can't guarantee that you will see him." I explained that I was in a lot of pain and had been jumping through all these hoops and taking all these tests without ever being able to see my doctor.
The receptionist put me on hold for several minutes, apparently to speak with Dr. Halim. She came back and told me, "Yes, Dr. Halim will see you Friday at 10 AM." I made the appointment and double-confirmed before ending the call: "So, you're telling me that if I come in Friday at 10, I will for certain be able to see my doctor this time?" She said yes.
I showed up Friday morning. The front desk confirmed that I had a 10 o'clock appointment with Dr. Halim. The other staff member brought me back, checked my blood pressure and told me, "Doctor Halim will be right in."
He never came in.
I never got to review my X-ray, CT scan or MRI with him.
Having Dr. Halim as my physician, I would have thought it was a good thing to have a doctor with decades of experience. He had sold me on how knowledgeable he was about back issues, especially since he has had three back surgeries himself. But what good does all that experience and knowledge do for me when I can never get to see or speak with him?
I had waited four days for that Friday 10 AM appointment after my MRI results came back. This appointment was extremely inconvenient because I'm also my mom's caregiver. She can't drive, and she had her own specialist appointment that Friday morning that she had been waiting a month for. I couldn't take her because I needed to see Dr. Halim during the only appointment he had available for me that week. My sister had to take time off work to take my mom to her specialist so I could make it to Dr. Halim's appointment.
I rearranged all of that because I was specifically promised I would finally get to see my doctor. Instead, I showed up and was blown off yet again.
I can't imagine what else it could be other than Dr. Halim simply being stretched too thin and too busy with too many patients. It can't be something personal. I've been a good patient and have always been on time and friendly with him and his staff. They laugh at my silly jokes, and I've even brought bags of candy for the doctor and staff to show my appreciation. Everything had been great--right up until I was promised four times (twice on the phone and twice in person) that I would see my doctor, and it didn't happen.
This isn't just about my schedule. I'm dealing with daily pain, and my family had to rearrange their schedules so I could make that specific Friday 10 AM appointment. After waiting a week for the MRI, I was desperate to get the results and discuss the X-ray, CT scan and MRI with Dr. Halim. It would have been worth my sister taking time off work to take my mom to her appointment if it finally meant I could see my doctor and review everything.
Instead, I felt like a real sucker for rearranging everything after being promised I could see my doctor that day.
It was never like this before. Dr. Halim must be too busy, with a backlog of patients and a poorly organized schedule, to see me after three consecutive appointments. But if he wasn't going to be available, I think the common courtesy would have been to call me and reschedule.
I was PROMISED that if I rearranged my schedule for a third appointment, four days out, I would get to see my doctor. I was given one timeslot the entire week--Friday at 10 AM--to finally get to see my doctor. And even after PROMISED I would finally get to see my doctor, nope, no explanation, no apology, no doctor,
