The doctors I have worked Wayne State University Physician Group at with are great, but the procedures in place for contacting your doctor via phone or internet do not work.
My dermatologist prescribed Efudex, a self applied topical cream used for the treatment of superficial basal cell carcinoma. I was told to apply the Efudex to my forehead for 3-4 weeks.
After 10 days of application I had few questions and concerns that I needed to discuss with my doctor concerning the treatment. Following is the chain of events:
1. On Tuesday morning I called the number shown on their website for the Troy office. I left a message asking that my doctor call me. I was told that I would be contacted by my doctor as soon as possible. There was no return call from my doctor.
2. Next I left a message in the "Contact us" section of their website asking to be called by my doctor. Again, there was no return call from my doctor.
3. Next I left a message for my doctor on "Patient Portal" which is a web based tool used by WSUPG to facilitate contact between a patient and their doctor. Again, no response.
4. Finally, on Friday morning, I went to the Troy office and was able to talk to the office manager. She was able to contact my doctor and put me on the line with her. After I described what was happening with my Efudex applicaton (bleeding), she told me to stop using the Efudex immediately. My doctor told me that she did not know that I was attempting to contact her.
Obviously their communication processes are ineffective and need a lot of work. If you have an urgent need to talk to your doctor you need to show up in person at their office. read more