Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Would You Fire This Office?

Last Thursday Ainsley woke up at 1:00 am with a cough out of no where and then an hour later she had a fever. I immediately thought: Swine Flu (it's all over where we live and there was a confirmed case in Ainsley's class last week). But I did not freak out, just gave her some Tylenol and went back to bed and hoped she'd be fine in the morning. To my surprise she was a little better but after talking to my sister I decided to take her in to the doctor because she was still coughing and the fever was on and off. I felt with Bennett in the house, I needed to know for sure if she had H1N1.

So the doctor took a swab from her nose as well as her throat (checking for Strep) and came back in with a positive test for Strep. I would have never known-she did not complain of a sore throat and didn't seem to be too sick. So then they gave me the bag with the nose swab sample and told me to take it to a lab. Excuse me? You mean you don' t have a rapid flu test here?? No. So it was 4:30 and I flew out the door to find a lab, of course with 3 kids in tow. I got to a lab only to be told that I had to come to the back to give all of Ainsley's information, let me just say I was super annoyed at this point. I asked the lab tech how long it would take and he said probably 24 hours. So I'm thinking do we start the Tamiflu just in case or do we wait?? It gets better.

All day Friday, I wait for a call from the pediatrician and I even called twice to see if they had the test results. Meanwhile Harper starts coughing and starts running a fever so Mike takes her in after work. She was negative for Strep and we wanted to hear about Ainsley's test before we had Harper tortured with the thing up her nose. Well guess what? The lab either "lost" the swab or they did not have a good enough sample to test it! Are you kidding me??!!

So these are the things I'm upset about, please tell me if you think I'm being reasonable:

  • I'm just flat out annoyed that they don't have a rapid flu test to tell me in the office if my child has some strain of the flu (other doctors we've used in the past had this)
  • I'm flat out annoyed that I had to find my own lab to take the swab to.
  • I'm furious that they either lost it or the doctor didn't get a good swab (she shoved the thing so far up Ainsley's two little nostrils and made her scream so I have no idea how she did not get a good swab.
  • Now, why don't we know if they lost it or if the swab was not a good one?? Because there is a huge language barrier in this office and obviously someone dropped the ball.
  • I like one doctor in this office but since they do not know the doctor's schedules you cannot make an appointment with that specific doctor until you arrive and ask if they are in...that's annoying to me.
  • Bottom line: I'm ANNOYED!

We have Bennett's 5 month check up on Friday and hopefully I can get in with the doctor I like but I won't know until I get there-ugghh- and I plan to let her know (or whoever I see) that I am not pleased with the system they have in place. Don't know if it will make a difference but I feel someone needs to know it doesn't work well, at least not for me and my family.

So am I being unreasonable here?? I'm already looking into switching but I'm afraid to until after RSV season because Bennett's shots took forever to get approved and if I switch there could be a hold up with his shots due to insurance.

P.S. An update for the grandparents and other family: Ainsley feels better, Harper is still sick and Mike and I are miserable. Bennett, however is still healthy (let's hope and pray it stays that way!!)

17 comments:

  1. I'm sick of sick kids too- it's been a month. Sounds like your system at the Dr is terrible. The flu thing strange- they usually have a courier service lined up. As for the swine flu- we've just been through the flu season here with a swine flu pandemic, and it seemed to be milder for most people than the other type of flu. Good luck with the test results :)

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  2. I don't think you're being unreasonable at all - it sounds like a nightmare! I hope everyone is feeling better soon and that Bennett stays healthy!

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  3. This sounds unfortunately very familiar b/c we are going through a similar situation!

    If you have another option, I think I would switch your girls and just keep Bennett at that office until after he gets his RSV shots. That way you don't have to mess w/ his insurance issues but then it wouldn't be quite so crazy when you have to take your other kiddos.

    I can't believe they made you take your own sample and drop it off and then the lab lost it--that sounds completely unprofessional all the way around--what if the sample was contaminated in transit and what kind of lab loses samples?? Aren't they supposed to have trained couriers/techs for that type of thing??

    I hope everyone feels better soon, we are still waiting on the results of Miss B's H1N1 test. (It's been almost a week. Rediculous.)

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  4. they're making the big bucks off of you, I'd go somewhere that you are comfortable with that you'll be able to see a doctor that you like EVERY time. Go somewhere you like to and feel comfortable.

    BTW, that's just weird that they made you find your own lab. Just weird...

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  5. Fire away. If only because you can't make an appt with a specific doctor. Get a recommendation from a friend. That's not just annoying - that's bad business - all of it.

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  6. Yeah I'd definitely switch. You don't have the same doctor? That sounds crazy in and of itself. How can you have any contnuity of care? All around just sounds very unorganized and not what you want with any of your kids but especially one who may need a little more care. Start now with the inurance company. For us it takes a month if you want to change your PCP. Good luck!

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  7. You have a right to be annoyed. I remember my pediatrician staying up all night when my youngest had been to see him 30 years ago. He was determined to find an explanation for some of his odd features. A very sleepy voice answered when I called him, as instructed, at 6:00 in the morning. I guess they don't make many pediatricians like that any more!

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  8. sorry to hear about all of the hassle + sickness! if it makes you feel any better i have a friend who is an ER doctor and he said the swab test is only 20% accurate!!! only the blood test can positively confirm h1n1! are you kidding, that seems ridiculous that there is an 80% chance that people who have been "diagnosed" with h1n1 might not actually even have it. maybe it is a blessing/sign to try to get bloodwork to confirm???
    also - if you are not comfortable with all of the drs in your practice, in a heart beat i would look into switching. i can't believe you cannot schedule with one specific dr. for the well-visit appts, that does not seem right! i can see the last minute calls trying to get in if you are sick, but a well visit - you should be able to see whichever dr. you like and are comfortable with!!! i would think with insurance approval for synagis, this would follow you, not the drs office, this might be a question if you talk to new potential offices... i hope you find a new office you like, especially with 3 kids and how often you will be going to the ped. office in the upcoming years!!! thinking of you guys and hoping all are feeling better soon!!!!!!!!!

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  9. Just heard from my friend...the office they go to is Children's Healthcare in Allentown. Their website is childrenshealthcare.com The address is 1517 Pond Road, Allentown PA 18104-2274 phone 610-395-4444 She said that they don't see a specific dr. yet but she has been very happy with the office (she has a two year old and a 6 month old so she is there a lot). Hope that you find a good fit for your family. Please call if you need anything!!!!!! - Andrea

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  10. I don't see that you are wrong at all. I mean, it's a doctors office. Shouldn't they have the resources and sources to check for that. They should send it off to a lab and get the results back. They work for you and you pay them so they could make your life a little easier.

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  11. My opinion is that if it doesn't feel right...then you should change. I do think waiting until you get the RSV shots might be smart as you don't want to mess those up. But your children...especially Bennett, should be followed by the same person so that person gets to know them. Assuming you have other options nearby, I would start looking in to them. Glad to hear that Ainsley seems to have recovered fairly quickly...that is a good sign!! Give that sweet Bennett a big hug for me.

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  12. I would be extremely upset. Especially that you have to take the sample to the lab yourself and that it takes so long. I would start to look around and do your research on some new doctors. We have a pedi that we don't love. We decided to stick it out so far. She has her good point and bad ones. We asked other parents who they were seeing in the area and they also had good and bad points about other doctors. It's kind of hard with RSV season but maybe you could find out from the insurance or a cardi how difficult it would be to switch. Also ask your cardi possibly for a doctor that they might suggest in your area. Best of luck to you and hopefully everyone get's better soon.

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  13. Yeah, sounds like you need a new peds office. You probably should be somewhere you feel good about and have a sense of trust with. So sorry that happened to you guys. You'd think with the big swine flu craze they'd be a little more on top of things!

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  14. I hope you guys feel better soon! I would definitely be annoyed as well. Also wanted to let you know that I got Madi's flower hat at Target a few months ago. I had been looking all over for one as well and happened to just stumble upon it. Good luck!

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  15. You are totally not being unreasonable. It's a bit inconvenient that your office doesn't have a flu test. And you should NEVER have to take your own sample to the lab! My goodness! I would be just as mad as you are. I sure hope ya'll are feeling better! It certainly isn't fun when almost everyone is sick in the same house!

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  16. I would be completely annoyed!!!! We had to wait 3 days for Sam's H1N1 to come back which I thought was a little strange, in the mean time they kept us in the uncomforatable and drap hospital waiting for it. They didn't put it up Sam's nose very far as for some reason they couldn't and I think that is why it came back negative. I saw them do it to someone else and it was shoved WAY up there that it made my nose hurt. I would find a new place if you can, I would be totally POed.

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  17. Frustration is the word for the month. We are being put through the 'run-around' with setting up our own at home nurse visit for Logan's RSV med. UMM... our Pediatrician should be taking care of that.
    Happy Halloween and hope everyone is feeling better! Bennett is so adorable and gets more and more handsome!! I cannot believe our boys are 5 months(Logan Nov 3) already...time flies, especially with other kiddos in the house. Take care and good luck.
    Kireta

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