Receptionist at the doctors?

[Jessica029]

The receptionists at my doctors are AWFUL, they always ask me why i need a appointment..

WHATS IT FOR?

nosey -----

nevermind what its forrr


does anyone else have this problem

[Jaco45er]

I done a post about the exact same thing the other month

http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=50675

I am not saying they are all bad, but I am sure mine was trained by the Gestapo

[moore]

YES!!!

why oh why oh why do the receptionists who have absolutely NO medical training insist on thinking they can act as decision makers on who does and doesn't get an appointment?!!!!

Is there a secret illness that we can all pretend we have, just so we can get through them without having to go through the grief? "Mens/womens problems" maybe, lol.

[ladybird64]

I used to have this same scenario whenever I wanted to make an appt with a GP or the practice nurse, I hate going to the surgery at the best of times and this kind of questioning doesn't help matters.
I have dug my heels in before and when asked, I have refused to give the information because it's personal info between me and my doctor.
Apparently the info is needed to ascertain whether a single or double appt will be needed..which still doesn't alter the fact that a receptionist is not medically trained so cannot make that decision.
However, they don't ask me anymore. Last conversation went like this.

Me-" I'd like to make an appointment to see the nurse please"
Rec- "Why do you want to see her?"
Me-" I think I've got galloping syphillis..do you think I'll need a double appt?"

It's not exactly subtle but it seems to have done the trick :D

PS. Needed to go about my asthma!

[agent orange]

I have felt in the past that they have laughed at me, it could be paranoia but it is a horrible feeling.

[nomorepanic]

Mine don't ask unless you want an emergency appointment and they then ask if it is really necessary.

[Nicola_lou]

My sisters work for the doctors and they hate asking the question but they have to as said before to see if need double appointment but if someone has a sore throat sometime minor then they can see the nurse, or they get a script for them.
They have been called in before and given a warning for not asking and the patient didn't need to be seen. So its the doctors that make them do it, is the answer 2 ur question.

[countrygirl]

9 yrs ago I was a Drs receptionist! although I have to say I was always very nice and helpful probably due to my health anxiety. What really freaked me was that we had one patient who had severe health anxiety just like me and rang up for appt every week and I always fitted him in as I knew how he felt but what was said in the office by the practise manager etc was horrible - they called him every name in the book for wasting time and if they took his call would make him wait all week for an appt even when they could have fitted him in that day. I did try and defend him a bit without being obvious by saying I thought he had a mental illness and should be treated like anyone else with mental illness but then they weren't very sympathetic to that either:mad: . This made me even more in the closet about my health anxiety.

My Drs surgery in my small village is wonderful they only have two receptionists who both know me personally and know my problem ( :blush: ) and they coulnd't be nicer and more helpful. The two GP's told me that both receptioists had been informed of my condition! and would always help me all they could - isn't that lovely:)

[Trixie]

We have a triage system where you phone up for a same day appointment. The receptionist asks what it is for and types out what you have said for the nurse practitioner to read who then determines who should be seen first.

I agree with this as I think it is far more urgent for someone with chest pains to take priority over someone with a cold.

[june]

:hugs: usually i can be seen the same day because they know about my PA/ HA but today a newish receptionist just said " 9-10 is the only appointment do you want that??" i said that is only 5 minutes away it takes me at least 15 mins to get there ""So you don't want it then??"" I do, but i can't get there that quickly. ""ring again in the morning"":ohmy: that was it......
I am left feleling so scared / giddy / my legs are so weak i can hardly walk.
ALL probably anxiety etc...... dare not tell hubby He just does not understand anxiety "Just get ready and go out - you will be fine..."" Oh i wish it was so easy I am terrified.
June

[daisycake]

I live in a rural area meaning we have a practice catering for 2000 patients :lac: - two villages - but only three doctors; two blokes who have no understanding of mental health and one woman who's one of the nicest people I've ever met. The bad thing is that the receptionists and nurses - and the two male doctors - all live in the area, within five mins walk of my house in one case - and I am best friends with one receptionist's daughter.. thankfully they have never asked what I need to see the doc for but they must have an idea that something's up - I'm on a four weekly basis right now, but can go down whenever if I'm ill. Normally takes up to two weeks to get an appt, and like you've all said, if it's serious I think you do have to explain what's wrong!

[Wee-Mee]

There are a few receptionists at my practice and when I call for an app that day if they can,they always say,"is it an emergency"? And I always feel OBLIGED to pour my heart out to them! I think they know some of my problems but I can't help but feel they think I'm an absolute t**t... especially one time when I went down with my asthma and took a bloody panic attack in my appointment with the doctor and ended up in hospital overnight!! :weep: To this day I still don't think people fully understand what it is like to be..you know the way we are.. :weep:

[Tink]

Mine ask what I am making an appointment for. Although I do not always mind but when it is a bit personal and people are listening in waiting room, I do mind then and say it is personal!
I just think it is the ignorance of mine that does my head in. I ended up standing there crying one day b4 HA started as been trying to get appoitnment for 7 days and told me to come in at 8 following morning which I did and they told me not making appointments only emergencies which sent me off!! Did the job anyway got appointment 20 minutes later :)