The Professional Patient received a good question recently. "I called to ask my doctor to write me an order for a test I need to have done by a particular date. He/she has not responded. Doesn't he/she know this is time-sensitive? If I don't get it soon, I'm going to miss the window of opportunity!"
The answer is, quite simply, NO. No, the doctor doesn’t know you’re running out of time for the test. Doctors take many, many requests by phone each and every day. Your call is not their only concern. It's hard to swallow, but it's reality.
Every time you call your doctor's office to request something, your request is triaged. Is it urgent or not? A "now" issue, a "today" issue, or a "later" issue? There are many things you can do wrong that will get your request dumped into the “later” category (being rude, leaving incomplete information, etc.). But there are many things you can do right that will ensure that your doctor and his/her staff respond to your phone requests correctly and in an appropriate amount of time.
The general principles of working with your doctor over the phone are the same ones you might find in your workplace’s guide to using voice mail effectively:
- Be calm and polite.
- Be specific about what action you need the other person to take, and how quickly they need to take it.
- Provide supporting details.
- Explain how they can contact you.
- Follow through.
Let's use three common phone requests as examples to illustrate the best way to work with your doctor over the phone. These are written in one giant block, as if you were leaving a voice mail. If you are lucky, you might speak with a real person, so be sure to let them talk, too!
Example 1: You need a prescription or prescription refill.
Hello, how are you doing today? I am calling to request a prescription refill. The patient’s name is John Q. Public. The medication is Allegra 180 mg, given once per day. I need a prescription written for a one-month supply. I would like the refill order faxed to Super Pharmacy at 123-456-7890 before this Friday at 5 pm because John will be out of pills at that time. Will that be possible? My name is Jane Q. Public, and you can reach me at 123-456-7891 if you have questions or need additional information. Thank you very much for your assistance.
Polite: How are you? Thank you very much.
Required action: Fax prescription order to pharmacy
Required timeline: Before Friday at 5 pm.
Reason for timeline: Will run out of pills
Supporting details: Pharmacy name and fax, patient name, drug name (Allegra), strength (180 mg), and dosage (1 per day).
Homework for YOU: Call pharmacy Friday by 5 to see if prescription order came in. If not, call doctor again.
Request 2: You need a test ordered (x-ray, blood test, etc.).
Hello, how are you doing today? I am calling to request a written order for an x-ray. The patient’s name is John Q. Public. The x-ray required is a chest x-ray, and the reason for the x-ray is pneumonia. The doctor wants the x-ray before John sees him next Wednesday, so I was hoping to get the written order by next Monday. Will that be possible? If so, I will pick it up in person. My name is Jane Q. Public, and you can reach me at 123-456-7891 if you have questions or need additional information. Thank you very much for your assistance.
Polite: How are you? Thank you very much.
Required action: Write order for chest x-ray
Required timeline: By next Monday
Reason for timeline: Appointment is next Wednesday
Supporting details: Reason for x-ray (pneumonia)
Homework for YOU: Next Monday, go to doctor’s office and pick up x-ray order.
Request 3: You need a referral.
Hello, how are you doing today? I am calling to request a referral to a specialist. The patient’s name is John Q. Public. The reason for the referral is Sjogren’s Syndrome. The specialist is Dr. Jane Doe at 123 Main St., Suite 1, Anywhere, MD 21227. The specialist’s phone number is 123-456-7811 and fax is 123-456-7822. The appointment date is July 30. Please fax the completed referral to Dr. Doe no later than July 29 at close of business. Will that be possible? My name is Jane Q. Public, and you can reach me at 123-456-7891 if you have questions or need additional information. Thank you very much for your assistance.
Polite: How are you? Thank you very much.
Required action: Write referral to specialist and fax it to them
Required timeline: By July 29
Reason for timeline: Appointment is July 30
Supporting details: Reason for referral, doctor’s address/phone/fax
Homework for YOU: On July 29, call the specialist’s office. Do they have the referral? If not, call your doctor and follow up.
If your doctor drops the ball on one of your requests (the referral didn’t get to the specialist, the refill isn’t ready at the pharmacy, etc.), call your doctor and find out what happened. Continue to be polite, helpful, and specific. Explain that you had called on date x about something and it has not happened. Then re-state what you need, how quickly, etc.
Some doctor’s offices respond to phone requests immediately, while others take a couple of days to respond (usually 1-2 days). If your doctor’s office is repeatedly late in calling you back or unable to complete your requests correctly and/or on time, you may want to consider finding a new doctor.
Related posts:
Managing Referrals and the Billing Process to Prevent Unwanted Surprises
Comments