phone call inquiries on wait times

I just wanted to share with people that the bariatric program is no longer returning phone calls to individuals phoning to enquire about where they are on the wait list.  I called the other day and the new message says that only your referring Doctor can now call to enquire about where your referral is at in the process.  I was so shocked...why is there not some sort of public updates as to how they are managing referrals and the wait times.  The new message says it could be several years.  Even if they provided the public with the some feed back such as "we are working on referrals made in sept 2012" would be better than nothing.  This is so frusrating...if you had a better idea of time frame a person than has the information to decideif they would like to go out of the country or just wait for here.  If anyone has any suggestions on how to go about getting information  I would appreciate it.

See if your doctor will find out for you. I don't think it is simple as "we are working on referrals made in Sept 2012" because their is more than one wait list. 

I know it is not as simple as that but my point being after reading on here is the communication between patients referred and the program seems very haphazard and random. Your comment about there being more than one wait list is completely news to me.  Some informational package when you are accepted into the program would be informative.   I will ask my Dr. to follow up in the new year though as well.

I received an information package when I got my acceptance letter. 

See there ya go.....this is the first I heard about an information package........all I got was an acceptance letter and not sent to me but to my doc  .....its all so frustrating.

I still say they need to take a few months and clear up the people who have been on the waiting list since the program started. My referral date was January 2010 and I am know 2 weeks post op. I think it is only fair that the people who have been waiting that long get put through.

My cousin went to the same orientation as me and had surgery the same day and she waited 2 years... no rhyme or reason.

Karen

Trish I so know where you are coming from. For almost 4 years I watched people come on this site, introduce themselves and have surgery before me. There were times I avoided this site because I was angry and jealous of their success. Not that I wasn't happy for them, I just never thought I would get my turn.

I truly hope you will get a phone call in the New Year to start the process and it will be worth the wait even though it seems hopeless. Trust me when I say I wish I hadn't had to wait for so long but I am so happy to finally be on the other side.

I would send letters to the Minister of Health and to the head of your RHA. I understand that the wait list is out of control. This is NOT an elective surgery.