Topic: Houston Memorial Hermann Memorial City Review Chapter 3 10-6-09

Chapter 3

Wednesday 9-30-09
After I went to seminar as mentioned in Chapter 2 I went home and started on Dr. Davis' check list required before a one and one.  There was some insurance verification, online medical history, and a online WLS video to complete.

Thursday
Completed the required insurance verification.  If you are over 40 (which I am 40) they require you to be checked out by a cardiologist so I made an appointment right away.

Friday
Called Dr. Davis' office at 3pm to make an appointment.  Received a recording stating hours of operation (they close at 4:30) blah blah.  30 minutes later I hang up and call back routing to a operator this time.  Operator tells me to call back during hours of operation. Tell tell him it IS during their posted hours of operation right now at 3:30pm.  He tells me he knows for a fact that on FRIDAYS they quit taking calls at noon!!! Of course nothing was mentioned about that in any literature or the recording.  Once again I am miffed at the organization of the office. They are starting to trend here.

4pm I send an email to the office manager whose email was given out at the Wednesday meeting asking her to have someone give me a call to make an appointment.  It is 10-6  at 7:40pm  now and still no response to my email.......

Monday
After no call back or email, I call the Davis' office and I get someone on the PHONE and I get to make an appointment!!!   Scheduler says the doctors are only in the office on Mondays and Thursdays so I make an appointment on Thursday.  Scheduling was quick and easy AFTER you get through the BS hoops and the gatekeepers.  They sure do not meet my expectation of customer service for someone I am about to pay 30-40K!

Thanks!

CocaColaBearTx

I know it's frustrating, I got that message at 1pm yesterday! It would seem the staff should be able to make appointments and answer basic question without the Dr.s having to be in attendence. But once you do get through to the person you need, they know their job and do it very well. Maybe not to the schedule you prefer but they get the job done. And in the office I've always been treated as a valued patient. So hang in there....you couldn't have better Drs. for this stuff!

Man.  Well, I am glad to hear I am not the only one I suppose except you are an post op patient!  That is not good.    It is costing them clients and money I am sure.  Looks like to get any service you better call first thing in the mornings.

You know what? I've run across the same problems in every doctors office. I finally decided it was so frustrating to me now because this while WLS thing is so important to me, I want everything planned and done NOW, but to everyone else they just have a job to do. It's hard to be patient but the alternative is to get upset...and I've got better ways to spend my time! Pre-op, when I finally decided to leave them alone to do their jobs getting me applied and approved...it happened within days!

And yeah....make those calls before noon!

If that is the case that they are so busy that they cannot handle the load then they can either expand staff or contract appointments.  All that needs to be moved online and automated.

It's a sad case, but all offices are getting that way. When you are trying to get all your ducks in a row for WLS - all delays are flustration, but, in the end it will all be worth it. Going with a well know and excelent doctor can have delays, but the outcome is what is important. Just try to stay calm and patient,(A very hard task) in the end, you will be so glad that you did. Hang in there, and best of luck - Gaye

Dee,

We were short-staffed yesterday due to illness and unfortunately, had to roll the phones from noon to 1pm during the lunch hour, as there was no staff to cover.  I am sorry you got the answering service at 1pm.  Were you able to leave a message?  Has someone returned your call? 

Please let me know how I can help ... I am happy to put fires under folks when they are needed.  You are our focus!

Kimberly Taylor
The Davis Clinic
Lap RNY 7-8-02

No, but that's OK. I talked to someone today. Hope everyone in the office is better!

Sorry to hear about your issues with the office.  Just being nosey here but what in the world are you having done that's gonna cost $30-40K?  Even self pay for a RNY should be less than 1/2 of that.  My insurance paid my doc $12K for mine.

Hopefully things will get easier from here on out.  Good luck and ask anything you need to know.

Consider changing docs it will only get worse. I used Dr Bajwa with Texas Minimum Invasive surgery. I had my surgery at Memorail Herman. THe hospital was great. Judy