Grandparents typically need parental consent before taking a child to the doctor, especially in non-emergency situations. If the grandparent has legal custody or visitation rights, they may have more authority to make medical decisions for the child. A medical POA is completed voluntarily by parents and does not limit parental rights.
When deciding between urgent care and emergency room visits, it is crucial to check the competency of the grandparent. If the child is not suffering a life-threatening injury, illness, or symptom, it is best to call their pediatrician’s office before deciding between visiting a pediatric urgent care center or emergency room.
If the child is able to walk, talk, interact, and play, it is likely that their condition is not an emergency. Knowing when to take the child to urgent care is crucial for parents to understand symptoms and differences between care facilities.
A grandparents’ medical consent form allows a parent or legal guardian to hand over all responsibility regarding their child’s health care decisions. Grandparents who are not the direct guardians of a grandchild can not make medical decisions for them, so this would need to come from the parents. This form allows medical personnel to initiate care for the infant or child prior to hospital arrival.
Having a medical release form on hand for the child can help them get the care they need in case of an emergency. It is essential to know a child’s medical history, including allergies and any allergies.
📹 VISITING GRANDMA & TAKING CHRIS TO URGENT CARE| VLOGMAS DAY 4
We were finally able to get Christopher checked out at urgent care, all is well so we went to visit Nana. THANKS FOR WATCHING!
What rights do grandparents have over grandchildren UK?
Grandparents can apply for a Child Arrangements Order in court, granting permission if it is in the child’s best interest to have contact with their grandparents. The court’s priority is the child’s welfare, and if the court believes it is in the child’s best interest, they may grant the grandparents a Child Arrangements Order. If there are genuine concerns about the child’s safety or well-being, such as neglect, abuse, or exposure to harmful situations, evidence will be crucial in court proceedings, ensuring the child’s well-being.
Can grandparents claim for childcare UK?
Specified Adult Childcare credits are National Insurance (NI) credits awarded to grandparents or family members who care for a child under 12 while their main parent or guardian is working. These credits count towards State Pension entitlement, which requires at least 10 years’ worth of NICs to qualify for any State Pension and at least 35 years’ worth to receive the full new State Pension. If you are not currently eligible for any or all of the State Pension amount, adding Specified Adult Childcare credits could help you qualify and increase your retirement income. The credits are originally attached to the parent or carer who claims Child Benefit for the child, which are then transferred to the grandparent or family member providing childcare.
Can grandparents take a child to the doctor in the UK?
It is important to note that childminders or grandparents are not legally considered parents. However, parents may choose to authorize these individuals to make medical decisions on their child’s behalf if they so desire.
Can children visit grandparents in the hospital?
Adolescents should be allowed to visit their sick relative, provided they are supported by an adult and are encouraged to ask questions to clarify any misunderstandings. Preparing for the visit involves explaining the hospital and ward to the child, discussing any physical injuries, showing a photograph of the patient, agreeing on a “code word” or sign to be used during the visit, and reassuring the child that they can change their mind at any time.
If the child decides to leave, allow them to wait for a while. If you decide to visit with a child, please ensure they are supported with their decision and that they are allowed to leave at any time.
Can a grandparent take a child to the doctor in Texas?
Texas Family Code § 32. 001 allows non-parents to consent to health-care treatment for minors when a parent or conservator cannot be contacted and has not given express notice. The following individuals may consent: a grandparent, adult brother or sister, adult aunt or uncle, an educational institution, an adult with actual care, control, and possession of the minor, a court having jurisdiction over a suit affecting the parent-child relationship, an adult responsible for the actual care, control, and possession of a minor under the jurisdiction of a juvenile court, or a peace officer in lawful custody if the peace officer has reasonable grounds to believe the minor is in need of immediate medical treatment.
The Texas Youth Commission (TYC) has the authority to consent to medical or dental treatment for a minor committed to it when the person with the right to consent has been contacted and has not given actual notice to the contrary. If a minor requires emergency medical care while in TYC detention and the parent/guardian cannot be contacted, the superintendent of the TYC facility can provide consent for treatment.
When to let grandparents hold baby?
New parents should set boundaries and take precautions to ensure their newborn baby stays healthy. They should limit the number of visitors their babies come in close contact with and consider waiting two to three months until the baby’s immune system is stronger before planning their visits. Newborns are more susceptible to germs and viruses due to their lack of time to develop their immune system, making them more susceptible to infections from bacteria and viruses. They also have not yet fully developed their blood-brain barrier, making a newborn younger than three months with a fever greater than 100. 4F an emergency.
Good hygiene practices when introducing a newborn include washing hands first, removing jewelry, not kissing the baby or being too close to their face, wearing masks to reduce the spread of germs, and ensuring visitors do not have signs or symptoms of illness that could spread to the baby. Visitors should not visit the baby until they are completely resolved.
Should grandparents watch sick grandchildren?
The grandparents’ willingness to care for their grandchildren is contingent upon their emotional state. If they are amenable to providing care, they are able to do so. If the grandparents typically assume caregiving responsibilities for their grandchildren, it is acceptable to inquire about this arrangement. Nevertheless, it is inadvisable to inquire about the whereabouts of children who are habitually absent.
Should grandparents come to the hospital?
Hospitals frequently impose restrictions on visitors, but if such restrictions are not in place, it is advisable to limit the size of groups of visitors and to limit the number of visitors to the minimum necessary. It is advisable to avoid direct contact with the infant, as it may carry infectious agents that could potentially increase the risk of infection.
How often is grandparents reasonable to see grandchildren?
The frequency of grandparents visiting their grandchildren is a personal decision that depends on the family’s unique circumstances. A study by AARP found that grandparents living within 50 miles of their grandchildren see them about once a week, while those further away may only visit a few times a year. The frequency should be determined by the family’s needs, with open communication about expectations and availability.
A balance should be found to maintain a close and meaningful relationship while respecting each other’s schedules and limitations. Intergenerational relationships can provide numerous benefits beyond love and support, as both parties gain valuable experiences and insights.
Why are grandparents not allowed to see grandchildren?
Grandparents play a crucial role in children’s development, providing them with a sense of family and roots. However, some grandparents are denied access to their grandchildren due to the law, which does not grant them automatic rights. Parents can choose to keep children away from grandparents, but as grandparents, there are options to resolve issues between all involved adults. If discussions are difficult or difficult to reach, a professional social worker, solicitor, or mediator can help.
Grandparents may also feel that their child is not being adequately looked after by their living parent, which could lead to addiction, substance abuse, or neglect. Parents may attempt to prevent their children from seeing them, further distancing them from the grandparents. In such cases, it is recommended to seek advice from a divorce lawyer or family solicitor. If you are concerned about living arrangements or feel you are not being allowed sufficient contact with your grandchild, we are here to help.
Can my daughter take my son to the doctor?
In the event that a non-guardian wishes to see a child’s doctor, written consent from the child’s parent or legal guardian is typically required. This consent indicates the individual’s permission to seek medical treatment for the child.
📹 The Receptionist At Every Doctor’s Office
How can I help you have an appointment with the doctor okay. What’s your last name what’s your last name Anders okay okay.
Roaring out to the whole room that this person is without insurance is so accurate. I usually find that they speak at a normal volume until it’s time to mention what medications you’re on–then they go up a few decibels. Hard to believe they don’t get off on the power and control aspect and delight in making you uncomfortable/embarrassed. Caitlin is so spot on with these impressions, so funny.
I’ve been a receptionist at a human doctor’s office as well as a receptionist at veterinary hospitals. Being on the spectrum, I’ve had so many interactions like this that’ve left me feeling AWFUL, which is why I took up the role. I never want to make any Patient or Client feel the way I’ve been made to feel if I can help it
That was NEVER ME!!!! I was Receptionist for 4 Allergy/Asthma doctors- and one of them was a Rheumatologist. I made absolutely SURE that those Patients were treated with the utmost respect, care and civility!🤗 Even the Pharmacists noticed when I was gone- and the nurses and business office staff had to call in prescriptions. Everyone asked- “WHERE have You been- We missed You?!”😏 I first came to the office as a Kelly Temporary- I was asked to take the job on a permanent basis THAT VERY SAME MORNING!😁
Omg. This is so disturbingly accurate, I can’t even handle it. I had a receptionist yell at me for not having insurance when I was 19, even though I had already called and showed up completely ready to pay out of pocket. It was a $100 physical and she literally said, “The appointment is $100 and since you don’t have insurance, you will have to pay that right now. How exactly do you expect to pay $100?!” as if it was some especially obscene amount that no person could possibly prepare for and I was about to ruin her day
Recently in my local,post office, and I swear I am not exaggerating: there’s a line waiting. A woman steps out of the back. She’s walking very, very slowly, a shuffle, and her mouth is COMPLETELY JAMMED with something and she’s struggling to chew it and get it down. People in line are speechless. She stops walking for a bit and just stands chewing. Gradually she approaches the counter and manages to say “Can I help you?” in a muffled, yet clearly resentful way. I mention this because I had never in my life seen someone at work, on the clock, on duty, at a customer service job, have THAT MUCH FOOD IN HER MOUTH. Our tax dollars at work
I’ve been a receptionist for many years when I was in my twenties,I was never like this lady lol. I’ve sat next to many,many coworkers like this and always wondered what makes them this way. I concluded it’s kinda like a power thing for them. Like they realize they have control over people,most who are pretty sick which makes them feel important, it’s most likely the highest position they’ve reached in life and they took it straight to their heads. I don’t care if you’re the President of the country,be kind and humble, it’s not hard.
I love how they treat you like a “problem patient” when you arrive early for your appointment, but when you’re late, they’re so polite and understanding. I’m ALWAYS early for any appointments I’ve made, and I can’t count the number of times I’ve had this exact same exchange with doctors’/dentists’ receptionists. And no matter the question, they always ask “Do you understand?” while nodding encouragingly, as if they’re talking to a five year old. It’s so annoying, and feels a bit like I’m being condescended to.
For me, it’s the reaction to how early the patient is. That 3 pm appointment means that person is likely going to be waiting for an hour. The response of the receptionist as she stares as the computer clock wondering how to prepare this person for a long, drawn out waiting room experience killed me. So funny and so accurate.
I once went to urgent care to get treated for gonorrhea. The receptionist asked me what I was there for and I said “a gonorrhea shot” very quietly, but I leaned in, and I know she heard me. But she proceeded to announce it to the already packed waiting room and then proceeded to ask me very loudly if I needed to be tested for any other STDs that day. I was so humiliated. I had just found out my boyfriend of 2 years cheated and gave me gonorrhea. I already wanted to die. I say down at the only open seat, the one directly facing the receptionist and sobbed. It was cruel.
weirdly this is one of caitlins most painful articles for me. I recently had a medical emergency where ive needed to have a couple appointments with a bunch of different places, and the constant anxiety and frustration with these gross, incompetent receptionists who were the most judgemental, self absorbed people ever got to me. everyone talks abt high school mean girls who decide to become nurses, but man, medical receptionists aren’t too far behind those girls.
I worked as a receptionist and the literal WORST was cheerfully telling people their balance when you know good and well the care didn’t match up to the charges. “Would you like to pay part or all of that exorbitant bill from your last appointment where we had the audacity to reschedule you because you were 5 minutes late for follow up on your ✨sniffles✨ but this time you checked in 5 minutes early, but had to wait for 30 minutes before going back to the room then waited for another 30 minutes for the doc to come in and say “Hi how’s it going? Nose dried up yet? Okay great see you in 6 months.” 💀💀
Went to get a blood draw in Oregon. Place was empty and the receptionist was talking to some guy in the back. I walked up and she looked at me and said “you need to wait in line on those circles” (she literally had me stand on a circle, so she could finish her conversation and then call me up) Once she checked me in, I asked where I should sit (there were multiple seating areas for different appointment needs (one area was for xrays, etc): she ignored me. I asked multiple time and she just acted as though I didn’t exist so I just sat wherever. Some people are loathsome creatures.
What I truly appreciate and love about Caitlyn are the suuuper subtle acting quirks that bring a character to life; a skill that many big-name actors DO NOT possess. One prime example is the subtle raising of the voice the receptionist does explicitly for the sole purpose of embarrassing the client. She told an entire store without words. Just the raising of the passive-aggressive tone lol. I love this woman!!
Omggggg. It was funny but so depressing. You really nailed the dehumanizing affect of your ability to be seen by a doctor having everything to do with whether or not you are privileged enough to be insured or to be able to pay exorbitant amounts of money. The only thing missing is the doctor seeing them for five minutes, announcing they are just fine or that they don’t know the cause of the patients issue, and sending them home without help.
For everyone asking if medical care in the US is really that expensive: I hurt my back a month and a half ago and went to the ER and then followed up with my doctor a week later. I do not have health insurance. Here are my bills: Ambulance: $1750 ER: pain meds total- $665 X-ray: $550 MRI: $9,765 Doctor/hospital: $1,790 Prescriptions after leaving ER: $55 Follow up with doctor: $380 (just to get my prescriptions refilled) All of this money to tell me I had a bulging disc, gave me 2 days worth of pain pills, and told me to follow up with my doctor. The insurance available through my workplace has a $3,500 deductible before they pay a dime and it’s $575 per month. The American healthcare system is beyond broken. It’s entirely screwed.
I’m Canadian so I don’t have the insurance thing for most medical things, but this is still extremely accurate otherwise. They talk so fucking quietly unless its like super embarrassing or personal stuff or if you say “what?” ONCE, then all of a sudden they’re almost screaming at you. It’s horrifying, this gave me anxiety and I literally have to take a doctor’s appointment soon.
You should do a version where the appointment is for 3 pm, the patient shows up at 3:03, and they are told they can’t be seen because they are late (even though in reality the doctor is roughly 45 min behind because corporate healthcare requires double booking appointments so you weren’t going to ever have been seen on time anyway).
Living in England, we don’t have the issue of being without insurance, BUT doctors’ receptionists here have also perfected the art of obstruction. It seems to go with the job. My now late father summed it up well when he wrote to his doctor to tell him he had “one receptionist and one rejectionist”!
Also, to all the sweet summer children from other countries who cant tell if she’s exaggerating with the out of pocket cost: Depends on your area, type of insurance, and what type of medical professional you’re seeing. A specialist will always cost way more than a general practitioner, for example. But in general, she’s not exaggerating THAT much, unfortunately. Out of pocket medical costs are a crime here. And you will absolutely be billed for every single thing they do; one time, I couldn’t figure out why my GP had charged me an extra $55, only to see on the itemized receipt that she had billed our five-minute conversation about my weight management as “BMI and nutritional psychoeducation.”
What is left out of this is that the receptionist usually wants to know what you are seeing the doctor about and then goes into acting like she’s the doctor the receptionist also talks really really loud so everyone else in the waiting room can know your personal intimate details of your issue needing to be looked at
As a person with a chronic illness who’s seen a lot of doctors and had many traumatic experiences with them this was so accurate it was anxiety inducing. It’s like you feel ill and you’re scared to go into the doctors appointment cuz you’re scared they’ll be mean or won’t take you seriously and the first stop is the receptionist who is usually condescending and literally ALWAYS snacking 😂😂 and I always think how the hell can someone have an appetite let alone snack in an anxiety inducing germy hell hole like a doctors office🙈🙈 Edit: y’all receptionists in the comments section really need to chill. I never said it was gross to snack no one said that. No one said your job was easy but that also doesn’t give you an excuse to be an asshole to vulnerable patients. The second you call someone with a chronic illness “entitled” you lose all my empathy and respect. Have a nice day ❤️
The doctor’s near my old house was constantly having to hire new receptionists because the old ones kept quitting because of stress, it was a never ending loop of ‘sorry it’s my first day’, ‘um, I don’t see you on the list, what was your name again?’ and ‘I don’t know how to do that for you so you’re going to have to wait for the other receptionist’ (who was already busy doing the other 20 things the first receptionist couldn’t do) and getting anyone to pick up the phone was basically impossible 🤦♀️ there were super understaffed though, basically one surgery and two receptionists covering a nearly 30 mile radius, no wonder they all kept leaving!
She is the nicest doctor’s receptionist I have ever seen/heard! I live in Dublin Ireland and my doctor’s receptionist asks me in front of the entire waiting room, the exact details of all my symptoms and then bellows them all back at me to make sure she’s got them all right, before offering me the next available appointment which is three weeks from today. And I am seriously not kidding.
My favorite is when they’re whispering at you from behind a plastic barrier, while seated almost out of sight a pc and still lose all their patience the first time you need a question repeated. But whatever, I have a hard time being nice when people at my job make the same predictable mistakes, I just have the luxury of not having to deal with it face to face so I’m able to hide my irritation in emails 🙂
That time the receptionist at the VA forgot to ask me if I had any supplemental insurance (which would be a change since I didn’t at my last visit) so instead of calling me back to the desk she shouted the question loudly across the room. I stared at her for a few seconds and said nothing wondering if she seriously expected me to shout back “no!” across the room for everyone to hear but instead she thought I didn’t hear her clearly and shouted it again 🤦♀️
Omg I feel this!!! If I’m not wearing my hearing aid pretty much everyone repeats themselves by yelling slightly angrily when I can’t hear them the first time. (I mean I get it, it’s annoying to have to repeat yourself) but the receptionist at my audiology appointment got so impatient with me, I was like, um…I’m here to get a freaking hearing aid. Dont you not deal with hearing impaired people on the daily? Like WTF!!!!
Tbh I feel like this person is acting exactly the way you would act if you worked this job. Dealing with older people hard of hearing all day, so she’s used to just projecting the important stuff loudly and doesnt want to repeat herself more than once. Definitely have gotten people with no insurance shocked by the price tag so she needs you to fully understand you’re gonna be charged a lot today.
Wait! Wait! Missing “Did you fill out the questionnaire we sent you prior to your appointment?” and regardless of the answer, “If you can take this (clipboard of 30 pages already on file) and fill out every question answering for your genetic history dating back to the 1800’s. Go ahead and have a seat. We’ll call you when you’re ready.” xD
Spot on! Especially the big sigh after hearing there is no insurance. Every time a receptionist sighs I want to say, “you can always quit if you can’t stand to do this job anymore”. Gonna do one about the nurses and the p.a.’s. They ain’t much better. No wonder the naturopaths are growing in number.
In my experience, the worst are dentist office receptionists. Once I went to a dentist and his all blond blue eyed female staff were like clones or robots walking around with vapid expressions, fake smiles, fake kindness and there was a weird “hot-for-dentist” competition vibe among them all. It was like stepford wives meets dental office. So disturbing.
Not a lot of people realize that it can be very difficult for us receptionists to step away from the desk to eat our lunches. When that phone rings, we gotta answer it. Sometimes we don’t get the chance to step away at all. So yeah, we have to eat where we work. Especially in smaller offices that might not have a break room, or have fewer staff. We make do by bringing little finger foods or trail mixes, something that can soak up the stomach acid. And in smaller offices, we might be doing the work of two people. So even if the day ends at 4, or 3, or 5, or whenever, sometimes we can’t get away until 15 to 20 minutes after our shift ends. So, please, be patient with us. We’re working our tails off.
As a former receptionist myself, I try to stay positive and friendly when helping people. Sometimes people aren’t so nice and friendly back so some receptionists have skipped the nice and friendly and directly go to the loud and straight to business. Usually people get upset because something is up with their insurance or something like that, that unfortunately is out of our hands, as we are just the messengers, but we get the blame for. Sadly all of us get in this circle of dealing with the Healthcare system. EDIT: I am not saying acting like “directly go to the loud and straight to business” is the right thing to do, I’ve seen coworkers turn this path and it isn’t a good one all around, too much negativity on both sides choosing this way. I was just pointing out as to why it may happen.
LOL I’m a dentist. I’m working in a remote area of a developing country, my friends and I have to do most of the tasks by ourselves. This is so accurate 😂 I feel like I’m seeing myself on the day when it’s my turn to be receptionist when there are tons of patients waiting. 😂😂 I find this comment section so helpful with improving myself how I communicate with patients.❤
I worked as an R.N. in a clinic for several years. I was up front one day and a person was at the payment window. She had Medicaid and all she had to pay was $1 and she arrogantly said she didn’t have it. Our lady looked at her and said, ‘you don’t have a DOLLAR? I almost busted out laughing because she drove off in a new Cadillac!🙄Some people know how to work the system.
I see so any doctors and the ones I see most have amazing receptionists. But some of the random ones who have never met me definitely do this. I try to compliment something about them, not just “I like your shirt” but “I love your style”, because one, those kinds of compliments are about the person themselves and not just their shirt, and two, it throws them off and makes them MUCH warmer and more patient. Disarming people with kindness works! Everyone gets bored at work and needs a pick-me-up!
I worked reception at doctor office, oh god. It was awful. Working front desk is already terrifying, but in the medical field it is a whole other level of nerve wrecking. Dealing with sick people is not for everyone, it takes a very special type of person to work with people who are sick. Not everyone can work in the medical field IMO.
I had one receptionist recently who I just could not understand for the life of me 😩😩😩 every word a mumble and then screaming when you can’t understand. I think I had to get a repeat on her sentences 2 or 3 times each 😩. It was so embarrassing, but on the bright side, 4 patients after me had even more trouble so it wasn’t just me.
This is so true. We had about a 2 month gap in insurance coverage last year when we moved to another state and I had gone in for a checkup the week before we moved. When I said I would be self paying for the appt they all looked at me at the desk so stunned and taken back like I was playing a dangerous game of roulette with my life 😅
I work as a physical therapy tech in a clinic, front desk, so all of this just gave me PTSD lol Unfortunately, we have to do some of this stuff to keep things moving, at my clinic especially, things get backed up in a millisecond if we spend too much time trying to help one patient. We work with a ton of older people, so they tend to have a harder time hearing. Of course, some of it I’m forced to do or my office manager yells at me. Don’t forget the angry office manager who’s stressed and hates their job and takes it out on you and everyone else! I’d say 95% of the time I’m being yelled and griped at by her more than anyone else
Now I need to see a DMV receptionist version. Those people are devoid of life so they’ll try to make your life miserable too. They like making you feel stupid by overcomplicating the simplest things. They take their time to get to you and when it’s your turn, they take forever to get your things done by walking back and forth between the desk and office but give you hell if you accidentally waste 2 seconds of their time.
This was actually quite nice, I live in Germany and you would not believe how rude the receptionist at the doctors office can be. Once a receptionist straight up told me, that she thinks covid does not exist. I would be so happy with your American receptionist truly, she is smiling and asking nice questions and doesn’t lie about your wating time. I mean in Germany we have free health care, but still being nice to someone especially someone who is currently sick should not be that hard.
In the UK, the receptionist at the doctor’s asks you (and not always discreetly, I add) what you want to be seen for. It’s uncomfortable if you have to do this over the phone, but truly mortifying if you have to do this in person, especially when the waiting area is full of 20 people. Often the receptionist will decide whether or not your appointment is urgent or important.
I had to flat out cancel an appointment after having arrived for a dental procedure when I pull out cash (said they didn’t take cash) and the tone was like this. The tone was also like that when I had asked a few questions. Now my reasoning is that there is no way in hell that I’m going to spend close to $1,000 on two visits (this was the 2nd visit) to be treated like they are doing me a favor. Eff that.
LOLLL, I was a receptionist at a doctors office too. I wasn’t like this but I get it. It’s the speaking firmly to make sure they understand bc there’s ALWAYS confusion about the littlest things and it wastes so much time. If you’re unwavering from the beginning sometimes they refrain from complaining. Sometimes though. Ugh I’m so glad I’m not doing this anymore. Being a receptionist sucks.
I have gone to the same doc for 20 yrs for a chronic illness. He sold his practice to a group run by a hedge fund (was duped basically). Had no control over who worked the front desk, nurses, etc. It was horrible. He left a year ago and went back into private practice with one other doctor. The front desk was so kind and helpful that I gave her gift certificates I’m so grateful. She just had a baby so will get something extra special on my next visit. Doctors have no idea how valuable a great receptionist can be but some don’t have a choice any longer once the vipers come into healthcare.
I identify with this on every level 😂 I worked as a medical receptionist in several locations and it’s draining to be around people and deliver bad news all day, breaking the bad news of how exorbitantly expensive the treatment the patient is paying for. People act irrationally when they are motivated by suffering. You have to have a wall up or you will break down at work eventually. On the employment side of things, medical receptionists are also overworked, underpaid, and underappreciated by management, doctors who make in a month what the receptionist makes in a year. These points aside, it doesn’t excuse patronizing behavior or rudeness though.
I work as an telephone receptionist and honestly this is the first article I can really relate haha bc sometimes people are just stupid and her asking often if the patient really understood he has to pay himself is painfully true, bc often times they just don’t listen. Also the name thing, when saying your own name you automatically say it fast and not very clear bc you are used to it, but us receptionist have to repeat it bc we just don’t understand or when repeating it shows we understood something completely different and every name is spelled differently etc etc so I get why she is annoyed 😅😅
What’s surprising to me about this is the implication that the receptionist has free time to spend snacking (no mask !!!) and that it’s unusual for the patient to spend time waiting. At a Canadian clinic the receptionists face a literal lineup of people meekly coming up to the window, and it’s just assumed that you’ll be waiting for quite some time regardless of appointment. I just say that I have an appointment, hand her my healthcare ID card and go sit down with my book while she processes the next person.
The last time I ever set foot in a doctor’s office was when the receptionist, without even looking at me, told me that the OB/GYN was next door. I was just standing there like “Wut?” She then saw me standing there like an idiot and said “Oh, I thought you were pregnant. I’m SoRrY.” At the time I was kinda chubby and for her to assume I was pregnant kind of did it for me with doctor offices.
I worked as an optician and some of the receptionists were crazy mean. You do have to give them a little bit of credit though, they get all the hate from patients. If insurance doesn’t cover as much as the patient thought, if there’s a wait time, if there’s an emergency, the receptionist is the one that gets yelled at by patients. I’d help them sometimes and nobody deserves to be yelled at like that because of something that is out of their control.
I have insurance but receptionists are just nasty in general. It’s like, you come in and your mere existence annoys them because you’re taking them away from whatever work they are doing. Uh, duh, the patient comes first. Your work is what you do when you have down time. I’ve left dentists, doctors, chiropractors, and acupuncturists (and hair salons too!) because they had nasty receptionists. I’m a Yelp elite and won’t hesitate to give a bad review.
Not a receptionist moment but I was with my parents at my mom’s colonoscopy a few years ago. We were definitely not late seeing as my mom can’t stand being late so we’re always extra early to all her appts, but what took up a huge chunk of check-in time was I ended up having to fill out all my mom’s info on the tablet, which, okay, wasn’t a big deal bc a lot of offices have you do this if you don’t do it online beforehand or you’re a new patient, and I would’ve done it online but I don’t think there was an option to do that bc I don’t remember getting an email for it. This particular survey was soo long and time consuming, especially since I also had to keep asking my mom for the answers, and that’s not always easy since we speak diff languages and often have communication problems. While me and my parents were sitting in the ~very busy~ sizable waiting room still trying to do the absurdly long survey (no joke, the room was the fullest I’d seen of any waiting room), the nurse/tech opened the doors across the room and when she called my mom’s name and we answered, she gave an exasperated sigh and said loudly, “You’re late” so the whole goddamn room could hear. It was so embarrassing and I couldn’t even say anything back even though I was immediately pissed at the way she’d just addressed us in front of everyone. I wanted to be like we’re not fucking late, we’ve been sitting here this whole time trying to finish this stupid check-in. Then when we were taken to the back, we sat down with her to go through some pre-questions and she acted so short with us like we were such an inconvenience to her.
If you ever encounter a receptionist like her, inform her immediately that you want to see her supervisor-and report her behavior! Most medical and dental offices have NO clue that mindless morons are representing their practice, their livelihood, and their reputation unless someone brings it to their attention. I once reported to my dentist that his receptionist was calling in fake pain medicine patients for her friends. He had no clue. This was before computers. She was fired and prosecuted.
I work at a dental office. The polite irritability is from all the dumb shit we have to deal with. We are constantly eating because we are stressed. And we all have a second incognito window open looking for a new job to look at everytime a patient verbally abused us. 🤷🏼♀️ we literally have to repeat ourselves about costs 100 times because they will come out and say they didn’t know and make a scene and then management blames us for not telling the patient.
I actually had an experience like this at a dentist office where the lady practically broadcasted to the whole waiting room that I didn’t have insurance and condescendingly told me about a payment plan that I could opt into even though I had the funds for it on my card smh. It was really embarrassing and I couldn’t help but think it was because I was the only POC in the room. She had a “better than thou” Karen vibe about her so this article made me feel triggered lmaoo
Yeah. She nailed this. I almost felt like I was on the phone with one of the receptionists from the different “specialists” I was recommended to go to by the E.R. over the years. The last one has always stuck with me. The condescending tone, as she told me that because I didn’t have insurance I would have to come up with a minimum of 3500 dollars just to book an appointment, but don’t think thats ALL its going to cost because it probably isn’t even half. We hung up the phone and I cried, while she probably did exactly what was done in this article. Rolled her eyes, and shoved another chicken nugget in her mouth. 🙄 That was the day I realized that money is more important than life to most doctors. Medical science has probably let far more people die for a lack of money, than they have ever “saved” for sake of the paycheck they are going to get. There’s been at least six across the span of my life that denied me care and literally left me to die without a second thought. How I’m not dead is still a mystery, because I should be. But I have no doubt it wouldn’t have mattered to them either way. Especially the snotty, entitled receptionist that seemed rather happy to inform me I was too poor to deserve medical care. She didn’t just break my heart. She stole my dignity as a human being. If you are going to deny people care at least be honest about it and tell them if you ain’t got money we aint got two shits to give about you, rather than blaming and shaming them for being poor.
So funny and with the exception of the charges and insurance bit…here in the UK the doctors receptionist – or as they have rebranded themselves “care coordinators” are just the same. There are NEVER any appointments to see a Dr available and they seem to take a gleeful joy in informing you of this. And yet if you go to the surgery there is no one…no one there…incidentally they are about as caring (care coordinatorish) as a toilet seat…(and I’m not sure that is a word…lol)
I am a medical receptionist for an Urgent Care walk-in center. I worked as a substitute teacher for 22 years. I greet everyone with a smile and how can I help you? Since I do not get an official break or lunch during my 10 hour shift, I do eat at my desk. I do dislike the payment responsibility. I would prefer everyone get billed. It’s UC. Who wants to worry about upfront costs when you are ill? It is the job though.
When I was in my early thirties, I had my baby in a pushchair as I stepped up to the Doctors new receptionist and gave my name and appointment time. Bizarrely she asked if I had a pink and white striped dress. Mystified, I cautiously said yes. She immediately sniggered like a playground bully! When I asked her what the problem was, she sniggered again and dismissed me to the waiting room. This highly unprofessional behaviour really upset me and after discussing my medical problem with my doctor, I felt I had to tell him of this encounter and how it had upset me. My Doctor was appalled and assured me he would deal with it. I never saw that receptionist there again.