Patient complaints

A patient complained that she had to wait 1 1/2 hours for her exam. I researched it as I do all complaints and she arrived at her appointed time. First of all the appointed time is the time that the mammographer is supposed to be taking the patient back, not the time you check in at the front desk. When this patient arrived we didn't have any insurance information on her, so she had to be registered. This can usually be done a couple of days before your appointment over the phone. There were also several people that arrived ahead of her and also had to be registered or sign papers or both. She had to wait 30 minutes before she could even get registered. So in the mean time, I'm taking other patients that were scheduled after her that arrived early and by the time I get her paper work I decide to put her in one of the few open slots I have for that day. I don't believe in making patients that arrive early wait so that I can do a late patient. So my suggestion to this patient is to arrive 15 - 30 minutes early for her exam.

By the way when one sends in a complaint with very little information, I can't research it. Therefore, it's not a valid complaint.

I had another complaint that I was "very cold". This patient also arrived late. I have very little time to chit-chat when my patients are here in a timely manner. I have no time to chit-chat when they get here late.

These complaints are few and far between.

Please arrive for your appointments at least 15 minutes early.

Have your I.D. and insurance cards ready.(don't leave them at home)

Shower the night before or the day of your appointment.

Don't wear deodorant, lotions, powders, or perfume in your armpit or breast area.

Wear a 2 piece outfit. Our full gowns don't fit everybody .

Please, please cooperate with your mammographer. It's really frustrating when I'm trying to pull a patient into the machine and they're trying to pull themselves out. I don't get a very good exam when this happens.

Talking is overrated most of the time. In a mammogram procedure talking is not required. Most times it's not encouraged.

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The 8th commandment

The 8th commandment is: Do not steal. When patients come in late they are stealing time from my other patients. That is rude and inconsiderate. Please come to your appointments 15- 20 minutes early.

An elderly lady was brought in by her daughter for a mammogram. The lady had had a procedure done that required some form of sedation and when I got her she was very unstable. Did her daughter tell me that? No, the clerk had to tell me. This elderly lady was not having any problems with her breast, it was just a routine screening. The daughter should have had more respect for her mother and rescheduled her appointment so that the woman could go home and recuperate. In my opinion, this borders on abuse. By the way, the 5th commandment is respect your mother and father.

Is it just me or is the world full of idiots?

Please make arrangements for somebody to take care of your children. We don't run a daycare. I had a mother that was surprised that I wouldn't let her 6-7 year old son come into the exam room. First of all, why would you want to expose your child to radiation? Second, don't you think its a little sick to allow your son to watch mommy get her breast squeezed? Do you take him with you when you get a pap smear? No, I didn't ask her these questions but I was definitely thinking them.

When I go to the waiting room to get a patient, I call their name and they just sit there and wave at me. I can't bring the mammo machine out to them. When your name is called, get up off your butt and come with me.

Then I had a patient ask me if my machine was a dedicated breast unit. Honey, you need to catch up with the rest of us...All mammography units are dedicated breast units.

Unless I completely butcher your name, don't bother correcting me or tell me to call you by your first name. I'm just verifing that I have the right patient.

If you come late, don't expect to be seen right away. I will not inconvience my patients who got here on time or early. And if you show up at the front desk at your appointed time, you're late. Your appointment time is the time your mammographer is supposed to be taking you back.

Watch out now!

Blogging from my cell phone.............How interesting. Talk about instant gratification, being able to post after a difficult or LATE patient. Late patients are my number 1 pet peeve. I'll go on rants about them from time to time.

"How did I get into mammography?" you might ask. I was drug into this field kicking and screaming. But as it turns out, I'm very good at it and I enjoy the people interaction.