Episode 35

 You know what irks me? 

1. Patients who cannot pronounce the word mammogram. It's mamm-o-gram, not mamm-eo-gram! Really not that difficult.

2. When after I answer the phone and the patient says "how are you" and the continues talking, not allowing me to answer. Why ask how I'm doing if you truly do not care for a response?

3. When a patient tells me the doctor has not written a diagnosis, but immediately can find one when I tell them I can't schedule without one. Hmm... seems to me you were a big fat liar. Or just lazy. Probably the latter.

4. Mammograms have to be scheduled a year plus a day after the previous mammogram. This means that if a patient has their last mamm on April 24, the next one has to be anytime after April 25. So, when a patient says they need to schedule their yearly exam, I always ask if it has been over a year since the last mammogram. So...here me out. Why is it that 99% of people, when I ask that question, respond with a resounding YES and then proceed to tell me they received a reminder letter that it has to be scheduled after a date that is a month out. COME ON PEOPLE. That's not what over a year means! 

5. When a family member (usually a husband calling for the wife) calls to schedule. I will ask the family member for dates and times or ask health related questions that are necessary for the scheduling and the person on the phone will say "hold on" and then put me on hold to ask the patient the questions. Why not just have the patient call themselves if you don't know the answers to the questions or even the patient's availability? You're making this much more difficult than it needs to be.