Pissed The Fuck Off
Posted 04-24-2008 at 03:58 PM by likehawaii
April 24, 2008
Attention: JHU Office Medical Director:
As a recently new patient, I am highly disappointed with the conversation I had with Dr. McGee today. Early in the day I spoke with a receptionist about leaving a message for a doctor regarding a prescription I failed to transfer from my college’s health center and have now run out of. The receptionist advised me that doctors do not give out prescriptions over the phone – completely understandable, so I asked to schedule an appointment. The receptionist informed me that only my PCP could write this prescription but that Dr. Wyatt was on vacation until May 8th. I asked if another doctor could call me to see if a partial prescription with no refill could be written so I may continue to take this medication until my May 8th appointment (Dr. Wyatt’s first available), as going off of this mental health drug – Adderall (technically: generic form amphetam salt cb 20 mg) for 13 days may cause severe disruption in my daily routine.
Dr. McGee returns my call to say that prescriptions could not be written over the phone and an evaluation was needed. I agreed with the reasoning behind this – even said I knew there was a possibility that a change in milligram was needed because of an increase in my weight, but that my question was regarding the requirement that only my PCP could evaluate me – being in health field, this does not seem like common practice when a doctor is on vacation and more harm may come to a patient going off of a mental health medication:
Dr. McGee told me “You don’t understand what I’m saying – you have to be evaluated by a doctor.”
I said “I understand that, the receptionist told me it had to be my PCP.”
She responded “You need to talk to a receptionist to schedule an appointment.”
I said “I did but it isn’t until May 8th because Dr. Wyatt is on vacation but I am out of this prescription and do not want to go off of it – could I see you?”
Her response was “You need to talk to a receptionist to schedule an appointment. Talk to the office manager."
I said “Okay, if you I schedule an appointment with you for Monday would you be able to write me the prescription or does it have to be my PCP like the receptionist said?”
Dr. McGee: “I don’t work on Monday. Ma’am you are trying to get me to say the doctor will write you this prescription so you can use it against me. I also don’t know your insurance you I can’t tell you about your PCP.”
At this point I am completely confused and insulted by her tone. I also felt that she was trying to insinuate that I was a person who abuses Adderall. This is a drug that has completely allowed me to function in my profession and in life. I ended the conversation with an extenuated “Okay” at which point Dr. McGee hung up.
As I said, I am highly disappointed with this conversation and perplex by the lack of respect for a doctor to a patient. I knowingly chose the Johns Hopkins Physicians System because I expected a high caliber of professionalism.
Please call me at XXXXXXXXX to discuss the need for an addendum to my records,
LikeHawaii, MPH
Attention: JHU Office Medical Director:
As a recently new patient, I am highly disappointed with the conversation I had with Dr. McGee today. Early in the day I spoke with a receptionist about leaving a message for a doctor regarding a prescription I failed to transfer from my college’s health center and have now run out of. The receptionist advised me that doctors do not give out prescriptions over the phone – completely understandable, so I asked to schedule an appointment. The receptionist informed me that only my PCP could write this prescription but that Dr. Wyatt was on vacation until May 8th. I asked if another doctor could call me to see if a partial prescription with no refill could be written so I may continue to take this medication until my May 8th appointment (Dr. Wyatt’s first available), as going off of this mental health drug – Adderall (technically: generic form amphetam salt cb 20 mg) for 13 days may cause severe disruption in my daily routine.
Dr. McGee returns my call to say that prescriptions could not be written over the phone and an evaluation was needed. I agreed with the reasoning behind this – even said I knew there was a possibility that a change in milligram was needed because of an increase in my weight, but that my question was regarding the requirement that only my PCP could evaluate me – being in health field, this does not seem like common practice when a doctor is on vacation and more harm may come to a patient going off of a mental health medication:
Dr. McGee told me “You don’t understand what I’m saying – you have to be evaluated by a doctor.”
I said “I understand that, the receptionist told me it had to be my PCP.”
She responded “You need to talk to a receptionist to schedule an appointment.”
I said “I did but it isn’t until May 8th because Dr. Wyatt is on vacation but I am out of this prescription and do not want to go off of it – could I see you?”
Her response was “You need to talk to a receptionist to schedule an appointment. Talk to the office manager."
I said “Okay, if you I schedule an appointment with you for Monday would you be able to write me the prescription or does it have to be my PCP like the receptionist said?”
Dr. McGee: “I don’t work on Monday. Ma’am you are trying to get me to say the doctor will write you this prescription so you can use it against me. I also don’t know your insurance you I can’t tell you about your PCP.”
At this point I am completely confused and insulted by her tone. I also felt that she was trying to insinuate that I was a person who abuses Adderall. This is a drug that has completely allowed me to function in my profession and in life. I ended the conversation with an extenuated “Okay” at which point Dr. McGee hung up.
As I said, I am highly disappointed with this conversation and perplex by the lack of respect for a doctor to a patient. I knowingly chose the Johns Hopkins Physicians System because I expected a high caliber of professionalism.
Please call me at XXXXXXXXX to discuss the need for an addendum to my records,
LikeHawaii, MPH
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Comments
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It won't let me edit - this is not just a blog, this is the letter I am sending to EVERYONE I can.Posted 04-24-2008 at 04:00 PM by likehawaii
