Preschool Drama
For those of you living in L.A., you probably understand what a big deal finding a preschool is. I've been looking for a year. But mercy of mercies, I finally found one this week that meets all my criteria and has an immediate opening! The only thing standing between me and enrollment was the doctor's note. Basically, I just needed a signed form from Pixie's doctor saying that she is up to date on all her immunizations.
I called the doctor's office and asked if I could fax them the form and Pixie's immunization records for them to sign. "We'll have to see her first," was the receptionist's response.
"Can I come in today?"
"No. We don't have any openings until February 29th."
"But I just need a signature on a form."
"We can't sign it unless she gets a physical."
Yesterday morning I thought I'd be proactive and I showed up at the doctor's office unannounced as they were opening their doors for the day. There were no patients there yet and I asked them if they could do a quick checkup with my daughter and sign her form.
"We don't do drop ins," said the peeved receptionist.
"Have you had any cancellations?"
"People generally don't cancel."
"I canceled an appointment here last week."
All I got for my sass was a stony glare.
"Could you call me if someone cancels?"
"That's not how we do it."
"So I have to wait a month to get this form signed and my child to enter preschool? There may not be an opening then."
"I'm sorry. There is nothing we can do."
"You could just sign the form."
"I'm sorry. There is nothing we can do."
So I'm wondering if I should just forge the doctor's name on the form. Seriously. The only other preschool that I'm at all close to getting Pixie into has over 100 people ahead of us on the waiting list. On a scale of 1 to 10, how wicked would my forgery be? Could it be forgiven by excessive cross stitching? In any event, I'm finding a new pediatrician. Preferably one who thinks I'm cute and will accommodate my every whim. Anyone know where I can find one of those?
I called the doctor's office and asked if I could fax them the form and Pixie's immunization records for them to sign. "We'll have to see her first," was the receptionist's response.
"Can I come in today?"
"No. We don't have any openings until February 29th."
"But I just need a signature on a form."
"We can't sign it unless she gets a physical."
Yesterday morning I thought I'd be proactive and I showed up at the doctor's office unannounced as they were opening their doors for the day. There were no patients there yet and I asked them if they could do a quick checkup with my daughter and sign her form.
"We don't do drop ins," said the peeved receptionist.
"Have you had any cancellations?"
"People generally don't cancel."
"I canceled an appointment here last week."
All I got for my sass was a stony glare.
"Could you call me if someone cancels?"
"That's not how we do it."
"So I have to wait a month to get this form signed and my child to enter preschool? There may not be an opening then."
"I'm sorry. There is nothing we can do."
"You could just sign the form."
"I'm sorry. There is nothing we can do."
So I'm wondering if I should just forge the doctor's name on the form. Seriously. The only other preschool that I'm at all close to getting Pixie into has over 100 people ahead of us on the waiting list. On a scale of 1 to 10, how wicked would my forgery be? Could it be forgiven by excessive cross stitching? In any event, I'm finding a new pediatrician. Preferably one who thinks I'm cute and will accommodate my every whim. Anyone know where I can find one of those?
Comments
Please.
Where else do you pay people and they are allowed to treat you like crap?
(Well, except for the DMV, of course.)
;-)
BTW get a NEW ped. Ours has a 1 weeks policy for doing school forms (they will do it w/in a week) but it is always done faster. It's not like this never happens. You need forms for school, sports, daycare, etc. Get someone with a better policy. They sound like terds.
I have had to deal with my fair share of dr.s with my children who have various health issues. There are MANY, MANY doctors that are kind and helpful and not rude. I know they are busy, but sometimes I don't FEEL like being nice to my kids or my clients, but I do it anyway because that is what grown ups do.
Frankly, if you are in a customer service job and you choose to be cranky, then you take your chances. Annon, I understand your point about them not wanting to see everyone that shows up on their doorstep, but life is full of unexpected things and good doctors (or stylists, or babysitters) will sometimes try and accomodate for unforseen things.
I also live in an area where preschool is a big deal. I wouldn't loose that spot if you can help it.
And doctors are not our employees, thanks. We don't pay them, we pay our health insurance, who then pays the company or practice the doctor works for, who then gives the doctor their salary (usually). Pixie isn't dying, or even sick, and doctors' time is at a premium. Would you like it if you had to wait for a doctor to see your sick kid because he had to do a physical so a kid could go to a certain preschool? Not bloody likely. Especially in this case where an immunization form would probably suffice.
Ok, rant over.
I think you need to find a better Doctor's office.
If you really need to get in, maybe you should call YOUR doctor aka family doctor. They can usually get them in sooner. Just an idea.
And, I have one of the best endocrinologist in LA who has taken the time to return my call to answer a question. I guess maybe she doesn't over book herself so she can really focus on her patients. She is never rushed during my appointments like I have experienced with other offices. A regular check up appointment does need to be made a couple of months in advance but she also leaves time for unexpected needs.
You might be right about the cheap insurance. I found this doc after switching from the HMO to the PPO. Maybe the HMO docs have to overbook so they can make some money.
Oh, maybe doctors aren't our employees, per se, but we hire our them for a service and we PAY them either through insurance or out of pocket. You wouldn't put up with poor service from your hair stylist or your automechanic but maybe because they are doctors some people don't think they can question them. Very dangerous territory to accept whatever the doc hands you...
I pay my insurance, I pay co-pays, I expect to be treated with respect and courtesy. I say that in full recognition that I love our pediatrician (for the most part) and I especially love our office. I can always get in to see someone same day if I have problems, and they have excellent after hours solutions.
If I wasn't getting a good customer service experience from them, I'd leave. I'd take my money and my kids elsewhere. You can't have a practice if you continue to treat patients in a poor fashion. The least the office could do is to find some sort of compromise with you that doesn't involve them being snotty.
I totally agree that doctors are our employees and should indulge in some customer service skills on occasion. I know that with patients, not all kids have the same immediate needs, but it's still nice to know that your doctor cares whether or not you're being inconvenienced. This particular pediatrician I've been using is pretty bad. He NEVER looks in my eyes, none of the nurses or him ever call my anything but "Mommy" and there is nothing in the office that facilitates an enjoyable experience for the children. No kids books, pictures on the walls, waiting room toys, etc. It's pretty weird. And the doctor has a obnoxious habit of not telling you when your appointment is over. He just gets up and leaves after the shots. The first three appointments I sat and waited for someone to let me know that I was done with the appointment but on the 4th visit I just yelled at him as he was rushing out, "hey, am I all done here?" He said yes and that he didn't like to hang around after administering the shots because he thought it upset the kids. Yeah. Not as much as it upset "mommy" to have to sit in an exam room for 15 minutes waiting for a passing nurse to tell her she could go home.
I have so much more ranting to do about this doctor.
1. Continuing to see a doctor that by your own admission should have been fired long ago.
2. Sending your child to preschool instead of home-schooling.
The homeschooling comment was uncalled for, some people find that it is right for them while others don't. Honestly, if my son stayed home for schooling we would BOTH go nuts, me from cabin fever and him from "mommy attachment" issues... seriously! I can't stand narrowminded people!
I seriously considered home schooling and read up on it when Sarah was young. But you need a spouse who also thinks it is a good idea and a house with a room for "school". Being a SAHM is also helpful. I did not have that. I think there is too much emphasis on earlier and earlier formal education. The age for compulsory school attendance in TX used to be 7; now it is 6 by September 1st. I would object if they lowered it.
Remember, my computer programmer fiance STILL has his crummy day job working for a local dentist, and you would not BELIEVE what they see. Meth heads, drug seekers, and parents who want you to squeeze in their kid who has a toothache (where "toothache" = mouth full of bottle rot bordering on child abuse.) Yeah, you pay them, but most health care providers see EVERY layer of society, including the dregs.
Give the preschool the shot records and then shop for a new doc who leaves a few same day apps open.
Also Montessori school made a happy, well adjusted adult who knew how to socialize, read, write and say "thank you" in Spanish by the time I started kindergarten. Homeschool??? Whatever, dude, there's something to be said for exposing your kids to people who aren't in your family.
1)Having children in the first place-sheesh, what were you thinking?
2)not going to medical school yourself so as to avoid as this hassle. I mean, really, if you can't take care of your children...well, see number 1.
Be reasonable in expectations, but go with your gut. Private practice or PPO, HMO, it doesn't matter, personalities/edu/comunication will shine through and you are the person making the decision. To say one group is better than another is very 50's.
If you are not satisfied with your health care provider/dr./paper boy/ and you are paying for their services, then opt out.
You'll get more flies with honey than vinegar. Use your voice, but use common sense as well. No one likes being demeaned, not you, not them.
I agree with Mary who suggested just popping into a local urgent care or clinic, (in our area we have a chiropractor who does this sort of thing on a regular basis) pay the small(?) fee and be "honest in your dealings". It's a small fudge, but one leads to another and yada yada yada.
On the preschool thing. I'm not a fan of letting someone else rear my kid, that's my job; and that may or may not be the reason for a preschool. We need to be *really* careful about the *reason* someone choses to enroll their half-pint into a school or whatever.
Every mom needs a break or she will indeed, eat her own young. If you have a loving safe environment for your offspring to chill for a few hours - no worries.
Thank goodness for the nice doctors out there. My husband got a new job last year and we had to switch insurances (thus doctors) and I don't know if I'll ever find one that I like as much as her old one.
As for Montessori, the answer is YES! There is a reason they are always full with a waiting list and can charge an arm and a leg. It is an amazing system that CANNOT be duplicated at home unless there are no other siblings of other ages. They teach invaluable lessons in Montessori and influenced my son and family in a very positive way both socially and academically.
And homeschooling, HA! Great for some, horrible for others. Above son had some serious issues with me as a parent and there is no way he would have gone for homeschooling. It would have been a life long battle. As it is, his teachers always rave about him as a student, so I know he thrives in the school setting much more than he would at home. Some kids just do better with teachers who aren't their parents (even preschoolers for a few hours here or there).
And as for the poor doctor, he has gotten a pretty bad rap, when it was the RECEPTIONIST who mistreated you so much. I would bring it up with the doctor at your next appointment, and if he apologizes then it is probably not his fault. If he gets a little defensive about his doctor's office, then he probably pushes them to be like that. Now you know why drug reps. don't dare walk into an office without a little treat for the receptionists, who are a lot more willing to let them see the doctors if starbucks or smoothies are involved in the deal.
And also, when we lived in So. Cal. I noticed that there were a lot more hoops to jump through. We had to get full physical and TB tests to go to kindergarten, which we were not required to have in the two other states where my kids have gone to school. But I found out that there are medical issues because it is close to the border, and with so many people going back and forth, there is a much higher risk of diseases coming in from Mexico that aren't really a problem in the U.S. per se. Anyway, I was always a little glad to know that my kids weren't going to school with anyone who had tested positive for anything or had lice, etc.
Good luck. You are going to love it!
I say get a new doctor. In the meantime, take the immunization record to the preschool and then just bring in the signed paperwork as soon as you get in to see the new doc.
Or let your kid lick snot off some other kid and wah-lah you get in for a sick appointment right away. And do the whole while we're here, could you sign this for preschool thing. I'd opt for a new doctor before trying this.
My brother's wife who is your sister introduced me to your blog. I have been laughing all evening as I've been scrolling through posts.
If you have a brother that is your pediatrician like I do, I would suggest going to him. I just walk right past the receptionists and say, "Gotta talk to the doctor." I made him sign smarty pants note that I had written for the social security office because I was so mad at them. He did it. Otherwise I would have forged it. Unless maybe I would go to hell if I did. I don't know.