So Predictable…

A couple of weeks ago, I got a text from the concierge endocrinologist saying, “I know you have an appointment with me at the end of the month but I’ll be out of town that week.” I’m sure as soon as I read that I rolled my eyes and thought, “Oh great.” Because OF COURSE she’ll be out of town.

So of course I snarkily responded, “Oh great,” followed up by, “Then why was I scheduled for that date?” “My assistant must have thought I was going to be in town that week.”

Okay, what? There are TWO of you running this practice. The inability to coordinate a schedule between two people does not bode well for a physician charging a lot of out-of-pocket money for care.

There was some back and forth, “How about this date?” “How about that date?” And of course none of the dates offered worked due to my job. “How about a telehealth visit?” “Well, I work from 6:00 am – 6:00 pm every day. That’s why I schedule my appointments on my days off, like I did this one.”

Finally she said, “We’ll just keep the appointment as scheduled but we’ll do it as a video visit.” Good lord, why didn’t she just offer that up in the first place?

She didn’t apologize for the scheduling mistake, but did “apologize” that I was disappointed. I guess she thought I only wanted in-person care and said her practice wasn’t going to be for me if that was the case. I said, no, that’s not it. I’m not even a needy patient. But I explained that I had waited over a month for this appointment, and now it was going to be delayed. That was when she offered the telehealth visit.

I’m sure I responded poorly during the whole text thread, but I’m just so sick and tired of being yanked around by doctors. The second something like this happens, I basically fly off the handle. I have no fuse anymore. Not a short fuse, just NONE.

But anyway… I’m scheduled with her at the end of the month. I have typed up questions I have for her, so we’ll see how it goes. I’m treating it like a job interview—and she’s the candidate, not me.

One thing her patient info packet said was something to the effect that if patients are obtaining endocrinology medication from other providers, they will be dropped from her practice with no refund. I can absolutely understand that, but I need to make sure there is no issue with my continuing to try to obtain care through another provider. I will just make sure that I’m not receiving medication from that provider if I opt to go with this endocrinologist.

The reason is that at some point, she’s going to retire. Or move. Or win the lottery. Or die. Whatever. She won’t be practicing forever. It makes no sense to try to establish care with a new provider at that time. It will take months (or years, who knows) to get a new provider. I need someone now even if it’s just to keep them up to speed on what how the other doctor is treating me. I need to have a Plan B in my pocket. If she’s not agreeable to this, it’s a deal-breaker.

The day before my appointment with her is my appointment with the endocrinology provider at Lovelace. This is not my regular provider, whom I’ve seen prior to my diagnosis with the kidney disease. So I’ve probably been seeing her for maybe five or more years? She’s an MD. The new provider I will be seeing is an NP. I have no issue with that at all. I actually prefer NPs when I have the choice.

But… there’s always a but.

Three days ago, I got an email from her stating she is leaving the Lovelace practice in early September. But of course she is!! So typical.

However, I’m still going to keep the appointment because I need to have care established somewhere, even if it’s in that shitshow of a place. Her email said she is moving on to UNM, which is where I’ve been trying to get in to. I’m sure she can’t do anything about that, but I’m going to ask her about it anyway.

I found it odd that they let her say in the email which practice she was moving on to, but now that I think about it, they probably WANT some of their patients to move to another practice. After she leaves, there will be one provider there—my doctor—and they’re already working her to death. How she’ll manage with no back up is beyond me. I suppose she could just refuse to see any new patients, but then where are they supposed to go??

We’re in such a world of hurt here with no providers, and the majority of people living here don’t even know it. They won’t know it until they need care. Just like me. I didn’t know how precarious the situation here was until I got sick.

Now I’m knee-deep in it.