What Do You Do When Your Doctor Doesn't Get Back To You?

[res]

How do you handle communication with your doctor when they don't respond to you about major new issues even when you ask them multiple times? They started their clinic only last year and I think they're flooded with patients, and I'm worried that if I'm too pushy they'll decide they're too busy to keep me at all.

I'm not sure what's going on or what I should do - I don't know if they're just too busy to respond to me, or if they think my new symptoms aren't severe enough to warrant a quick response, or if they're not symptoms they treat and for some reason they haven't told me that directly, or if they think my symptoms are temporary and will go away with time, or what, but I'd really like to go back to being able to work and to not being mostly housebound like I've been since the start of May! I'm grateful to have an autonomic specialist at all, and there aren't others near where I live and it will take months and travel by air to see another one.

[BadBadBear]

All you can do is call and leave another message. If you are having problems that need attended to you, it's their job to get back to you.

[Tobiano]

I agree. After a reasonable amount of time try leaving another message. One time I didn't hear back for a month and so I wrote a letter and put in a formal documentation request - that got their attention fast.

[badhbt]

I have had this problem too. For me I have to remember I am a paying client. I am paying them for their services. Usually they have a certain timeframe when getting back to patients that they are suppose to follow. It is usually within 24hours.

[MightyMouse]

I have faxed my questions in writing, which at times seems to get a better response. Sometimes it's not the doctor by the administrative staff answering the calls who aren't necessarily getting the "meat"of your message.

I have a few treasured doctors who have given me their direct email addresses and ask me to skip calling the office and just write them.

[Guest Alex]

I used to fax my questions/concerns to my dr and then follow up with him by phone.

[tachyfor50years]

My Dr. usually replies within 24 hours, but the last time I emailed him asking him to put me on IV Saline once or twice a week, he never replied and that was 3 weeks a go, I emailed some good articles about that too.

res,you are not a lone!

[Lethargic Smiles]

It depends on the situation. If it is results for a test that I know is in, I'm a bit of a stalker and call every other day from the date it is supposed to be in. If it is something serious, (like the time I had internal bleeding) I also am not patient. Luckily my doctor was very quick with follow up on this issue. Had she not been quick, I would have called and asked if they feel they'll be able to help me continue sorting it out or if I should go to an ER. That gets their attention in my past experience. Other times, with questions such as noticing possible mild side effects with new medications, I give them 5 business days before I get impatient.

Mostly I would just focus on finding a doctor who is attentive and you don't have to worry about if you're bothering them or if they'll get back to you. My current doctor never makes me feel annoying or burdensome. Like someone else said, you are paying them for a service. They should be providing it!