Friday, August 15, 2008

Go Fax Yourself

Today was errand day.

Get passport - Check!
Renew Driver's License - Check!
Get Jake's school physical done - Check!
Pull my hair out because no one was listening to me - Check!

So everything went relatively well until I got to Jake's doctor's appointment rolled around. I had cleaned my car last weekend (yes, I know - please contain your shock) and apparently I threw out the form that the doctor had to sign for the new school that Jake will be attending. I called the school and asked the receptionist if it would be possible for her to fax that form to the doctor's office so I could get it taken care of. She was very nice and all I needed was the fax number. You'd think it would have been that easy.

I get to the doctor's office and because we had the first appointment after lunch, we immediately get called in. I tell the nurse weighing Jake and taking his blood pressure that I need the fax number. "Sure, no problem - I'll be right back." Not two minutes later, the doctor walks in. On the one hand - wow, that was quick...on the other, I still need the fax number. I get the 3rd degree about how his medical records don't have his immunization records.

Here is were some history is needed. Jake had all his immunizations done before we moved back to LA. I have a copy of his shots and as does his new school; also, midway through his shots I lost the yellow card thingy so I go off of this print out that his old pediatrician gave me. So I gave this copy of his shots to this new doctor's office when they were located down the street from me about 3 years ago. About a year ago, they moved offices and when patients started to go there, they just created new files. They never brought over the old files; I repeat - THEY NEVER BROUGHT OVER THE OLD FILES. Back to the story...

So I'm getting the 3rd degree and I'm trying to tell the doctor that they already have the records and she's asking me for the yellow card thingy. I'm trying to tell her that I dont have it and why should I if they already have his record. You know that story I typed out up there? I told it to her...again.

She calls a nurse to go look for the record - I suggest that I can probably get the school to fax me if I, oh get the fax number. The doctor insists that they will find it. I know that they wont because its the original reason why I gave them the hard copy from the other office. The nurse comes back in to tell the doctor that she can't find it and the doctor proceeds to tell me that maybe she would need the hard copy. I said - sure...give me the fax number so I can call the school to have them fax it over. The doctor says ok and proceeds to complete the physical. She asks me if I want Jake to have a hearing test - I say fine. Which, by the way, I find extremely funny since I had been asking for the damn fax number for 20 minutes and no one had heard me. We go back in the room and I decide I've had enough. I take out my cell phone and call the front desk of the office I'm in to ask for the fax number. I finally get it and I call the school to have them fax the pediatrician's report form and the immunization record - they say no problem.

After the hearing test, I go to the receptionist and ask if the fax had arrived and she said no. Now, because the parking complex's credit card machine was down, I had to find an ATM in order to get my car out. I figured we could stall some time by going to get money for the parking fees. We get back and still no fax. I call the school and they said they sent it but they will try again. The receptionist checks the fax machine, gives me an alternate number and we try this again.

The receptionist mercifully asks for the school's phone number and says she would take care of it so we won't have to wait around for it, an hour after my our appointment originally ended.

1 comment:

ghartstein said...

Freaking ouch!