Frustrated w/ Doc's Office! HELP!

[theboogansgirl 0]

Hi Ladies. As you may see, I'm rather new but am very frustrated and need to hear that I'm not all alone out here!

Okay here goes.......

My husband and I started researching the lap-band last Spring and over the summer decided that it was going to be a good thing for me. I had my first appointment w/ the doctors office in late August/early September and they filed w/ my insurance company. I got a letter sometime in October requesting a psyc and nutritional evaluation for the insurance company. I made the found the right people, made the appointments, got the evaluations and faxed them to the dr.'s office. They sent them into insurance. On November 15th I received my approval letter from my insurance company!!!!! YEAH!!!!

Now for the issues.........

Since November 15th, I have not been able to get an appointment to see the surgeon or set anything up for a date for surgery. I figured okay, it was due to the Thanksgiving holiday or something. I called the office three times and was told "the person who schedules will call you.....". No calls for three weeks. I call again and am still being given the 'run around' by the office staff saying that the person that I need to talk to is 'busy/not at his desk/not in yet/gone for the day/not making appointments till Thursday' and all the 'excuses' I could ever imagine.

My ?????????

Is this a 'normal' thing to have happen or should I be concerned about this doctors office???? Naturally I researched them and think they are excellent, but so far their 'bedside manner' leaves a lot to be desired!

Again, I'm new so be gentle! lol! This could just be the anticipation and the waiting making me seem a tad unreasonable! Thanks in advance for your advice!

Hugs, Sherry

[the best me 6]

Sherry, I'd be frustrated, too. Sounds a bit like they are avoiding something. Why wouldn't they want to schedule someone who has been approved? I agree, it's odd. I'd find out the scoop, for sure. It may not be a reflection on your docs skills, but what if it is? Maybe call and say "I'd like to be able to schedule my Band surgery. If Dr "X" isn't able to, does he have another Band doctor he normally recommends or refers patients to?" Find out what they say. I don't know...you could shoot yourself in the foot doing that. You could end up off all their lists and then what? Nope, maybe not. I don't KNOW!! I just know it sounds odd and you aren't nuts.

[imalene 0]

There are lots of people looking at this board. If you are wondering about your choice of facilities - tell us who they are - and someone may be able to give you an idea as to why this is happening. Maybe they are the best in the entire world and have a line of people just waiting to get in! Or maybe not.

[Alexandra 55]

Sherry that does sound extremely frustrating, but it may be just that they're extremely busy. Can you GO to the office and try to talk there?

[ladysplenda 1]

I had my lapband doctor sent a request to relase my records to another In network band doctor I was thinking about using.They called wanting me to have surgery the next week. I would call and asked to speak to the doctor and then I would tell them why. Watch them jump through hoops.I would tell them either he can do my surgery before the end of the year or I will find a doctor that can.Do they have to pay your deductable?

[piercedqt78 658]

I would be nervous that this is how an emergency would also be handled. Is it also this hard to get in for fills, check-ups or emergency visits? I would ask for the office manager and if you don't get a good reasonable answer then I would look for another doctor, you are approved and you can change doctors without having to be reapproved 99% of the time. If you have to pay a yearly deducable and it is paid I would push hard for it to be sooner then later. If there is no deductable or it is not paid, then you could wait until Jan to have the surgery. Let us know how it turnes out either way. Also you can get a list of band surgeons that are in your area at www.inamed.com maybe this will help? ~Mandy

[theboogansgirl 0]

Thanks ladies for all your input. The concerns you've voiced in this thread are the ones I've been thinking about for the past three weeks.....where are they going to be AFTER surgery!

The only problem I would have in changing doctors is that I had to sign a release form w/ this center saying that if I change once approved by insurance that I have to pay $750 to them for 'paperwork and filing fees'. I can't just drop by the office as it's two hours away from our home....we live in a rural area and they are in the Kansas City Metro area. I think the office girls know I'm VERY frustrated even though I've been very nice to them in explaining the reason behind my frustration.

My husband has 17 days off over Christmas and New Years and our children will be gone to their 'other parents' for about ten days, seemed to me like the perfect time for my surgery so hubby and I can take care of me instead of a family for a few days. Just my way of thinking.....LOL!

I was supposed to get to make my appointment today 'at my convenience' and wouldn't you know that the KC area had about 8 inches of snow last night and no one was in the office today. I can't blame them for that one so I guess I'll have to see what tomorrow brings. But I think at this point I have a few more questions for the doctor as per after care!

Again, THANK YOU! I'm feeling pretty alone out here!

Hugs, Sherry

[theboogansgirl 0]

To Imalene,

To answer your question (Sorry I forgot in my earlier post!), I am going through Dr. Jesse Lopez at the Midwest Institute of Bariatric Surgery in Lenexa, Kansas. I have talked to a couple of girls on this site (under the Missouri thread) that have used him and were happy with him. Of course, I also checked him out before my first appointment.

Since I first went to their seminar in the first part of August, I have been to their office once, for my first appointment, have never had another appointment. And as I said, I did the scheduling of evaluations on my own as well. They do seem busy but are always polite, I'm just tired of waiting!! I'm ready to get on w/ my life!! lol!

Hugs, Sherry

[piercedqt78 658]

I would think that you could get around the paper work and filing fees as they are not responding to your calls and have not schedualed surgery for you yet. I would call and tell them they have 3 business days to get you a date or you will be going somewhere else and not paying the fee as you feel you are not recieving proper care. Demand to speak with the office manager as they need to be aware of the situation. Also express your concern about after care and getting in to see the doctor for follow-up care, if they make an excuse let them know that the excuse is just not acceptable. They can't charge you a fee if they are not working to get you in or at least keeping you in the loop of happenings with your surgery and care. As I said before, speak with the office manager, they can make a lot happen very quickly. ~Mandy

[Victoriana 10]

I think there is something really wrong here. Did anyone ever have you sign anything? I dont think you are legally bound. I have never heard of such an outrageous fee for any changes that aren't already scheduled. I think someone in the office is putting thier hands into the cash drawer. If you wern't informed about this before, and havent signed anything, sounds like smoke and mirrors here. Do you think they would change their toon if they knew that an international message board has been airing thier dirty laundry?

[theboogansgirl 0]

I'm going to call this morning and demand some answers and speak w/ an office manager. Yes, I was requested to sign something as per the fee if I change doctors, apparently it was happening quite a bit....I wonder why!?! hum.....now I know! The 'form' I signed said that I agreed to pay the $750 if I went to another surgeon after approval was granted from my insurance, and it stated that if I didn't sign it I couldn't move forward in the process, my 'case' would be put on hold. I thought this was a 'standard practice' so thought nothing of it until now.

Thank goodness for this board, I received a private message from someone who used this same office and she is going to give me some advice as to how she handled them. Let me say that I'm not here to 'slam' any doctors or their staff, I am genuinely concerned about this issue and how to go about resolving it. Again, thanks to ALL for your input!! I'll keep you posted as to how it goes!

[theboogansgirl 0]

UPDATE:

I called the office this morning and asked to schedule my surgery AGAIN. I was told...again...that the person I needed to speak to wasn't at his desk, that he would call me back. I waited almost 3 hours, no call so I called again.

This time I asked to speak w/ an office manager. I was told by the person on the phone that I would get a call back from the 'scheduling person', I again asked to speak to the office manager and stated the issue I was having. I also told them that if they can't even return a client's phone call in almost three business weeks, that gives me reason to doubt their after-care and maybe it would be in my best interest to seek my care elsewhere.

I was put on hold and the same lady returned to give me a song and dance about scheduling difficulties and that I would get a call on Monday to schedule my surgery. She also informed me that if I choose to seek another doctor that I will have to go through the entire approval process again thru my insurance company.

I again asked to speak to the office manager, was put on hold, the same lady came back on and told me that there was nothing she could do except get me a call back Monday for a surgery appointment.

I voiced my concerns again about after-care if the office can't even return a client's phone calls before surgery. I was 'assured' that they have no after-care issues, they are just having a few problems in the office that she can't go into with me. Makes me feel soooooooooo much better! NOT!

Do I start looking for a new doc and go thru this all again??

[Dody 0]

I'm not banded yet, but have been researching the band for over a year. I decided it was for me and started going about getting all the info I could. I made an appt. with no trouble whatsoever (after attending the seminar which was the first requirement). I was scheduled for surgery within the next mo. but found out the other day I have a large peptic ulcer and surgery has to be postponed a few mo. I would be so depressed, except the people that work for the surgeon that is doing the lap banding keep in close touch with me and give me a lot of support that the band is coming in the future. I feel they go out of their way to contact me because they know I'm depressed over having to put the surgery off after all the research and then coming to the decision; finishing the required items; and thinking I would be banded in a mo.

It appears the doctor's office you are dealing with makes all the difference. My dr's. office tells me that at 6 weeks post banding the dr. takes the patients out to Applebee's to Celebrate and see how well they order from the menu. That's what I call a doctor's office going all out.

I think someone here should be sharing the fact they are very happy with their dr. and it might make up from some that are being strung along unmercifully. My dr's. name is Dr. McAlexander and he is in Oak Ridge, Tenn. He has done many, many lap bands and I'm so impressed with him both as a surgeon and a person.

OK, that's it for me. Good luck to all of you facing problems.

[CCBSTX 0]

boogansgirl, take this as treatment you would have AFTER surgery and RUN! I would ask the Dr's office for my $750 back. Just tell them that you didn't "change your mind" but you are changing your doctor. Explain the reasons and apprehension. You are approved with your insurance company, that's not going away. All the other hoops and evaluation that you have will probably be transferable to another surgeon's office. Just imagine if all business ran there paying customers off like this....My two cents, Shawn

[theboogansgirl 0]

Shawn,

I whole heartedly agree with you. I didn't pay them the $750, that is what they say they will charge to me if I change doctors once being approved. I'm checking into things w/ my insurance company to see what the approval process is and get names and numbers for other centers in my area. Thank you for your post!

(I forgot your username! to the post before! lol! sorry!) I'm so glad you're having such a wonderful relationship w/ your doctor and his staff. I know there are wonderful ones out there that go that extra mile. Please know that my reason for this thread was NOT to put any doctor down in any way, I was searching for others to let me know if this was common and I was having unrealistic expectations or if I should be concerned. I wish you all the best in your upcoming surgery and look forward to losing weight w/ you!!

Hugs, Sherry