Ok I get that thanks to those who abuse, legitimate pain sufferers have to (in some pain clinics) go in for random “pill counts” within 24 hour notice but hear me out…
I’ve been going to this clinic 6-7 years & never once have I got called in for a pill count nor have I heard any of the other patients mention having to get called in for one. I knew the clinic I was at years before did but I assumed this one didn’t.
I get a call from the nurse telling me if I’m not there by 2:30 tomm (today) for a pill count that I’ll be terminated. I’m like what!?! First of all I had no idea y’all did those but I can’t come tomm I have an appointment with my other doctor. The nurse says “well u can be here at 8 am & it won’t take us long then u can get back for ur other appt. The pain clinic is 2 hours from my house. My other doctor (my regular PCP) is an hour from my house THE OTHER WAY. I told her there was no way I could go there & get back in time for my other appt (and do they not know gas is at an all time high!?!) anyway I told her I’d be glad to send them a picture of me holding my meds to see what I had left or take a video of me counting them whatever they wanted but I couldn’t come that next day bc again I had an appt which was an hour from my house in the opposite direction, she insisted that was policy but I ask to speak with the doctor or manager & she said they were busy but would call me back. I said ok but im leaving I won’t be here by the house phone bc I have to go pick up my son so have them call my cell if they don’t get me try again bc service is spotty the way I have to go to pick him up she says ok. I never got a call but a voicemail notification popped up at 3:22 “hey this is the manager here at such & such pain clinic calling u about the pill count call me back at #”.
I called back as soon as I got the voicemail which was just 8 min later at 3:30- the recording that plays when the office phone is shut off picks up. I know they usually cut the phones off at 4 but 3:30!?! I called the main hospital line (my clinic is inside a hospital) & ask if they could page someone at the clinic to pick up the phone cause it was important she said no they didn’t have that option so not having any other option I called the number back to managers office & left a voice message that I had returned his call 8 min later or tried to but was getting the recording bc the phones had been cut off . Ok today I get up get ready head to my other appt then realize I haven’t heard anything back from the clinic so I called them & finally got to talk to the manager. I said “This is so & so I tried to call u 8 min after u left that voicemail but they had cut the phones off bc I got that recording , did u get my voicemail I left u yesterday?” He said “umm yea yea I got it this morning ” (I’m thinking okayyyyy why haven’t u tried to call me back then!?!) but then proceeds to tell me phones don’t get cut off til 4 I’m like sir no I have proof I called on my phone all I was getting was the recording then I called ur office line n left the voicemail I tried to get thru I can’t help if they cut the phones off I said they cut them off early a lot even the switch board lady I had called to try to get her to page someone yesterday at the clinic said they cut them off early a lot he’s like “well I’ll have to look into that, but since u didn’t come in ur terminated I’m sorry” I of course went thru the whole “I had an appt thou with my other dr I told the nurse that I explained to her the distance to them & the distance to y’all & how I couldn’t do both etc etc I’ll be glad to come tomm bc I kno if I head there now I can’t make it before y’all close but I couldn’t bc I had my other appt today but nothing I said changed a thing he said that was policy blah blah blah
So two things –
1. How is this legal !?! I had another appt -oh & btw I even called my regular PCP & ask if they could see me any the next few days & they had no openings said only way I could do that was if they had a cancellation. I just don’t see how this is legal bc it def isn’t fair!!!
2. Had the office staff not cut the phone off I would have been able to talk to the manager yesterday & would have known they was only giving me the option to come in today or get terminated & I dang sure would have just had to of moved my PCP appt to whenever & went for the pill count but I thought surely the doctor/manager would be understanding of me having another appt as I told them they were welcome to call & verify it , had they not cut their phones off I would have gotten to speak with him yesterday & known so how is that not their fault for cutting the phones off early !? Furthermore had the manager called me back this morning when he said he got the voicemail I would have even been ok then bc I could have obviously cancelled my other appt & flew to that dr for the count .
Please help!!! I’m just tired of being treated like addicts all I want is relief so I can care for my 4 year old as a single mother & have a somewhat decent life not miserable in bed hurting day in & day out & it just seems to be getting harder & harder for those who truly suffer with chronic pain