Some truly disgusting behaviour- taking advice

[phalaeo]

Some people are jerks. Not every snide/offensive/rude comment needs to be met with a professional I'm-gonna-get-you-fired jihad. Tell her off to her face (and possibly her bosses face) like an adult and get on with life.

Where did I say that I was on a "jihad" to get her fired? I'm not trying to get her fired, nor do I even expect anything to "come of it"- I came here to ask if anyone was able to direct me as to where I could file a report or how the best way to deal with it was.

As to telling her off to her face, there are two reasons I didn't. The first was that I was simply shocked out of speaking. The second is that I have spent the last week in pain as well as going through narcotic withdrawal. I landed myself a nice little hospital visit over the past weekend, too. If you were in pain and going through withdrawal, are you going to tell off the one person who may be able to help you at that given moment? Didn't think so.

Also, last time I checked, "telling someone off" to their face and starting a scene is not really the adult way of doing something.

Move to Canada.

I'm only 15 minutes away from Ontario... the thought has crossed my mind. Not just for the health care- I <3 Canada.

[phalaeo]

BTW, thank you to everyone who provided links- I will follow them and see where I can best direct my complaint.

As an update, I'm going to be going to the county-run hospital today- they have a clinic there and they may be able to assist me with obtaining the medication I need.

It's exceedingly hard when I move to a new town because no new doctor likes you to stroll into the office asking for pain meds. They either don't want to prescribe them for legal reasons or think you're an addict. It's like- I've had this for ten years. I've had the tests run, the scans scanned, the blood tests drawn. Rheumatologists, Pulmonologists, GPs, Pain Mgmt., the whole nine. I know what it is. It's not operable. There is no cure. I just want my freaking meds so I can "get on with my life".

Sucks.

[EazyWeazy]

I'd consider joining the local Angie's List website so you can write your experience there. You have to pay to join, but its a more grassroots review process of service industry things like Doctors, movers, etc. You can have a voice there that can reach many people and not worry about it being buried by a professional organization. Good luck.

[rimble]

I came here to ask if anyone was able to direct me as to where I could file a report or how the best way to deal with it was.

I misunderstood that you weren't asking about how to deal or how you should have dealt, with the situation, but were asking for specific ways to file a complaint. So I apologize for offering advice on a question you didn't ask.

However, if it comes up in the future, what I have said is what I would do. That is my advice. And no, 'telling someone off' does not necessarily involve 'creating a scene'. Chai basically said the same thing as I am: "Hey dumb nurse, shut up and do your job." Or ask if a different nurse is available. I'd deal with it there, in the moment, and move on. I have better things to worry about than wasting time/energy/emotion on idiots (I'm sure you all are thinking that about me right about now).

[Khanyth]

I'm only 15 minutes away from Ontario... the thought has crossed my mind. Not just for the health care- I <3 Canada.

Don't move to Ontario... they want the same health care as the US.

Move to Manitoba... we love our health care, it is very well funded, and almost every health care official I have ever dealt with in the 33 years of living in the province has either 1) bent over backwards to help me, or 2) found someone to bend over backwards to help me when couldn't.

Granted, in Manitoba, we are taxed more than other places and some american-born manitobans have gone so far as to label us "socialist" or "communist" but when they had a problem or needed something medical done, I never heard them complain once

[AyumiAmakusa]

BTW, thank you to everyone who provided links- I will follow them and see where I can best direct my complaint.

As an update, I'm going to be going to the county-run hospital today- they have a clinic there and they may be able to assist me with obtaining the medication I need.

It's exceedingly hard when I move to a new town because no new doctor likes you to stroll into the office asking for pain meds. They either don't want to prescribe them for legal reasons or think you're an addict. It's like- I've had this for ten years. I've had the tests run, the scans scanned, the blood tests drawn. Rheumatologists, Pulmonologists, GPs, Pain Mgmt., the whole nine. I know what it is. It's not operable. There is no cure. I just want my freaking meds so I can "get on with my life".

Sucks.

I hope things work out for you. All the best.

[Cauthey]

Some people are jerks. Not every snide/offensive/rude comment needs to be met with a professional I'm-gonna-get-you-fired jihad. Tell her off to her face (and possibly her bosses face) like an adult and get on with life.

Though, if it were to result in the loss of the rude nurse's job, then perhaps she might finally be able to identify with the OP:

"Darn. I was a real female dog to that person. The jobs really AREN'T falling off the trees. I hope I don't get sick while I'm unemployed and uncovered."

[Alerax]

State Medical Board. She is licensed and you can make and official complaint. They will investigate it.

This or The BBB. Stay away from the unions for sure. Tbh sounds like that nurse needs to pull her head out her you know what. I have many friends that have lost their jobs of late, seems to be the way now a days.

Point being, if the doctors office wont do anything, which Ive seen before, BBB will make someone explain why and what happened. Maybe youll hit gold and see this "nurse" on the street after wards with a cardboard sign "will work for food". well thats not nice, but neither was she.

Good luck with everything, Hope things work out for you both soon.

[Memnir]

In addition to filing a professional complaint, I'd file a complaint with the clinic you were in. The doc in charge may not appreciate that type of customer service.

Agreed.

And, make sure to mention that you are taking your money elsewhere after the attitude the nurse displayed. A Doctor's Office is just like any other business - and they cannot afford to lose customers for such a preventable reason.

[Uska]

Where did I say that I was on a "jihad" to get her fired? I'm not trying to get her fired, nor do I even expect anything to "come of it"- I came here to ask if anyone was able to direct me as to where I could file a report or how the best way to deal with it was.

As to telling her off to her face, there are two reasons I didn't. The first was that I was simply shocked out of speaking. The second is that I have spent the last week in pain as well as going through narcotic withdrawal. I landed myself a nice little hospital visit over the past weekend, too. If you were in pain and going through withdrawal, are you going to tell off the one person who may be able to help you at that given moment? Didn't think so.

Also, last time I checked, "telling someone off" to their face and starting a scene is not really the adult way of doing something.





I'm only 15 minutes away from Ontario... the thought has crossed my mind. Not just for the health care- I <3 Canada.

I dont know about moving to canada for medical care we have a canandian doc and he hates socialilzed med. had to wait weeks there to order some tests that I can give him here in minutes and with the new health care system he is worried it might happen here now. yeah they have universial care but there is some rationing. So I wouldn't move there for health care but there are many other good reasons to move there.

[Lorien_the_First_One]

I dont know about moving to canada for medical care we have a canandian doc and he hates socialilzed med. had to wait weeks there to order some tests that I can give him here in minutes and with the new health care system he is worried it might happen here now. yeah they have universial care but there is some rationing. So I wouldn't move there for health care but there are many other good reasons to move there.

That wouldn't be my experience with the Canadian system.

And I used to have an american doc that moved up here to get to a place where "he could make more money while practicing medicine instead of running a collections agency".

[Twerpp]

Strap on your job helmet...

[Sirea]

Some people are jerks. Not every snide/offensive/rude comment needs to be met with a professional I'm-gonna-get-you-fired jihad. Tell her off to her face (and possibly her bosses face) like an adult and get on with life.

Someone with the described bedside manner should not be in that sort of profession.

When I worked as a waitress, if I had told someone who was overweight that they didn't look as if they needed the triple chocolate death sundae and maybe they should go run on the treadmill instead, you bet your ass I'd be fired in a heartbeat.

I wholeheartedly support the OP in finding the appropriate place to complain.

[PopeJual]

BTW, thank you to everyone who provided links- I will follow them and see where I can best direct my complaint.

As an update, I'm going to be going to the county-run hospital today- they have a clinic there and they may be able to assist me with obtaining the medication I need.

It's exceedingly hard when I move to a new town because no new doctor likes you to stroll into the office asking for pain meds. They either don't want to prescribe them for legal reasons or think you're an addict. It's like- I've had this for ten years. I've had the tests run, the scans scanned, the blood tests drawn. Rheumatologists, Pulmonologists, GPs, Pain Mgmt., the whole nine. I know what it is. It's not operable. There is no cure. I just want my freaking meds so I can "get on with my life".

Sucks.

Getting a letter of referral from prior doctors has been a big help for me. I don't take pain meds (other than Advil), but I do have ADHD and getting a prescription for Adderall is a colossal pain in the posterior. It doesn't have to be especially detailed - just "I treated phalaeo for chronic blah stuf from [date] to [date] and prescribed [list of medications and doseages]"

You may have trouble getting that now that you've moved away, but it's at least worth a call to your previous providers to see if they'd be willing to provide you with that.

[Cholera]

I dont know about moving to canada for medical care we have a canandian doc and he hates socialilzed med. had to wait weeks there to order some tests that I can give him here in minutes and with the new health care system he is worried it might happen here now. yeah they have universial care but there is some rationing. So I wouldn't move there for health care but there are many other good reasons to move there.

You forgot to mention the rationing of band-aids, underwear and q-tips. I’m a Canadian and YES, I can tell you that Canadian healthcare is a DISASTER! From young women forced to give birth in the streets next to bodies rotting in the gutters, its all a result of the incredibly long lines to get even an aspirin Yes, even what you Americans call “over the counter” drugs aren't available here - we must visit the doctor which takes, at minimum, six years.

Then there are the death panels, OH MY GOD, THE DEATH PANELS! FORGIVE ME GRAN!!

*sniff*

And of those that couldn’t get in line early enough to be euthanized, the rest of the aged are packed into warehouses to wait until they’re shipped to the processing facility. We'd treat them if we ONLY had the resources! Sadly, we have to eat them instead.





Ok, I’m kidding.

Well except for the part about eating old people, we really do that.

Ok, that's a lie too.

There seems to be lotsa lyin about Canadian healthcare lately, eh?

[ka0t1c1sm]

And, make sure to mention that you are taking your money elsewhere after the attitude the nurse displayed. A Doctor's Office is just like any other business - and they cannot afford to lose customers for such a preventable reason.

I wish this were the case, but having worked for Medicaid in my home state, I've unfortunately seen that it is not. A lot of Dr.'s tend to see Medicaid as the most amount of paperwork involved in filing a claim, for the least amount of reimbursement in return. There were a lot of times where Dr.'s would threaten to not see Medicaid patients at all if their claims were not paid. I understand that this is their livelihood and they were not getting paid for it, but 8 out of 10 times is was because of an error by their own billing offices.

Also, in my state, we see a lot of addicts switching from Dr. to Dr. to get their fix of pain meds. Of course, they end up painting a bad picture for the people that are going to pain management specialists for legitimate reasons. All the Medicaid patients seem to get put under that "drug seeker until proven otherwise" label. I could understand the Dr.'s and staff's point of view, but I hated seeing it nonetheless.

That being said, none of it justifies her behavior and attitude towards the OP. As a Medicaid provider they are bound to provide the same quality of service that they would provide to any of their other patients, regardless of what type of insurance they may have. That's what they agree to when they become a participating Medicaid provider.

Sorry for the wall of text, but there has been excellent advice given and the OP should definitely follow up on the matter. Good luck and don't take no s**t!

[QuantumEntanglement]

You forgot to mention the rationing of band-aids, underwear and q-tips. I’m a Canadian and YES, I can tell you that Canadian healthcare is a DISASTER! From young women forced to give birth in the streets next to bodies rotting in the gutters, its all a result of the incredibly long lines to get even an aspirin Yes, even what you Americans call “over the counter” drugs aren't available here - we must visit the doctor which takes, at minimum, six years.

Then there are the death panels, OH MY GOD, THE DEATH PANELS! FORGIVE ME GRAN!!

*sniff*

And of those that couldn’t get in line early enough to be euthanized, the rest of the aged are packed into warehouses to wait until they’re shipped to the processing facility. We'd treat them if we ONLY had the resources! Sadly, we have to eat them instead.

On topic of course, what every has said. Definitely two angles from which it's wrong and two places to direct complaints: the local doctor whose office it is (bad business) and the board (unprofessional).




Ok, I’m kidding.

Well except for the part about eating old people, we really do that.

Ok, that's a lie too.

There seems to be lotsa lyin about Canadian healthcare lately, eh?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ce0UEb05DXI

Couldn't help but remember it. Yes that is the studio audience rushing the stage because they found it too offensive. According to my father, they had to play the british national anthem to get restore order. I found it hilarious. But I'm from the newer desensitized generation. I love the part about it being quite a shock if she's not quite dead.

On topic, what everyone has said already. Definitely two angles that it is wrong from and two places to address complaints: the local doctor whose office it is (business) and the board (professional).

[Entelech]

This is truly unfortunate and even though I don't live anywhere near New York, the nurse was unprofessional and tactless.

You already noted that you had called around to doctors and pain management clinics, and I suspect that very few physicians are accepting medicare payments in New York these days. And of those that do, even fewer are likely taking new patients.

This is because Medicare works in a very silly way. And a lot of healthcare providers are getting deeply frustrated by being stuck with it. So they opt out.

To explain:

(1) Medicare has a big menu of tests, diagnostic-related groups, etc... Basically, it's a huge, complicated, arcane system of rules to figure out what X care should cost. It's reasonably accurate, even.

(2) Over the past 20 years or so, Congress has decided to save money by only paying a percentage of that bill to doctors and hospitals (ie providers).

So...say your visit had an office call, a list of 4 blood tests, and a set of prescriptions written. According to Medicare, the national average for what it costs a hospital to provide these services is $100.

Originally, Medicare would then pay the hospital $100. But now, if it costs the hospital $100 to treat you, Medicare only pays a portion, say $60. The hospital loses money with every Medicare patient it treats, and it has to make up this money in other ways. And it's not ALLOWED to charge you the difference, because of the way the Medicare laws are written.

Sometimes the hospital can find a test that costs $5 to perform and Medicare reimburses $10, and it can just run this unnecessary test on you 8 times to make up the difference. Other times, it overcharges privately-insured patients to make up the difference.

Sound incredibly stupid? It is.


That's why very few doctors in NY accept Medicare patients. The only way to get out of that stupid system is to not treat Medicare patients at all. And every year, Congress has decreased the portion of your bill they actually pay for. So every year, more and more doctors opt out of the system just to survive.


It's a source of immense frustration to people who work in health care and are aware of the problem, and I *hope* that this frustration was what motivated the nurse to speak as she did. As a nurse practitioner, she is not allowed to write prescriptions for narcotics, and she has probably looked for medicare-accepting physicians before. A lot of doctors and nurses have left the healthcare profession completely, out of frustration with this bureaucratic catch-22.

You don't go into nursing, generally, if you don't want to help people. So if she seemed snotty and frustrated, it probably wasn't directed at you personally. Talking to her boss or to the nursing boards is still a good idea, though, since she clearly needs to work on her patient communication skills.

[phalaeo]

Getting a letter of referral from prior doctors has been a big help for me. I don't take pain meds (other than Advil), but I do have ADHD and getting a prescription for Adderall is a colossal pain in the posterior. It doesn't have to be especially detailed - just "I treated phalaeo for chronic blah stuf from [date] to [date] and prescribed
[list of medications and doseages]"

You may have trouble getting that now that you've moved away, but it's at least worth a call to your previous providers to see if they'd be willing to provide you with that.

I take Adderall as well. Funny thing is that it's less of a pain in the rear to get, yet I think it's the much more dangerous of the two classes of medications..

I appreciate your suggestions, but I've already done as you proposed. Every doctor's office is in contact with the other and there's a 10 year long stack of papers to accompany.

[phalaeo]

This is because Medicare works in a very silly way. And a lot of healthcare providers are getting deeply frustrated by being stuck with it. So they opt out.

It's Medicaid, not Medicare- I'm sure they have similarities in processing, though.

It's a source of immense frustration to people who work in health care and are aware of the problem, and I *hope* that this frustration was what motivated the nurse to speak as she did. As a nurse practitioner, she is not allowed to write prescriptions for narcotics, and she has probably looked for medicare-accepting physicians before. A lot of doctors and nurses have left the healthcare profession completely, out of frustration with this bureaucratic catch-22.

You don't go into nursing, generally, if you don't want to help people. So if she seemed snotty and frustrated, it probably wasn't directed at you personally. Talking to her boss or to the nursing boards is still a good idea, though, since she clearly needs to work on her patient communication skills.

I've heard other members of my family complain about her bedside manner before, unfortunately. I do usually like to give people the benefit of the doubt, but it seems as though she really is a bad apple.