I don't see any problem with charging them. That's their policy, now if they refuse to remove or credit the charge that's a different story.

 

Have you ever run a business?

Not a big fan of "no show" fees at medical practices UNLESS the person involved habitually makes appointments and no-shows.

Would I charge them? No, I would not; however, the billing clerk is likely just doing her (or his) job.

 

Perhaps the better question is why was the appointment missed? Did you attempt to call to forewarn?

 

In some instances, an unused appointment means that another patient cannot schedule an appointment. For that reason, I can understand charging the no-show fee. If you called ahead of time & cancelled, there should be no fee.

Would I charge them? No, I would not; however, the billing clerk is likely just doing her (or his) job.

 

Perhaps the better question is why was the appointment missed? Did you attempt to call to forewarn?

 

In some instances, an unused appointment means that another patient cannot schedule an appointment. For that reason, I can understand charging the no-show fee. If you called ahead of time & cancelled, there should be no fee.

 

In reality, the appointment was not missed. Two appointments were made for the same day (one by mother and one by father) and when the father made the second appointment he told them about the first appointment and they failed to "account" for it and eventually tried to charge me for it.

Not a big fan of "no show" fees at medical practices UNLESS the person involved habitually makes appointments and no-shows.

 

Never missed one ever and still haven't.

As CC said the billing clerk would be doing his/her job to follow policy.

 

The real question comes about when you tell me you've taken it up the ladder to people who can make decisions.

 

There's obviously a relationship here with the doctor and the Little Gs. I can't imagine they won't handle this.

Obviously it's not a good business practice but that particular Dr might have more patients than they can deal with so it's not going to hurt them if they walk away. If they don't walk they get the fee. Not exactly the best way to treat your customers but that might be their thought process.

Absolutely. If that's the policy, they most certainly should. Now, given the circumstances, I'm sure it's something they'll waive or remove, but I see no reason to think a company shouldn't follow written policy simply because someone has been a long-time patient.

Loyalty, means NOTHING nowadays. The only thing that matters is $$$$$$$$$$.

Loyalty, means NOTHING nowadays. The only thing that matters is $$$$$$$$$$.

 

And along with the above, personal SERVICE has no place any longer.

Zero issues ever between the customer and the business.

They might charge that person but it might be the last time they do it!

I wish you hadn't got me started on doctors Ru. I represent some and are friends with some. They still really hack me off. They stack you up like cord wood because they want to see as many patients as possible to make as much money as possible. Their wallet is more important than their patients time. Or at least they think so.

 

When I do so a doctor (which is extremely rare) I insist on the first appoinment of the day. I'll wait to see a doctor until I can get the first appointment of the day.

 

On one occasion, I show up at the doctor's office 20 minutes before the first appointment. Fill out the paperwork and am ready to go 15 minutes before my scheduled time. Sit in the waiting room until 15 minutes past my appointment time have passed. Say something to the lady behind the desk. Doctor was hung up in traffic but he's here now. Will only be a minute. She says.

 

Another 10 minutes go by. Lady can see I'm getting mad. They take me back to an exam room. After 15 minutes of waiting (and listening to the doctor in the exam room next to me laughing with someone else) I put on my suit coat and leave the room. Nurse asks me where I'm going. I tell her I have to go to work. As I'm heading to the office, a friend who is a doctor in the practice (but not the doctor I was to see) calls me on my cell and asks where I went. Told him in no certain terms how mad I was and that if made my clients wait as long as they made me wait, I wouldn't have any clients. He apologized. I didn't. Told him I was going to send him a bill, at my hourly rate, for the time I wasted in his office. I didn't do that but was half tempted to.

 

Unfortunately, that isn't the first time that happened. On another occasion, again when I scheduled the first appointment of the date, I asked the lady (after my appointment time had come and passed) behind the desk a couple of times when I was going to be seen by the doctor (whom is a friend). Just a few more minutes I was told. After almost an hour, I told the lady I was leaving and to have the doctor call me. She apologized but said the doctor had been in emergency surgery but was expected in shortly. I understand the emergency surgery happening. What is not understandable is why they didn't tell me that an hour prior. Actually it is understandable. They expected me and all the other patients just to sit there and wait. Doctor needed to make sure he saw all his patiients that day so he could generate money. If that inconvenienced me and the other patients by putting us all behind our schedules, well that was just too bad.

 

I realize that not all doctors are that way. But those that are really hack me off.

 

Ru, I'd take $20 of pennies in a bag to pay them and tell them I'll never step foot in their offices again and that I will tell every person I know of their absolutely crappy policy. Probably won't bother them at all. But you'll feel a lot better (even if your kids don't).

I wish you hadn't got me started on doctors Ru. I represent some and are friends with some. They still really hack me off. They stack you up like cord wood because they want to see as many patients as possible to make as much money as possible. Their wallet is more important than their patients time. Or at least they think so.

 

When I do so a doctor (which is extremely rare) I insist on the first appoinment of the day. I'll wait to see a doctor until I can get the first appointment of the day.

 

On one occasion, I show up at the doctor's office 20 minutes before the first appointment. Fill out the paperwork and am ready to go 15 minutes before my scheduled time. Sit in the waiting room until 15 minutes past my appointment time have passed. Say something to the lady behind the desk. Doctor was hung up in traffic but he's here now. Will only be a minute. She says.

 

Another 10 minutes go by. Lady can see I'm getting mad. They take me back to an exam room. After 15 minutes of waiting (and listening to the doctor in the exam room next to me laughing with someone else) I put on my suit coat and leave the room. Nurse asks me where I'm going. I tell her I have to go to work. As I'm heading to the office, a friend who is a doctor in the practice (but not the doctor I was to see) calls me on my cell and asks where I went. Told him in no certain terms how mad I was and that if made my clients wait as long as they made me wait, I wouldn't have any clients. He apologized. I didn't. Told him I was going to send him a bill, at my hourly rate, for the time I wasted in his office. I didn't do that but was half tempted to.

 

Unfortunately, that isn't the first time that happened. On another occasion, again when I scheduled the first appointment of the date, I asked the lady (after my appointment time had come and passed) behind the desk a couple of times when I was going to be seen by the doctor (whom is a friend). Just a few more minutes I was told. After almost an hour, I told the lady I was leaving and to have the doctor call me. She apologized but said the doctor had been in emergency surgery but was expected in shortly. I understand the emergency surgery happening. What is not understandable is why they didn't tell me that an hour prior. Actually it is understandable. They expected me and all the other patients just to sit there and wait. Doctor needed to make sure he saw all his patiients that day so he could generate money. If that inconvenienced me and the other patients by putting us all behind our schedules, well that was just too bad.

 

I realize that not all doctors are that way. But those that are really hack me off.

 

Ru, I'd take $20 of pennies in a bag to pay them and tell them I'll never step foot in their offices again and that I will tell every person I know of their absolutely crappy policy. Probably won't bother them at all. But you'll feel a lot better (even if your kids don't).

 

Being in the pharmaceutical industry I have seen all sorts of variations in quality of service from doctors. What you describe there definitely isn't uncommon. I am relatively lucky with my doctor. I can almost always be seen the same day I call and I never have issues with getting refills from his office. Of course he is grumpy and his personality can be gruff to say the least but he doesn't give me too much trouble on account of my knowledge of the industry. I am dreading the day he retires, I am not ready to go to a big practice with doctors who are not as responsive.

Awesome stories lneck!

 

I called the office, the first little girl told me nicely that it was in the financial agreement I signed. I wanted to tell her you know what but instead told her that was unacceptable and I want to speak the office manager. I told the officer manager that it was unacceptable and she told me she would adjust/waive the fee because we had never missed an appointment. I thanked her and that was that. It was only after I got off the phone that I put two and two together and realized it was their mistake on the dual appointments. I know one thing, if I was going to nickle and dime a long standing, good customer, you can bet I would make sure I was right (which in this case they dropped the ball).

 

And lneck, going to a different Doc sounds all fine and dandy but the divorced world doesn't work the way the married world works. In the married world the husband and wife would probably collect the pennies and march, in the divorced world often times the parents disagree and something like this becomes one big cluster.

 

It is a doctor/family owned/operated practice and I will bring it to the owners attention next time I see him. He probably won't give two hoots but I will still bring it up.

There's another good reason for insisting on the first appointment of the day.

 

Less germs.