thanks

Following my husband's recent hospitalization we have had a very difficult time getting a referral and appointment for a critical follow up. We have called the specialist's office many, many times. Each time we receive different directions about what is required for a follow up. "have an XRay----get a referral from your primary physician---have the XRay read---bring it to our office---keep it and bring it to your appt. ---call for an appt.---we will call you with an appt."  Finally in frustration I wrote a letter of complaint to the Vice President of Customer Care for the health care organization.

Well, to my great surprise and satisfaction, within days we received a  call from the specialist's office giving my husband an appointment. He got in the next day. There was also a phone call from the mail order pharmacy he uses that is part of that health care organization and from which we were having difficulty receiving his discharge medications. We now have a direct line to an advocate for that mail order pharmacy.

And today there was a follow up call from the office of the vice president to whom I had written the letter.Wow! I feel heard!!! I had planned to write a letter of thanks and acknowledgement of our satisfaction with the people in the office and the quality of services provided.


My point in this blog is to acknowledge again how important it is for anyone needing health care services to also have an advocate. The systems are just so complicated. If the patient is not feeling well, slightly confused, tired, or depressed they may easily give up trying to negotiate the system.

I also want to emphasize that if I complain, I also need to follow up with thank you when the complaint is addressed.

That goes with complaints to organizations, friends and especially family. If our complaint is heard, even that helps!

What about our complaints to God? Do we feel heard? Do we say thank you?

Blessings-Penny