Is it "standard practice" to only call a patient back if it's bad news? - eviltoast

So, during the pandemic my family doctor, who is American, went back to her country, leaving me without a medical professional.

When the pandemic ended, I went in search of a new family doctor in my city in British Columbia. However I couldn’t find one. I did find a nurse practitioner who can do most of what a doctor can do, including prescriptions.

In October, 2022, she asked me to do a standard physical at Life Labs so I did. She called me on the phone later to say everything was fine.

However, 8 months later, in June, I was called by an outpatient medical clinic asking me to come in for an EKG. Confused, I asked why. And they said it was triggered by my visit to LifeLabs and requested by my primary care provider.

I went for the EKG, which ended up being an ultrasound. That was June 27.

Then I waited. And waited. And waited. Nothing.

I finally called my NP and asked why I haven’t heard back on what the results were and the receptionist said it’s standard practice to only contact patients if follow-up is necessary. But I felt like something must have triggered the follow-up EKG/ultrasound so I wish I’d been told what that was and why I visited the hospital for it.

However, the tone of the receptionist made me think it’s the normal way and I’m just being entitled.

  • Thordros [he/him, comrade/them]@hexbear.net
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    1 year ago

    Are you Albertan

    Yes. I live in Hell, thank you for asking. Knocking on doors for the NDP is a nightmare here, but I do it, because it’s the least bad possible outcome.

    or just shitting on things that could help you out of sheer anger and a desire to self-harm?

    No. I’m being realistic. Why assume I’m angry about the government in bad faith? I have real material grievances: The current dental program doesn’t help us pay for one cent of my kid’s surgery. We’re going to need to resort to payday loans and pawning stuff to pay for it. That’s real anger about real stuff.

    The Liberals will never follow through on rolling dental and pharmacare out without multiple layers of means testing. The NDP are going to force an early election they have no serious platform for, and will royally bungle their campaign. As is tradition.

    Once the Conservatives are back in power in a year or two, the program will be cancelled. As is also tradition.

    • Voroxpete@sh.itjust.works
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      1 year ago

      While I completely empathise with your frustration, I still don’t understand why this leads you to attack the people doing the most to address the problem, rather than the people doing nothing, or actively making it worse. That’s just self-destructive behaviour, and worse, it hurts everyone else at the same time.