I work in healthcare, so I can see this going both ways, hence why I'm seeking out if anyone has tried/done this ...
Yesterday I went to an appt. which is 45 minutes away from where I live, I go there because the doctor is amazing and have been with them for years. After I get checked in and pay my copay, I was informed the doctor was out of state at a conference the past week and was unable to come home due to their flight being delayed cause of bad weather we're having on the East Coast. The PAC was there though and was able to see me except do the in-office scope I was scheduled to have done. I saw this PAC in the past, but she always consulted the doctor before finishing up whatever her plans are for my care. At the visit I had to keep reminding her of everything we went over, reminding her of my severe allergies to medications, and then had to remind her to call in a prescription for something. Every time she would follow up with, "Oh, that's right, we did discuss that ..." She told me she was prescribing some other medications and would do it electronically, to which I said that was great, but since she was still deciding which to prescribe, to please keep an eye on my allergy list as I am unfortunately super sensitive to most medications and have reactions a lot.
Today, I get a call from my local pharmacy that all the medications she called in for me flagged cause of allergic reactions I have had to the medication or it was in the family of the same medication I had a reaction to - and that if I wanted to proceed with the medications, I had to sign a waiver that I was taking something against medical advice of the pharmacist due to a high level of concern for a reaction.
I was already annoyed with how the visit went yesterday, I think a phone call should have been made to patients that the doctor wasn't in, especially to us patients that were scheduled for in-office procedures. Again, I work in healthcare, no need to use the short staff excuse as my office is bare bones, too, and we still make such calls. Then to find out everything she prescribed is part of my allergy list, it fueled the fire.
I'm scheduled to go back to the doctor in a few weeks for the scope and follow up. I do not feel as though I should have to pay the copay for that visit, the copay I paid PRIOR TO FINDING OUT the doctor wasn't in, should be applied. I called my insurance and they agree but cannot reinforce anything until the claim is put through which can take 120 days I was told.
So, if you read this far done, lol, have any of you ever tried this and been successful? I know the argument will be made that at least I was seen, but nothing came from it, not one thing.
Thanks for any advice!