Doctor won't let herself be fired?

[imwood]

My brother is on a charity care insurance-type program from UPMC in Pittsburgh, so he is limited to care within the hospital. It has a very large & well-staffed Rheumatology/Autoimmune Clinic. He totally hates his doctor there, has always hated her. She is rude, narrow-minded, condescending & dictatorial. She is part of the reason he refused to even go to the doc for so long, that he fell out of the treatment program and had to reapply to start again!

Yesterday, he went to his PCP to get a referral to a new specialist within the clinic where this icky doc is located. THey said they'd call & talk to his (high-conflict, made it clear she didn't like him in the past) specialist & arrange for another doc. Today, the clinic called and told him it's their "policy" is they don't allow patients to switch doctors within the same facility.

That is total boosit and I know it, but sadly he actually thought he would have to go find a new specialist, outside the UPMC system, and ask my parents for a few grand to pay for the visit out of pocket.
I told him we will have him a new doctor within that practice by the end of this week.

Now, how does he get around a made-up policy, that is totally against the patient's best interest??? Does he call & talk to HR? Does he show up in person (with my older brother, who has the energy to make a fuss) and demand to talk to someone?

 

[Emily]

That's so ridiculous. I feel like that is some total BS policy. Strange, cause UPMC is usually helpful. I'm just wondering, I'm not sure where this doctor is located but could he switch to a different doctor at a different clinic/hospital who is still within UPMC? If that makes sense? The whole thing is ridiculous and I've never heard of such a policy. Someone needs to complain!

 

[imwood]

I think it is not actually a policy at all, or at the very least, it's a policy that is so archaic and un-patient-friendly, that as soon as HR or Patient Relations hears about it, it will be abolished. But when I google "UPMC Complaints" I just get a lot of very vague links, not anything that guides you directly to Customer Relations.

When my daughter was inpatient the beginning of this month (different hosp), we received a direct phone number before we even left & follow up phone calls within a few days of discharge, to ask about satisfaction of the visit!! And my one minor critique of their service, they called me back after the survey to follow up on how they plan to improve service! So I know there are hospitals that care about satisfaction!

This is the Rheumatology/Autoimmune clinic within the Falk Building.

 

[Lisa]

I would request the clinic put that in writing!.....does sound like BS to me - since when does a doctor decide that a patient can't change doctors?????

 

[mickey]

Wondering if that doc is the head of that particular medical group and does not want to look bad in front of other docs? May want to find out who heads the group and speak to them. If you are stuck using that group, fight for your right to see the doc of YOUR choice. good luck!

 

[glory_h]

He should ask to speak with the clinic manager. If that doesn't resolve it, he should talk to "Patient Relations". All hospital systems have them.

I work in a physician referral office for a large hospital system and this is how switching doctors is usually handled in my hospital system.

 

[glory_h]

Here's the link for UPMC's Patient Relations contact info.

 

[imwood]

Thanks to all. I called myself and spoke to an appointment nurse. Just asked about the policy for changing docs and let her know what my brother was told. Turns out, that IS the policy -- if your reason for switching is simply for your own convenience so you can maybe get an earlier appointment. The dimwit who called and told him he couldn't switch, never even asked him his reason for wanting to switch before quoting that line out of the manual. :voodoo: And, him being sick, depressed, and having a hard time standing up for himself as it is, simply said "ok" and hung up, without having the ability to question her a little further.

It's all straightened out now. Of course, like any real hospital or clinic, they allow patients to switch when they are uncomfortable with their doctor. I was given a direct phone number for him to call and a name to reference when speaking to the manager and requesting a doc switch. So glad he told me about the situation! Old brother would have just hit the roadblock & gone back to bed, and maybe told us weeks later why he was never able to schedule an appointment. He said he'll call the number today. He's really found some new energy & life.

THanks again, everyone. With his newfound attitude, I bet he might even venture on for support himself someday in the future. (he said before the online forums for Chronies were just full of whining & moaning about ones lot in life... so not true!)

 

[mickey]

Glad you were able to make progress! He is very fortunate to have you on his side. Good luck!