Info Desk [Paperwork, ordering, wait times, procedures, booklets, prescriptions...]

David Flores68 said:Has anyone actually had any luck getting through to the central scheduling desk at Mayo Clinic over the phone?

I’ve tried calling both of their numbers a bunch of times now, but it’s just endless ringing with no answer.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/patient-info/scheduling

It’s honestly much easier to just handle the scheduling.mayoclinic.org via email.

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Anna Polyclinic

Does anyone know how long it usually takes to get thyroid scintigraphy results back from Rib? I'm trying to time my appointment so the results are actually ready before I see the specialist

thx

gentlebison82 said:Does anyone know who can write me a prescription for my chronic meds if my primary care doctor isn't working tomorrow? I just realized last night that I'm totally out of my blood pressure meds, and now I have no idea who can get a script over to me. I'm living in the suburbs.

Sent from my SM-A307FN using Reddit

What I usually do is just head down to the pharmacy where I normally pick up my stuff. Since they already have me in their system, they can see that I actually use these medications regularly, so once my doctor sends over the electronic prescription, I just swing by, pay, and grab them. It’s pretty straightforward!

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Does anyone know if you can still find Vaseline ointment in local pharmacies? I’ve been reading bits and pieces online suggesting they might have pulled it from the shelves, yet I keep seeing it listed as available on various American e-commerce sites.

https://i.postimg.cc/X7t8Y02G/000181...t-25-g-800.jpg

I’ve honestly never heard of that specific ointment before. I guess you could just head over to a Walgreens and ask if they still carry it. Sometimes you can even place a special order if they don't have it on the shelf—or at least they can tell you if there's a shortage or if it's been pulled from the market entirely. Usually, those pharmacists really want to make a sale, so if it's possible to get it, I imagine they'll try to order it for you. I remember once at a pharmacy, they were pushing so many different products on me that I actually felt a little awkward saying no. I kept thinking, maybe they have something else I actually need more, so I might as well let them order it. In a big city like Washington, D.C., there are plenty of pharmacies to choose from, so you should have some options.

I’ve been calling for eight days straight—probably thirty times a day now. Oh holy spirit, this clinic is something else.
I have three different numbers: the main clinic line, the outpatient department, and the outpatient desk.
And absolutely nobody picks up. Not once.
I’ve never dealt with anything like this before.
Honestly, my experience with this hospital has been total garbage.

I really need my blood work results back. They should be ready by now because I have a follow-up with a different specialist before they eventually call me back to return to the outpatient center. By the way, after my first visit, they told me they couldn't schedule my next appointment because they were already fully booked. It's completely nonsensical!

I called the lab using a number I managed to find on their website (of course, they don't list direct lines for specific labs like Mayo Clinic does). The staff was incredibly rude. They refused to give me the direct number for the specific lab, and the operator claimed they aren't allowed to share phone numbers—even though there are five different numbers listed on their site! They wouldn't tell me anything at all, and they even refused to email my results. At Mayo Clinic, they always accommodate that because they understand how important it is for a specialist to see the data promptly.

The absolute highlight of dealing with a grumpy, high-strung woman at the lab was when she told me they didn't even have me in their system. Her logic? Apparently, patients from the outpatient wing aren't registered properly. She also insisted I wasn't listed as her patient since she's only been working there for three weeks, so technically, I belong to someone else. Wtf holy spirit?

Wtf holy spirit?
What are you guys actually doing over there besides accomplishing nothing?!

wanderingpanther68 said:Can you still find Vaseline at local pharmacies? I've been reading rumors that it was pulled from shelves, yet I see it listed as available on several US online retailers.

https://i.postimg.cc/X7t8Y02G/000181...t-25-g-800.jpg

Walgreens is open for business.
That’s where I get my shopping done.
Private firms just don't have them because they aren't purchasing products from GE.
If you're looking for reliable skin care, checking out the Vaseline section on the GE website is a great place to start. It's a solid resource for finding exactly what you need.

I actually got that sorted out about two months ago, though I had a bit of a weird experience where one place told me it didn't even exist anymore, while the other place seemed to have completely mixed up my info—anyway, I'm currently in the US,
so that's mostly an old post at this point; I've already gone out and bought it twice since then, but thanks for looking out for me regardless. 😉

I didn't pay much attention to the date at all 😍

Well, it seems the Holy Spirit hasn't been kind today; my outpatient clinic told me they won't email my results. They didn't give me a follow-up appointment because they're fully booked, and since I need those results for another specialist, I can't just wait around. To make matters worse, they refuse to schedule my next visit via email either—they're insisting I show up in person.
I responded quite politely, using my most diplomatic language, to let them know I have no intention of living in the 20th century by driving all the way back there just for information that could be sent in seconds—something they've done for years. I also suggested they upload both my results and my upcoming appointment details to WebMD.
We'll see how that goes.
I think they already have a grudge against me, and I've barely even stepped through the door.😬

Brenda Alvarez24 said:Oh yeah, like the Holy Spirit told me or whatever—the outpatient clinic told me they won't email my results. They wouldn't even give me an appointment for my next visit via email because apparently "they're all booked up," but I need those results for another doctor too. They won't send the appointment info over email either; they said I have to show up in person.
So, I very politely gave them a piece of my mind using a bunch of other polite words, basically telling them I have zero intention of living in the 20th century by driving all the way back there just for something that could be sent in thirty seconds—which is how everyone’s been doing it for years. I suggested they just upload the results and the next appointment to WebMD.
We'll see how that goes.
They already hate my guts, and I barely even got through the door.😬

Man, compared to other hospitals, that place is like Switzerland. Everything was manual because it used to be a municipal hospital. I asked them why, and they just said they're always the last ones to get anything updated. And besides, they send results via email to anyone who asks. Some people just don't want to do their jobs. Or maybe they're starting to hide behind that GDPR nonsense again.

Brenda Alvarez24 said:I’ve been calling for 8 days straight—probably like 30 times a day now—praying to the Holy Spirit for some kind of answer from this clinic.
I have three different numbers: the outpatient clinic, the day hospital, and the day hospital reception desk.
And absolutely nobody answers. Not once. Ever.
This has never happened to me anywhere else.
Plus, that hospital is absolute garbage. Based on my experience so far.

I need my blood work results. They should be ready by now because I’m seeing another specialist for a check-up before they eventually call me back from the Holy Spirit facility to come back in for more day hospital stuff. By the way, they told me after my first visit that they couldn't even schedule a follow-up because they were "fully booked." Are you kidding me?! So crazy!

I called the lab—managed to find a number on their website (of course they don't list direct lines for specific labs like they do at Mayo Clinic)—and they were incredibly rude. They wouldn't give me the number for the specific lab, and the switchboard told me they aren't allowed to give out direct numbers. In this stupid hospital, you can't get hold of anyone, even though they list five different phone numbers on their site. They wouldn't tell me anything, and they flat-out refused to email my results. At Mayo Clinic, they always do that because they know how important it is for a specialist to see the data immediately.

The absolute cherry on top of this interaction with the cranky, rude old lady at the lab was her telling me that I'm not even in their system. She claimed patients from the day hospital aren't "registered," and apparently, I'm not listed under my doctor either because she’s only been working there for three weeks, so according to her, I must belong to someone else. (WTF??? How does she think that works??)

oh holy spirit...
What are you people even doing over there besides basically nothing??!

That Holy Spirit place is full of nurses cutting corners. It's a long story. Just talk to the doctor.

Kimberly Ward said:Compared to other hospitals, the Holy Spirit facility is like Switzerland. They didn't have any electronic systems because they operated as a municipal hospital. I actually asked them why, and they admitted they're always at the bottom of the priority list. On top of that, they're finding my lab results via email. It seems like someone just isn't doing their job—or maybe they've started obsessing over those GDPR regulations again.

I honestly have no idea what's going on; this whole situation is a mess. I spent 25 years living in the Suburban area, and back then, everything in both the wards and the outpatient clinics was perfectly organized.

As for their IT department, they seem to be fighting against any new system, claiming some tech giant is rigging things for certain people, while insisting their current setup is flawless. Maybe the technology itself works, but sometimes you just have to give people a kick in the pants to get them moving.

They won't even send my results to my primary care doctor, and I really want them sent to me, just like every other clinic or hospital I've visited.

I don't see how GDPR could possibly prevent them from uploading my results to WebMD if I request it.

This is pure negligence and laziness; there's really no excuse for it.

Kimberly Ward said:It’s like the Holy Spirit is playing tricks on the nurses. It sounds suspicious. Better check with your doctor.

I'm honestly lost on who is deceiving whom here. Are nurses actually selling Spica to patients?
I suggested they just upload everything to WebMD if email is causing issues.
Is there really a problem with doing that?
Are we dealing with Russian hackers now?
🤔

P.S. I got it sorted out, but I can move to private messages if anyone wants details—it wasn't an easy fix, but I don't want to clutter the thread.
They are sending things via snail mail. I just don't see why they won't simply use the FDA platform.

“The system is currently fully operational across various facilities, ranging from the Mayo Clinic to specialized hospitals. Because the architecture optimizes server and client resources so effectively, response times are 5 to 20 times faster than comparable software solutions here in the States. This efficiency also translates to significant savings on hardware, power, cooling, and maintenance costs. With such an intuitive layout for patient records and diagnostic results, the workflow for doctors and
nurses becomes 3 to 10 times more efficient compared to similar domestic software,”

https://cnn.com/us/news/tomasevic...from-previous

😂 😂
Look, CNN might be a bit sensationalist, but this feels like a total joke given how much they've screwed me over.
Their system is just sooo perfect... so go ahead and use it!
You don't need it to be 10 times faster. It just needs to actually work when you use it!

Brenda Alvarez24 said:I honestly have no idea who’s playing games here. Are nurses actually selling patient data to scammers?
I asked them to just put everything on WebMD if email is such a mess.
What’s the big deal with that?
Is it some Russian hacking thing?
🤔

P.S. I got it sorted, but I can move this to DMs. It wasn't through the usual channels, but I don't want to get too deep into the weeds here.
Seriously though, they're sending stuff via snail mail. I don't get why they won't just use the FDA.

Hit my DMs. I gotta know—is it all just Russians hacking everything?

Brenda Alvarez24 said:I have no clue, this whole thing is just a disaster to me. I spent 25 years living in the Suburbs, and the organization in both the wards and the clinics there was absolutely spot on.

And when it comes to their IT situation, they’re all whining about some new system, claiming someone is rigging it for certain people, while acting like the current one is perfect... Maybe the tech works fine, but honestly, some of these people just need a kick in the pants.

Plus, they won't even send my results to my primary doctor. I want them sent to me, just like every other clinic or hospital I've ever been to.

I don't know what kind of GDPR nonsense they're hiding behind when I'm just asking them to upload my results to WebMD.

It’s nothing but pure laziness and negligence. No excuses.

Yeah, let me tell you about one summer when we had coverage—they actually sent the records over to the primary doctor as an official report. Don't even get me started. It's always "we don't feel like it"—I am constantly arguing with them. Everyone else sends stuff without a hitch, but then you have these stubborn ones. I happen to know they all use the exact same system, and they could easily pull data from other hospitals if they wanted to, long before any of those GDPR laws were even a thing.

Brenda Alvarez24 said:😂 😂
Look, CNN might be trash, but I’m pretty sure this whole thing is just a massive joke given how much they've screwed me over.
Their system is just soooooo perfect... so go ahead, just use it!
You don't need to be 3-10 times faster. You just need to—actually use it!

They're comparing Chase Bank against the BIS while using every other hospital out there.

Honestly, CNN is total trash, but I was searching for something about the Holy Spirit and this popped up—it looks like they’re starting a petition. 🤣
I'm not even debating whether we need a new system.
It's more about how they completely fail to use the resources they already have.
I spent an hour and 45 minutes being bounced back and forth through the hospital, with people insisting the department I was sent to didn't exist or wasn't where the signs said it was. It was a nightmare.
To make matters worse, when I called a week ago to check on my results, they told me I wasn't even registered at the lab. Like, wtf holy spirit, how can you run tests if I'm not even in the system?!
Is this incompetence just the legacy left behind by Ed Koch?

Brenda Alvarez24 said:Look, CNN is total garbage, but I was searching for something about the Holy Spirit and this popped up—like they're starting some petition 🤣
I'm not even talking about whether we need a new system or whatever.
It's more about how they don't even use what they already have.
They had me walking in circles for an hour and 45 minutes inside the hospital, claiming the department I was sent to doesn't exist, then saying it's not there, then it's not where the sign says it is... just absolute chaos.
Then, a week ago, when I called to check on my results, they told me I wasn't even registered at the lab. Like, wtf holy spirit, how can you be running tests on me if I'm not even in the system??!
Ed Koch probably had them all in his pocket; is this mess his freaking legacy?

For that last part, you'll have to ask him if he ever comes back from the dead. That’s why I’m telling you, the director needs to be an actual manager, not someone acting like this. You submit huge requests and they still aren't even logged in. A little bit of "hey, we see you" goes a long way—they actually have to have you on the books.