Unfiltered Story #97595

I make an appointment a few weeks in advance to visit my doctor with an intimate problem. On the morning itself I enter the waiting room, understandably nervous. This particular practice has a rule that if you haven’t been seen 15 minutes after your scheduled time, you should go to the reception. I sit for at least 20 minutes before deciding to go ask what is going on.

Me: I had an appointment at (time) and I still haven’t been called.
Receptionist: Who is your doctor?
Me: Miss (Name).
Receptionist: Oh, she is not here today, she had a program to attend.
Me: But I made an appointment weeks ago… how can that happen?

At this point the receptionist’s mood turns sour. She sneers at me.

Receptionist: I called everyone to notify them.
Me: I never received a call.
Receptionist: Well, maybe you weren’t home and you didn’t have a voicemail

While it is true we don’t have voicemail, we do check our caller list and as the doctor’s office is in the phone book we would have noticed if we had missed a call from them.

Me: That is not possible. We did not have any missed calls from you.
Receptionist: Then the number must be incorrect.
Me: Did you edit the number without our permission? We have had the same number for over 20 years and you have reached us there many times before.
Receptionist: Let me just check *rattles of our same-old number that we always had*
Me: yep, that’s it.
Receptionist: Well I rang that and apparently nobody answered. Or maybe your family did and nobody told you.
Me: (furious at this point at the accusations) Pardon me, but what are you going to do about your failure to notify me? I have been sitting here for over 20 minutes clearly because nobody notified. me
Receptionist: Well, while it is not our fault, we have a space today in a few minutes for you.
Me: But you said my doctor wouldn’t be here today.
Receptionist: Yes, that’s right. But seeing you’ve been waiting here, well, [doctor A] has a spot for you. Shall I put you there?
Me: No. I want my own doctor. When is the next possible appointment time?

My next appointment was a week later with my own doctor. She told me the program she was in had been known for more than a month in advance and they shouldn’t have scheduled me there in the first place… and my intimate issue got resolved really well by her!