We Just Adjust Spines, Not Space-Time

I work as an assistant in a chiropractor’s office. Part of my job is typical receptionist work, like answering phones, scheduling appointments, and taking payments.

We have three chiropractors who rotate days, so there is a minimum of two doctors on any given day. We break for lunch between 12:30 pm and 2:00 pm, but there are still assistants working during the break to man the phones and help patients who are checking in early.

One doctor tests positive for [Contagious Illness] during the end of the lunch break at 1:55 pm. He heads home, and the rest of the staff learn about this at 2:00 pm as some of his patients start checking in. I get tasked with trying to help the patients reschedule their appointments while also calling the rest of the appointments on his book to reschedule.

This particular patient comes in at 2:02 pm for his 2:30 pm appointment.

Me: “Hello, [Patient]. I’m sorry to inform you, but the doctor you’re seeing today has taken ill during lunch, and he will not be able to treat you today. I was just about to call you to get you rescheduled.”

Patient: “Seriously? This is the only time I have to make this appointment. I just called an hour ago to try and get in earlier.”

Me: “I apologize about that, I really do. I can try to schedule you with the other doctor we have in the office today, or I can schedule you on another day next week.”

Patient: “So, he’s going to be out all week? I can’t come back tomorrow?”

Me: “No, sir. His next available appointment will be next Monday.”

Patient: “This is really unprofessional, you know? Next time, you need to call me before I waste my time coming down here. You didn’t tell me that when I was on the phone with you trying to get in earlier.”

Me: “We found out he was ill two minutes ago. You are literally the first patient I’ve told this to.”

Patient: “I need earlier notice than that.”

I got him scheduled for the first available appointment after the chiropractor’s quarantine period, but he was very angry that I couldn’t see through time and space and predict this inconvenience. It was a… very rough first thirty minutes, going between rescheduling patients in front of me and trying to catch the ones just before they come in by phone.