I had a call from Norman Regional HealthPlex two days ago, asking to schedule an MRI ordered by Dr. Berryhill. I told the scheduler that Dr. Berryhill had agreed to my request for a CAT scan instead of an MRI. Of course, she can’t change a doctor’s order. The woman I talked to said she would contact the doctor’s office and would let me know what to do next. Today I received another call from a different scheduler, asking to schedule the MRI exam; the first person had not followed through with the call to Dr. Berryhill and the second person knew nothing about the first conversation.
We were ready to go to lunch, so we drove to Dr. Berryhill’s office and I reported the problem. I recalled that the nurse had told me earlier that Dr. Berryhill typically takes a two-week vacation in October – and learned that he is halfway through his vacation and will not be back in the office until next Wednesday. The nurse offered to call him and see if he would authorize the change over the telephone. She promised to call me back if/when she got such an approval.
I called to relay that information to the scheduler. While we were driving to lunch, a call from Berryhill’s office came, inquiring why I am hesitant to have the MRI. I explained my extreme claustrophobia, having experienced it once a few years ago. She called me back a little later, reporting that he had approved the change and that they had faxed the order to the hospital – to Community Hospital, where my surgery is scheduled. I relayed to her that the first order had gone to Norman Regional HealthPlex. She apologized and said she would send it there – and she hit the ‘Send’ button before I hung up the phone. The scheduler at Norman Regional HealthPlex said the fax would go into a queue and she would call me as soon as she had received it – and if I’d not heard from her by 3:45 to call her back.
Meanwhile, midafternoon I got a call from Community Hospital asking about scheduling the CAT scan. I told her of the mistake, and she canceled the order. At 3:45 I called the scheduler at Norman Regional and we finally got the CAT scan scheduled. I’m to be there Monday morning, Oct. 30th, at 8:45 for check-in. The scan is scheduled at 9:15 and she said I’d be finished by 9:30.
I’m glad it worked out. I was already envisioning the surgery being delayed and the series of appointments at Hearts for Hearing having to be changed. All is on schedule, thankfully! I hope there will be no other glitches between now and November 7th.
