Hello, curious if anyone has any comments for my recent experience at an outpatient diagnostics centre.
I (32F) have kidney stones and see a urologist. In March I had my most recent stone/renal colic. My dr ordered an outpatient pelvic u/s. Sometimes my stones stay stuck in the bladder. I’ve also had a cyst on my ovary recently so my dr was looking to confirm whether this is a stone or a cyst causing me to have 10/10 pelvic pain and blood in my urine. We only have 1 outpatient ultrasound place in my area.
It took 4 weeks, 4 phone calls (20 min each) and 3 faxes for the centre to receive my drs requisition. Then they called and booked me in the next morning at 8:45am and told me empty my bladder at 6:45am and to finish drinking 1L of water by 7:45am. I had to take vacation for the first 3 hours of my work day to accommodate this.
I arrive there and myself and other patients are lost looking for the centre inside a mall. Security helped us and said nobody can find it easily.
I arrive 5 mins early and check in. I told them it was hard to locate them “ya ya everyone complains about that- nobody ever asks us how our morning is going!” Said the receptionist who then snickered with her coworkers. It was very uncomfortable.
I get called back and after they place the ultrasound on my stomach for three seconds I’m told “you didn’t drink enough” and “you have to leave and call back to rebook another time”. I told her I had to take time off work for this test. She didn’t care. I wait 20 mins on hold and I’m rebooked in late JUNE.. for a problem I had in March.
I got a text asking how my experience was. I filled out the survey and the next day I’m called by a manager and she left a voicemail asking me to call her back. I called 3 times and still haven’t reached anyone.
Is this normal practice?