Sleep Lab Pi$$ed me off

[Lizistired]

So they call today and want to know if it's Ok to change my appt...
Not just the date but also from the sleep doc to a nurse practictioner.... When I ask why, they say, "to free up his schedule."
I was debating even keeping the follow up with him, so now I guess I will just cancel. I googled the NP and found nothing about sleep. I might be able to teach her a thing or two about sleep. I'm not going to bill my insurance to find out. I did get my script renewed over the phone last month, so that's all I really need. What a crock!

[NotSleepingBeauty]

How unprofessional. I don't blame you one bit. Perhaps you need to find a different lab/doctor all together. Hang in there.

[xenablue]

I would have simply said "No, it's NOT OK". If that wasn't good enough for them, then I would have added that I'll take my business elsewhere to people who care about their patients.

Sheesh!! I would have been mad too!

cheers,
xena

[chunkyfrog]

I don't think they discount anything for the NP.
--except benefit to the patient.
I'd rather get what my insurance paid for.

[retrodave15]

That would tick me off as well. Nurse Practitioners or PA's have there place, like taking the mundane tasks from the doctor's, not supervising or interpreting the results of a test.

The insurance companies don't know who saw you, most offices get pretty loose with the codes to maximize payment. I would find a new sleep lab or doc if possible. Wonder what they were "freeing up his schedule for" a higher paying patient? I have seen differences in the quality of care with my step kids, I have great insurance, one of the lucky few, the kids had crappy insurance provided by my wife's ex husband, I had to jump through hoops to get them covered on my family plan. We get so much better care at the same doctors office now that they are on my plan that pay's at better rates.

[Therapist]

I have heard many patients who have received better help from a nurse practitioner than from the doctor.

They did call and ask if it was OK with you to change the appointment. What is wrong with that?

If you have your prescription and understand your diagnosis what do you expect from a doctor? Advise on a chinstrap? How to keep the mask from leaking? How to prevent rainout?

But of course that is your decision whether to insist on the doctor, keep the appointment with the NP, or cancel the appointment altogether.

[snuginarug]

A good NP is worth a train load of bad doctors. I have been treated by NPs quite successfully.

HOWEVER... One, you made an appointment with a doctor, you want to see a doctor, and that is entirely valid. And, two, the reason they gave you, "to free up his schedule," is flabbergasting. The sleep lab is not run for the pleasure of the doctor whenever he chooses to be there. You are a paying customer. If they had said why he needed to free up his schedule... for a funeral perhaps... it would be within the realm of polite and professional. But to be told, essentially, that you need to be rescheduled because the doctor simply felt like it... I would be burning up too. I would definitely consider switching doctors.

[Kitatonic]

Thanks to Therapist and Snuginarug for defending Nurse Practitioner's care and competence.

[Pugsy]

Thanks to Therapist and Snuginarug for defending Nurse Practitioner's care and competence

Count me in also. My sleep doctor has the personality of a bowling ball. Smart man but zero bed side manner except I just wanted to reach up and smack him the one time I saw him for maybe 10 sec..looked in my throat and left. His NP assistant is an absolute jewel. She listens. I prefer to see her. She actually understands how APAP work.

[Kody]

The Sleep Dr. probably needed to "free up his schedule" to get a better tee off time at the Golf Course. Yes that would have upset me off as well. You may be better off though in the long run. I have had better luck with RT's than the Sleep Dr. He knew nothing about my machine, and seemed generally clueless. Hope you have better luck in the future.

[LSAT]

I haven't seen my sleep doctor since he prescribed my equipment after the sleep study over 3 years ago. Am I missing something? If I am not having any issues is there any point in seeing him? What would he do for me? All my dealings have been with my DME.

[Kairosgrammy]

I swear you use the same clinic I use. I keep saying that they don't run it for the good of the patients. I go 30 miles out of my way to avoid the clinic in my town and am much happier for it.

So they call today and want to know if it's Ok to change my appt...
Not just the date but also from the sleep doc to a nurse practictioner.... When I ask why, they say, "to free up his schedule."
I was debating even keeping the follow up with him, so now I guess I will just cancel. I googled the NP and found nothing about sleep. I might be able to teach her a thing or two about sleep. I'm not going to bill my insurance to find out. I did get my script renewed over the phone last month, so that's all I really need. What a crock!

[Lizistired]

My issue is not as much with an NP as I know people that prefer the NP over their PCP because they take more time to listen to them. I just don't like the way they did it. I could see giving new follow ups to the NP, but it seems odd that they moved it up a month. I hope it gets new patients in to see him faster. After my initial consult with him I didn't see him until I had been on the machine for a month.
I'm called them back twice and got a recording and no return call. I'm going to call my insurance company and see if a followup is required or if they need a compliance report. My 1 year average AHI is <1, about 0.5 or lower now, so I don't really have anything to talk to him about other than spontaneous arousals and I think they are better too.

[chunkyfrog]

I actually followed a PA to another practice, as he was a better healer than the first doctor he worked for.

[Lizistired]

Insurance company says they have no requirement for follow up. Unless I think of a really good question that I can't get answered here I ain't goin'.
Still no return call from the sleep lab... Glad I didn't need the really bad!