But my doctor's care team has a different model. Their motto is: "Oops, we're sorry, we messed up again."
The scheduler didn't like her job. They apologized because she waited a month after she got my file. They admitted, I went through a horrible and totally unnecessary month of extra pain because she didn't do her job.
Then she scheduled the wrong arm for surgery.
![Doh :doh:](./images/smilies/doh.gif)
Then a tech broke a needle off in my hand while trying to set up an IV. They apologized for it, though.
The stupid nerve block that was supposed to last 3 days wore off the first night. By 7:30 I was wiggling my fingers and by 11 I could make a fist, and that's when the real pain began. It was a scary night, and I took too many oxycodones, but I got through it and called the care team to get a refill.
Just a refill, I didn't even need it right away, but I called at 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. and at 9 the next morning, and they didn't call back for well over 24 hours after I was released from the surgery center, and I asked the lady, "What if I had severe complications? What if I had bleeding or infection? Does it really take 24 hours to get through to you people?"
"Oh, we've been having some employee issues (yeah, they fired the lady who didn't schedule me for a month), but it won’t happen again."
She apologized.
But then it happened again. I needed a second refill, and it took almost 48 hours this time from when I started calling until I got a human on the phone. But when I finally got someone on the phone, they apologized for taking so long to get back to me.
They apologize a lot. It's their best area of expertise. In every other aspect, they are sloppy and unprofessional, but they're really good at apologies.
But I'm all done with apologies. I want some competent health care, thanks. And I intend to enforce that today.
Also too, nobody seems to be in charge of pain management in my left arm, which was always worse than my right.
"Well, my job is post-op on your right shoulder," I imagine the NP saying.
Wrong answer.
I can't wait to see my nurse practitioner today.
![Smoking :smoking:](./images/smilies/smoking.gif)