Well, shit.

(Note to readers: I am not devilishly concerned about this health problem. It is the thyroid and not some rouge lymph node. I am, however, pissed off beyond all recognition that it is messing with my scheduled migration to Hawai’i.) 

Well, shit. It was all going well until it wasn’t. I got to hospital with lots of time to spare. Was the first customer in ultrasound. Got the best sonographer. Had a good day at the office. When I am coming home the nurse calls and says I should get an appointment for a biopsy. No surprise. I tried to get her to go directly to biopsy. But, in modern medicine – gotta spread the money around. The ultrasound folk have to earn a living too. 

As soon as I get home, I start trying to get an appointment for the biopsy. Not only could I not get an appointment. I couldn’t get anyone to answer the phone. I left 2 messages and 2 phone numbers and got 0 calls. The doctor calls to be sure I made an appointment. I tell her that I can not get them to answer the phone. She calls back and says that she to failed but she left a message for them to call me. 

By then end of the afternoon – I was seriously mad. Annoyed. Pissed. 

I wrote a letter to the CEO of the hospital. Want to read it? Sending it would be a bad idea. But, at least writing it gave me something to do. I need Carlton to tell me to chill. And just shut up and keep on keeping on. 

October 20, 2017
James Cole
Virginia Hospital Center
1701 N. George Mason Drive
Arlington, VA 22205

Mr. Cole:

The VHC website says: Radiology & Medical Imaging Center at Virginia Hospital Center provides the highest quality diagnostic and interventional radiology services to our patients and referring physicians in a compassionate and professional environment. To perform 170,000 diagnostic imaging services and interventional radiology a year, we integrated the most advanced medical imaging technology.

 The Interventional Radiology impressive list services include: advanced vein vare (sic) including venous sclerotherapy, diagnostic angiography, endovascular stent graft repair of thoracic, abdominal & pelvic aneurysms, endovascular stent graft repair of aneurysms, transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts, uterine artery embolization, tubal cannulization (for fertility treatment), kyphoplasty, interventional oncology (including chemoembolization, RF ablation), and thyroid biopsies.

All of those words are wasted because; Interventional Radiology Scheduling does not answer their phone. I spent all afternoon today (10/20/17) trying to schedule an appointment. My doctor’s office also tried. We were only able to leave messages requesting a return call. I left two phone numbers and received zero calls back.

People do not call Intervention Radiology for insignificant procedures. It is not like calling a salon to schedule a pedicure or Dominos to order a pizza.

Before this wasted afternoon, I was feeling good. I had taken action. Gotten the results of an ultra sound and was taking the next step. I would schedule a thyroid biopsy and get on with life.

Good intentions notwithstanding, I couldn’t schedule anything. I have no recourse until with VHC IR until 8AM Monday morning. I am left feeling helpless and annoyed.

Annoyed enough to ask my doctor to send me a copy of the order and find another hospital – and I do have choices in this area – to do the biopsy and provide any follow up treatments.

This evening I am embarrassed to call VHC “My Hospital”.

/signed/

PS: The ultra sound people were super. They answered the phone, had me in for an appointment and the results were back to my doctor in less than 24 hours.