Sometimes I wish I wasn't as nice and patient as I am. For instance, I visited my local health department to get LP ready for school. She needed three immunizations so she would be ready to go in August. I weighed my options, should I take her to the health department or the pediatrician? Schools in MS require that a form from the health department be filled out and signed to verify that that student has completed all immunizations and it's free, so the health department it was.
Day 1: Since we are out for the summer, our days have been very relaxed. We get up and out at 1:00 p.m. and when I get to building, I find it has been moved out to Brown Ferry Road. I have no idea where that is so I call and get the worst directions in America. I just drive aimlessly and am surprised when I find it. When I walk through the door, I see about six people and one in with the receptionist. Since they go by the number system, I wait for the lady to come out of the office. After fifteen minutes of waiting, I take it out as a sign of things to come and leave.
Day 2: We get up and out a bit earlier...11:00 a.m. We make it to the building, get a number and sit and sit and sit. I'm number 15, they call number 10 in for paperwork. I have a discussion with several women who are waiting and find out this is how it always is, no matter what time you arrive, you have to wait. They apparently have a new intercom system because they "test" it a million times! You hear the speaker come on, hold your breath that they are about to call the next number and they say "TEST." I thought I was going to lose my mind. At 12:30, they call number 15, I walk to the receptionist and she asks what service I need. I could have sworn I told her my daughter needed immunizations for school. When I tell her again, she announces that the nurse is about to go on her lunch break. I was very near my melting point...don't they understand I've been waiting for an hour and a half, with two kids and I have to do more waiting? They ask me if I can come back at 2:00 and I just want to slap them! But I don't, I ask if I will have to do more waiting and they assure me that I won't, I can walk straight in, so I agree.
Day 2 (again): I walk in and there sits about five people and of course, someone is in the office with the receptionist. I signal to her that I'm waiting and go to sit and sit and sit. Finally at 2:25, they call number 15 to clinic 3 and the nurse is sitting there waiting. It takes about five minutes for three shots. I must admit DQ was great. She didn't cry until the MMR because it stings a bit when it's injected. We go to the receptionist and she takes the form and asks me if I'll be paying today. Paying today? I thought they were free. No, fees are based on a sliding scale, my scale...$30. By this point, I'm boiling, but I just write a check and get the heck out with shot record in hand. I do plan to download a complaint form though. I don't expect much to come of it, afterall, I was told that that is the norm when dealing with the MS State Health Department.
1 comment:
Oh my god. I think I would have thrown that pen like a dart into the wall. No wonder people avoid going to those places because the wait would drive you insane.
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