Pet Peeves - May 2012

Night Game. Patients who leave a long message overnight explaining what they need and why, but by the time you manage to get to the end there isn’t a name, birthday, or phone number to go by. (Provide your best advice for how to handle this situation in the space to the right and you'll be entered into a drawing to win an iPad!)

Help Me Help You. I hate when patients do not take the time to learn about their own prescription coverage. I don’t know if you switched plans!

Impatient Patients. When patients get annoyed with us because their physician takes too long to call us back to authorize a refill.

Quick Fix. Patients who want an OTC recommendation for “stress” or “tiredness.” They want something to take now and don’t want to hear that the symptoms could mean an underlying health issue.

Dental Hygiene. Dear dentist, just because you happen to be overseeing students at the dental school today, that does not mean you should be using the school’s DEA number on your prescriptions. And please do not give me the school’s NPI number either. You have your own numbers. Use them!