Incompetent Doctor

I had a blood test today. It only took an entire week to organise! I can't believe how hopeless the health system can be!

I knew I wanted to have the Nuchal Translucency test and that I had to have a blood test at about 9 - 10 weeks pregnant, followed by the ultrasound at about 11-12 weeks pregnant. So I went to my GP for a referral. The saga begins...

Thursday 29 Jan
I go to my GP to request the referral. He seems to have no idea what to do, but eventually scrawls a referral on a slip of paper and puts it in an envelope addressed to "The Ultrasound Specialist " at the hospital where I am booked in for the birth.

I ring the hospital and get a recorded message: "we don't make appointments over the phone; fax your referral to us...". So I photograph the referral and email it to DeepSpice so he can fax it from work for me.

Late in the afternoon, I get a call back from the hospital: "we don't provide ultrasounds except for patients with a medical history of pregnancy complications". (At least the woman from the hospital was helpful enough to give me the name of some other clinics which I could go to.)

I phone the clinic where I had the ultrasound done with my first pregnancy. They were incredibly helpful and booked me in straight away. But advised me that I would still needed to separately arrange the blood test. So back to the GP for a pathology request... but too late today and I am at work on Friday, so it has to wait till Monday now.

Monday 2nd Feb
Receptionist: "The doctor is not in until tomorrow, can you come back then and pick up the pathology request?" Well, since I have no choice... Then the receptionist says to ring before I come in, to make sure it is ready. Why they can't at least have the courtesy to phone me, seeing it is their doctor who has stuffed up?

Tuesday 3rd Feb
I phone up the doctor's office once BallFiend is in bed for his afternoon nap and am told, "the doctor hasn't done it yet but he knows about it and it will definitely be ready this afternoon". Great. By the time BallFiend wakes, it is too late to go and collect the pathology request. Will now have to wait till Thursday (as I am at work on Wednesday), and it is getting very close to the end of my 10th week of pregnancy when the blood sample is supposed to be taken.

Thursday 5th Feb
I don't bother ringing - just go straight to the GP at 9.30 am. The receptionist looks in my file, but can't find the pathology request. She asks "did the doctor say it was ready to collect?". Idiot. She is the person I spoke to on Tuesday who told me it would definitely be ready by Tuesday afternoon. It isn't ready. She asks me to sit and wait till the GP finishes with his current patient. A few minutes later, I am summoned into his office.

He still has no idea what test to order. Argh!! I suggest he ring the place where I am having the ultrasound done and ask them. He does, but they are unable to help. Then, he decides to go and ask the Obstetrician who just happens to be consulting in the medical clinic today (lucky for me!). Finally some success!

I take my hard-won pathology request slip and head down the road to the collection centre. The pathology centre is efficient and the staff are great, and it only hurts a teeny little bit. What hurts more is that I had to pay $50 for the GP consultation (OK, I'll get some back on Medicare, but still!)

This whole saga makes me think that it would have been so much simpler to go as private patient for my antenatal care. If I had an obstetrician, I am sure this whole thing would have been routine. However, I made the decision to go public again and I am happy with it overall.