Discussion with Doctor's receptionists

[Fluffyone]

I object to having the receptionist ask, every time I book an appointment, "Can I ask what you need to see the Doctor about?". When I say "No, I'd rather not discuss it." she says "OK, I'll put it down as personal." Well, all of my visits to the doctor are personal, and none of them need to be discussed with the receptionist.
What do you think?

They all ask this, don't they?! I think they are meant to ask - the doctor probably would like an idea before hand so can read up on the relevant bits of your file if need be.

Just keep doing what you're doing. They can ask, but you don't have to tell them. Maybe if everyone does this, they'll get the hint and stop asking intrusive questions!

That's not true. Receptionists don't need to know and the doctor can look it up when you are there if it is important. If you go regularly, then the doctor will already know.

Confidentiality and all that. If you are a docs receptionist and you are found looking in a file that you don't need to, you can be disciplined, even fired.

At ours the receptionists never ask. They have a triage system though so will ask the nurse to phone you back to see whether it's something that can be dealt with over the phone.

Of course they can look it up at the time, I just thought that the receptionist asks as it could save time at the appointment kind of thing. I always say it's personal too was just trying to see if from the receptionist side. I've always been asked at several different surgeries so thought maybe it was standard to ask, rather than it being a nosy receptonist.

Of course they are told to ask, they probably have a basic triage system, I hardly think they are so nosey they just decide off their own bat to ask everyone what is the matter before giving an appointment.

I am a dental receptionist and have to ask everyone to describe the problem, if they have toothache. I also have to ask people for the reason if they miss an appointment, people get really annoyed sometimes and I HATE asking, but have to.

Receptionists at DH's practice ask this because often the doctors' appointments are all booked up but there's a very long list of things that can be seen by the nurses, so instead of having to tell people there's no space, they could say "I can offer you an appointment with the nurse in an hour".

i really have no problems at all telling them and sometimes go into detail. when i was having a miscarriage i told them straight up and they were fantastic

I never get asked if I ask for an appointment, I do if I ask for a call back but since my GP has been so fantastic (home visits, calls daily when I was really ill), I don't mind telling them.

Saying that, I have asthma, I might've minded more if I had a problem green fanny.

Well you just say no if you don't want to share.

It's so they can offer you the help you need. You might want a smear or a coil out or something and they can book you in with a nurse and save the appointment with a doctor for somebody who needs it.

They don't force you to act out your illness in the waiting room through the medium of mime, so unclench and have a biscuit fgs.

I would go so far as to say i HIGHLY doubt they even WANT to ask people, as most people will get shirty about telling them..who wants a mouthful of abuse/an attitude from someone on phone if they don't have to.

Yes, they probably have no interest in Mr Smith's raging pile problem and Mrs Brown's problematic hanging flap.

people's preconceptions about receptionists often astound me, they are usually just people doing a job they are paid to do, following the rules of the practice and probably getting lots of grief from the public for doing so.

Don't know why everyone is so huffy about Drs receptionists. When I had mastitis they had no appointments all day, then when I said what it was for and that I was in agony and couldn't feed my baby they managed to fit me in.
Are you so full of your own importance that you think the receptionists are one iota interested in what's wrong with you, other than to do their job ?

I don't for one minute think the receptionists are asking for their personal entertainment.
Just curious if anyone else finds the routine question as irritating as I do.

"through the medium of mime"

SOH, you are so funny

I hope you don't take it out on the poor beleaguered receptionist though.

Ours ask in case your problem can be dealt with by the nurse or a pharmacist.

But ours are lovely and remember all my children's names and how big they were when they were born so I don't mind .

"I hope you don't take it out on the poor beleaguered receptionist though. "
Why would I? Does it sound as if I took it out on anybody?
Interesting how some surgeries seem to have this as an essential question, while others have no need for it to be asked at all isn't it?

..or she will be acting something else out through the medium of mime while you are on the phone!!

Fluffyone - oh, it's just lots of people do, maybe I am just embittered!!

I bet they'd rather not ask.

I live in a pokey small town, I hate it, and complain about it often but one thing I cannot fault is the GP Practice.

It is incredibly efficient, with appointments from 7.30am, to 7pm (depending on days) pre-bookable appointments, appointments on the day, always emergency appointments, call backs, home visits, nurses who deal with minor ailments.

It is a great practice, but for this, you sometimes have to help by disclosing your illness over the phone.

Of course if it is highly personal, you can say, but the receptionists will have heard it as many time as the doctors, and really, probably won't care.

Maybe she's probably got her hand over the phone going "Mrs Fluffy again - and pointing to her bum".