So, this was my day...

Dear Dr. J:

I write to apprise you of an experience I had this morning at your office. I came in for a 9:00 appointment for my ten-month-old, Noah, to have his second dose of the influenza vaccine. When he received his first dose on August 31, I signed some paperwork that stated, if I may paraphrase, that if he did not return for a second dose between thirty and forty-five days, his reserved second dose could be given to another patient. Therefore, when I arrived this morning for his appointment scheduled a month ago, I did not even question whether he would be able to get his second flu shot.

When I checked in, the receptionist asked if he was there only for the vaccinations, and I responded that yes, he was just getting his second flu vaccine. I then waited for forty minutes, fearful that he might be exposed to the swine flu or other illnesses carried by some of the sick children in the waiting area. Finally, after waiting patiently, I went up to the window and asked how much longer I should expect to wait. A nurse overheard and told me that they were completely out of the flu vaccine. She asked me who had told me that a vaccine would be reserved for my son, and when I responded that it was in writing, she looked at the paperwork and confirmed. However, she stated that they were unable to reserve any flu vaccinations for anyone, and that I could not be guaranteed a vaccine in the near future. All I could do, she said, was call in about a week.

I left the office infuriated that I was not only promised a vaccination in writing and did not receive it, but also that I was subjected to a long, unnecessary wait. I returned later to obtain copies of Noah’s records, and was able to speak to the office manager. When I related my experience to her, she responded, “I’m sure someone explained to you that the manufacturer ran out of the vaccination and did not ship our expected supply.” No, actually, no one bothered to explain this to me. When I asked her why I did not receive a phone call, canceling my appointment, she said that the appointment on the schedule only said “shots” and did not specify that it was for the influenza vaccination.

I have had positive experiences since before Noah was born with you and your staff. I believe you are competent, and I feel comfortable bringing Noah to you or L.B. However, I am extremely dissatisfied with the disorganization of your appointment schedulers and, particularly, your office manager. I wasted time and gas this morning, and was hard-pressed to locate anyone in the area who would vaccinate Noah on such short notice. This entire fiasco could have been avoided if the record-keeping was more specific and the staff took responsibility for keeping patients informed. The receptionist who checked me in should have, at the very least, informed me that the vaccine was unavailable. Also, since the office stated in writing that a vaccination would be held for my son, his name should have been placed on a waiting list for the next shipment. I do not see why someone who scheduled an appointment is not permitted to reserve the vaccination. I hope these problems will be resolved in the future, and that I will not be so inconvenienced by your staff again.
Thank you.