Dr. Feelgood!

Monday November 28

Today I have an appointment at Regina Maria. I am fully aware that this will be largely a waste of time, but it’s the only way I see into their system. What I need is a doctor to say that my hip should be x-rayed and then come back and have it checked.

This is fine, entering a new system and all that. Except you pay for the privilege for getting the right to do what you know needs done. But worse, the system will make it difficult.

The doctor is friendly, equally seems to clearly know what he’s doing. He’s happy with the information I’ve brought, and on observation agrees that it looks like nothing is wrong. The fact that I have no pain confirming this thought. On the other hand, he can only really know with the help of the x-ray. I knew this and fair enough, there may be signs there of problems to come.

The next step is to make an appointment. I’m already in the hospital, you’d think the reception could arrange this. But no, I need to reach the call centre. OK, on the surface not a huge problem, but hey, I’m here, solve my problem! Don’t make me do something else!

Anyway, I get home and on the way I remembered I could do this online. However, it’s not that simple and it turns out they should call me. They do, but I’m not in the same room as the phone, miss the call. Do they call back? No. So we’re back where we started. Doing the work for them. And I will pay for this privilege. I am a valued customer, after all.