Answering Phones

Full disclosure: This is a rant. If you can't handle a little frustration about the lack of humanity, just skip it my darlings.

I could make a full time job of answering my house phone these days. Multiple people call during the 9 to 5 hours and the conversation follows a basic script.

Me: Hello?
Caller: ....um, am I calling a doctor's office? (irritated and thoroughly confused)
Me: Well, yes. This was Doctor Kittrell's office line but we've forwarded it to our house now. He's no longer in practice. (I can't really bring myself to say the alternative to strangers)
Caller: Yeah I know he passed away. I just need  ___________ (usually 'my records transferred' or 'the new doctor's number'). 
Me: Alright. I've got Doctor S's number, he can help you with either.

First of all, we sent these expensive, legally mandated letters TWICE to every patient he saw in the last two years. It cost us thousands of dollars to inform these people of the steps to take to find a new doctor or how to contact Doctor S (who took over the practice) for their records or an appointment. Either way, we are no longer in charge. So if they were recent and consistent patients, they have TWO letters at their house with his phone number. Get it together people.

Another thing, if you are aware of the situation and I revealed you are now calling our HOUSE, you are probably speaking to a family member! Sometimes they are sympathetic and their prior knowledge of his death goes more like, "Oh, yes I'm sorry. You must be his daughter? He was a wonderful doctor." But usually the subtext is more, "Yeah, fully aware. Just fix this." RUDE! I've been tempted to say at the end of the conversation, "You know, I'm sure you are frustrated you've got to find a new doctor, but he was my dad. There are lots of doctors, but I only had one dad. That's all." Unfortunately I have no such courage.

If I let it go to the answering machine, they don't leave a message. Shocker. I'm sure they think his office is still open or something, it's just frustrating being treated with such disrespect when I feel like I make it pretty clear they are speaking to his family. It has been five months, but there are still such strong triggers for my anger or sadness, and this is definitely one of them. Rude anonymous callers, speaking to me as if it's my fault they need to find a new doctor and have waited half a year to do so.

Alright, out of my system. I promise to be more enlightened or positive or clever next time. But you know, sometimes you've just got to make a public display of your frustration with insensitivity. To dad's former patients: he LIVED to work, he loved you, so be nice to those he left behind.