No. No you may not.
I work in a diagnostic center in central scheduling. Had a patient call in today. We received the order from her doctor on 8/19 and have been unsuccessfully trying to reach her to schedule.
When I offered her an appointment a few days out, she was a little upset, but I let her know we needed to wait on her insurance authorization, so I scheduled it out to give them time.
Patient: Can I offer constructive criticism?
Me: Um, sure go ahead.
Patient: When you received this request on the 19th, don’t you think you should have requested the authorization then? Wouldn’t that be proactive?
ME: Ma’am, we don’t request authorization until we make an appointment. We have patients that don’t want to do exams at all or would prefer to do them in a hospital or another facility. We won’t do anything without the patient’s permission.
Patient: Oh. Well yeah I guess just schedule me for that date. I may just go to the ER if I can’t wait.
Me: OK. You’re welcome to do that, ma’am.
**Verifies the rest of the details I need and scheduled.
Also, if you’re doctor ordered it on 8/19 and it’s now 8/26, it doesn’t suddenly become an emergency to schedule you. You waited to get back to us. Gtfo.
