I am under the care of 14 doctors. The ONLY one I have an occasional problem with is the ob/gyn. Babies don't look at schedules....

I'd be looking for a different doctor(s); no sense being frustrated 50% of the time!

I had a lot of trouble with my GP's office staff.......the doc blamed it on "Obama" care.
He also blamed his less than 5 minute appointment time to the same thing.
interesting to note the same problems existed before the ACA.
I changed docs. The office staff is wonderful and I will see the doc in several weeks.
I think it is time for you to make a formal, written complaint and if nothing changes, change docs.
It is very frustrating, isn't it?

I had a lot of trouble with my GP's office staff.......the doc blamed it on "Obama" care.
He also blamed his less than 5 minute appointment time to the same thing.
interesting to note the same problems existed before the ACA.
I changed docs. The office staff is wonderful and I will see the doc in several weeks.
I think it is time for you to make a formal, written complaint and if nothing changes, change docs.
It is very frustrating, isn't it?

I don't have problems like that, I am under care of several specialist and my primary care physician, if I experienced that kind of rate I would find a better situation. That's really unacceptable. I would check the comments on the online sites to see what others are saying about your doctors office. Just Google the doctors name.

I have never had to cancel any kind of appointments other than this colonoscopy. I have had a doctor reschedule me twice for the ob-gyn office which is totally understandable. And once for the rheumatologist when she had a personal family emergency. I am good friends with her so had no problems with that. Mine was not any type of emergency appointment.

Those are accepted situations. Some thing is seriously wrong in your case.

I've never had those problems at my dr's office and it is a large practice. Your sounds pretty disorganized and unless I really loved my dr I would look elsewhere.

For the PF.....use arch supports in your shoes. The problem really isn't your heel (where the pain is) it's your arch. The only thing that solved the problem for me and ended the pain for good were cortisone shots...that was nearly 20 years ago and no problems since.

I went to one that was like that. It was a very large clinic with 25 or 30 doctors. The receptionist told me I came on the wrong date and it was the right date, I had the card at home. Things like that happened to often and I found it was to impersonal. I found another medical office with no more than 4 doctors.

Wow...guess I'm just lucky. Have NEVER had that happen. Trying to think, but off the top of my head, I'd say I see about six different doctors and dentists in a year...some multiple times.

I agree with the others who said to look into another office. If they screw up your appointments, what other mischief might happen?

Alice, I wouldn't tolerate that kind of service from a professional office. My cardiologist does occasionally keep me waiting, but his practice is open to emergencies. I do make an allowance for him, figuring then if I ever had an emergency, it's nice to know he'd drop what he was doing and see me first.

DH's primary care doctor does keep him waiting. And the man spends most of the appointment gossiping and gabbing from what DH tells me, no wonder he runs over time allowed with his patients. DH only sees him once a year or I might be pushing for a new doctor for him.

My BIL went to Europe last summer and packed just two pairs of his size 15 1/2 shoes, they take up too much space. He spent almost two months trekking around in Teva sandals and came home with planters fasciitis. He had some kind of medication he took at night, possibly a muscle relaxant? I know he didn't take it in the daytime. He went many times to physical therapy and part of the therapy was foot massage that he came to greatly enjoy. He did the rolling of the frozen water bottle too so that advice must be typical. It was a lot of weeks before it resolved itself, in the meantime he was in obvious pain and limping but much better now - however, its been almost 6 months in healing.

I think that the office staff has a lot to do with how things are handled. Sadly, I had to give up on my PCP after going to him for 37 years. There had been a change in staff...and I have noticed three of them laughing, drinking sodas, letting the machine take the calls, and "having a good party".

Then I had an emergency...sent two emails...tried to call numerous times...and finally, my daughter called and said. "If any of you ladies are near the phone, I have an emergency...and told them the problem". Immediately, one answered and said to get me to the ER immediately!

If the doctor never gets the message, how is he to know there is a problem?

I've only had ONE dr that I began to hate! would make a 2 pm appt and see him at midnight! I kid you not! ever had a lades test at 12? he was a fantastic oncology surgeon, but booked beyond belief! after 2 years of this, I quit...of course my primary care rolls her eyes at paps at 68, but even though everything is gone I still insist...

today was the longest I've had to wait for my boob oncologist...2 weeks with 3 day work-weeks put them in a pickle, and had to wait an hour...but on the good side? we are now only doing 1 appt a year after my mammo...!!! yea!

I have not had too many problems with scheduling.

Be aware that most large clinics (and hospitals) have a patient relations or patient liaison person who might help forge a way to a more efficient system. I appealed to mine about their scheduling of lab draws. I offered a better system and the patient liaison person answered me indicating that my changes were put into effect.

If no one in charge knows that there is a problem, then it cannot get fixed. Find out who 'fixes' things.

You've had a lot of trouble with your appointments. I never have that problem. I hope they don't tell you it's cancelled when you get there. I'm so sorry; it must be very frustrating.

Plantar Fascitis--it's painful, isn't it? Linked below is a youtube video which is helpful. There is a lot of other info about exercises on youtube and on the internet. My suggestion is that you always wear soft shoes, never go barefoot on hard surfaces. Even in the shower, rest your foot on a folded hand towel (careful, don't trip). What helped me most of all was a couple trips to a therapeutic masseuse. Good luck. Sometimes it takes a long time to go away.

P.S. I got one of those contraptions to keep the foot flexed while sleeping. Maybe they work, but I could not sleep with that thing on my foot.

Here is a link that might be useful: PF exercises

This post was edited by socks12345 on Mon, Dec 29, 14 at 20:55

I had a bout of the PF five years ago - used a can of corn for a year - rolled it every chance I sat down - did it for over a year and still wear orthotics that I buy at walmart or shoes with arch supports. I never go barefoot either - was told I should never go barefoot...

I've never encountered long waits, miscommunications here (not like back East) and I go to one of our hospitals for everything. It's like a well oiled machine. Must be the new system of record keeping which is a real model of efficiency - I have labs, doctor's appointments, and infusions all scheduled one right after the other and every stop along the way has all my records, medical histories, Rx drugs etc. on their computer screens; they know exactly why I'm there. The only thing I have to do is tell them my name and birthdate as a reference check while they scan the wrist band fastened on at the reception desk. They're busy, but I seem to luck out and get in right away since the doctors need the blood reports, etc. by the time I show up at my next destination.

We had a new doctor take over our doctors practice and the same thing happened. She was, I think just overwhelmed...I finally just changed doctors...now I have a wonderful Nurse Practitioner that I see in a local doctors office...I love her.

I haven't had the long-wait problem in a long time, and never a cancellation. (Kaiser.) I used to see a breast surgeon and she usually had a wait, but that's because she was soooo wonderful and understood the fear. I didn't begrudge one minute because she always took her time with great care.

I've had pf three times and these things are key to me:

Stretching the toe end of the foot back as far as possible, (flexing,) often. Feels good too. Most important before getting out of bed or a chair if sitting awhile.

Wearing only shoes with a good arch support--inserts work well--and a little heel so that the toe area is lower than the heel area to take pressure off the heel.

Never going without shoes.

I found rolling my foot on and iced pop bottle painful, so I didn't do it. When I had it very badly one time, I bought Z-Coil shoes with a spring in the heel. There are probably other brands that have this as well. They were what made it possible to walk at one point.

Walking on cement a lot is what seems to bring mine on. Good luck!

I haven't had this problem yet. But my insurance company has let me know that my kidney doctor, dermatologist, eye doctor or the nearest hospital are not covered by my plan. so I am looking for new doctors and a close hospital.
Mary

Thank you all for the PF information and suggestions. I will start immediately, and I (supposedly) have a podiatrist appointment at the end of the month.

Not so funny, the dentist called today and had my husband's appointment wrong. However, it all ended well after a second call from the dentist that they can get us both in after work next week, which is more convenient for us anyway.

I will look into another doctor's office/group. I think this one is just too large, and I have had the same complaints before. It's ideal timing anyway, as I have to find a new GP since ours is leaving.