How to get the GP to respond to the new MC facility’s request for info?

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L

Ludmila Asked October 2021

How to get the GP to respond to the new MC facility’s request for info?

We are trying to move MIL from her current place ( adult family home ) to a memory care facility. She complains about her current place being too boring and too quiet. We found a memory care facility for her and started the application process. The MC sent a nurse to evaluate MIL. We did the financials etc. everything is fine, a room is available.

Now the only hold up is that the memory facility needs a general medical information form done by the GP. They sent it to the GP’s office and it’s been 2 weeks already. We keep calling and asking about it and they’re just sitting on it.

GP is part of a big hospital system. It’s very difficult to reach him in person. We have to go through the hospital’s trees to reach someone, who might be a staff in the main office. They are always nice on the phone but are of no help to have this issue resolved at all.

Any suggestions about how to get this done? MC can’t hold this room forever and we’re running out of time,

Assisted Living Geriatric Doctors Memory Care

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score 7 · Answer 1

An in office visit does make it harder to refuse to fill out a form.
And the MD gets paid for the office visit but not for filling out a form.
In many offices someone on staff fills out the form, the MD reviews and signs it.
Is it practical to go to the office yourself, without your mother, and ask to speak to the practice manager? Or maybe see if you can get the practice manager on the phone?
Or send the form with delivery confirmation..you will know when the form arrived at the office (hopefully.)
Finally, if this MD has not seen your mother in the past 6 months, he may not be wiling to fill out the form as he does not know her current status.
Sorry this is such a big hurdle for you and your mom.

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score 5 · Answer 2

Can you make an appointment to take her in to see the doctor?

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This was my first thought, too! It’s harder to refuse a reasonable request in person.

(3)

score 5 · Answer 3

I had a problem once with a PCP who treated my father in a hospital but wasn't in town to sign the home care order.   I asked the small (2 women) office staff to ask the partner to sign. I was told that Dad wasn't his patient.

I don't recall if the home care agency called but I believe they did.   And the office staff was still balking.   That's when I got aggressive and asked if they would prefer that I find someone else entirely to handle Dad's care and they would lose him as their patient. Apparently that worked, and the order was signed.

Perhaps you might ask the admin staff at the MC to call the doctor's office and let them know that care is being held up b/c the forms can't be signed.   They (or you) could also ask why someone else in the practice can't sign.   In my experience, doctors can go on vacation, or be unavailable, but they arrange for a back-up. Apparently this practice doesn't, but it should.   To me, that's bad practice and unacceptable.    What if an emergency arose?

Maybe if you sweetly asked for a recommendation to another GP practice, then they'd get the hint. There is NO excuse in my opinion for their failure to comply. And given that you're seeing this now, would it be appropriate to consider finding a different practice in the event issues arise in the future?

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score 5 · Answer 4

Tell the Memory Care facility about the problem and see if they can make a call to explain things. They may have a relationship with the hospital and can cut through the red tape. If that isn't going to work then I'd call the GP's office, or even stop by the GP's office, and tell them that you'll be coming by tomorrow to pick up the forms that you dropped off two weeks ago. Then I'd show up and not leave until I had the form in hand. Just prepare to sit there until the end of the day. Take a book and be pleasant, but also be an immovable object. You aren't leaving until you have the forms. I've had to do this and as long as you are pleasant but FIRM it usually works.

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score 5 · Answer 5

I fax everything in writing to the doctor. My mom’s doctor would not respond even with a DPOA and Health Care Surrogate. I wrote out what I needed. Faxed them the DPOA and Health Care surrogate and then I resent it every day. When I sent it out the second time. I wrote at the top friendly reminder 2nd request, then 3rd request, etc. They responded and told me they did not have a form. That was completed and then they responded to the facility. I got mom on the in-house doctors/nurses program immediately.

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score 3 · Answer 6

If the doctor is part of a hospital system, I'd contact the ombudsman and/or administrators at the hospital, by phone, email, and/or social media.

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score 3 · Answer 7

Do you or can you sign up for online access to your records? I have an online account and I can see anything in my file, even including annual wellness results.

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score 3 · Answer 8

The MC unit can request the records. Its just a matter of you signing a form saying its OK for them to request the info. Then you sign something with the PCP saying its OK to release that info. I have it right now that a doctor asked if it was OK to send my results to my PCP and I signed a form.

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score 3 · Answer 9

Let the MC facility know what is delaying you and ask if there are any alternative ways to get this evaluation. Try scheduling an appointment with the doctor for this purpose (evaluation and fill out form) with the doctor and bring a copy of the form with you? Make sure you get a copy for your own files when the form is complete.

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