I have burnout when it comes to scheduling tests and appointments for my 91 year old mother. I cannot allow her to participate because she doesn't hear well and has poor cognitive functioning and screws up even the smallest messages. My sister, her other caretaker has cancer and cannot handle the stress of this so I am trying to take over but between the endless voicemail menus and pushing one for this, and two for that, and three for this and then dealing with incompetent people I get very annoyed and it shows in my voice because I become condescending and hostile and people refer to it as 'yelling' regardless of whether or not I've raised the tone of my voice a single octave. This gives them the moral high ground to then do their job as poorly as the day is long. In other words I let them get to me. My sister is still the technical emergency contact for my mother, and I've told her that only one person can do this because the splitting that then ensues on the part of these passive aggressive people is appalling. I hate to make her do all of it because she has cancer, but then I have chronic and serious illnesses too. I don't know if anyone else has been in this position.
Does Mom really need all these appts. I cut back on my Moms. Once her Specialists got her problem under control, I cut down on how often she went. From 6 months to a year. Her PCP I took for prescription refills only unless she was sick.
I guess I am lucky when I call my doctors office I get a "central scheduling" person that will check the doctors schedule for openings and I make appointments that way. I also call and if I have a question they will relay that to the office and someone will call me back so I am not on hold or having to press numerous buttons to talk to someone.
The Patient Portals might be the way to go so both you and your sister can have access to the Portal and view information so you are both "in the loop" if you switch off taking Mom to the doctor.
They are the only ones in my area who make house calls, so we’re stuck. But I’m using them for very basic care for him and prescription refills.