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I got an automated message an hour ago saying that my telemedicine appointment with my psychiatrist tomorrow had been cancelled. I poked at MyChart, which identified the reason for cancellation as "provider," and saw that I couldn't use MyChart to book a new appointment with that doctor.
So, I waited a few minutes, then picked up the phone, dialed the appropriate number, and told the switchboard "outpatient psychiatry, please." I have no idea why that's the most effective way to call that office, but it is, and is so noted in my contacts list. I was pleasantly surprised to be offered a choice of tomorrow or Friday, and then of morning or afternoon. So, that was nice and simple, and I'm pleased I had the spoons to treat this as "call soon, I think they close at 4:30" rather than putting it off and hoping I'd hear from them about rescheduling.
All my appointments with this doctor have been and will continue to be telemedicine; she doesn't even have an office in Massachusetts. This is definitely a pandemic-related change, and I don't know whether it would be possible elsewhere in the United States. In an ideal universe, I would have the option of in-person, unmasked psychiatry appointments. In this universe, having tried both, Zoom without masks was better than in-person with, and I wouldn't have taken an unmasked appointment in the doctor's office if it had been offered.
So, I waited a few minutes, then picked up the phone, dialed the appropriate number, and told the switchboard "outpatient psychiatry, please." I have no idea why that's the most effective way to call that office, but it is, and is so noted in my contacts list. I was pleasantly surprised to be offered a choice of tomorrow or Friday, and then of morning or afternoon. So, that was nice and simple, and I'm pleased I had the spoons to treat this as "call soon, I think they close at 4:30" rather than putting it off and hoping I'd hear from them about rescheduling.
All my appointments with this doctor have been and will continue to be telemedicine; she doesn't even have an office in Massachusetts. This is definitely a pandemic-related change, and I don't know whether it would be possible elsewhere in the United States. In an ideal universe, I would have the option of in-person, unmasked psychiatry appointments. In this universe, having tried both, Zoom without masks was better than in-person with, and I wouldn't have taken an unmasked appointment in the doctor's office if it had been offered.