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Waiting list contact

Posted By wearingdx59

"Waiting list contact"

About: Fremantle Hospital and Health Service / Surgical Specialty

(as the patient),

Hello!

I got a letter from Fremantle hospital’s Waitlist & Booking Service saying that I have been placed in a waiting list. All good.

However, I was told (and is on the letter also) that when contacted by telephone I’ll see no phone number to enable me to call back if I miss the call, and consequently, after two calls I’ll be removed from the waiting list.

I have been so far waiting for 3 months on a Gastroenterology consultation for an Endoscopy and Colonoscopy and for the next 90 days I expect to receive a phone call or two with no return number if necessary.

Is that fair? Putting a sick person on stress not knowing if after 6 months they’ll be attended by the doctor specialist?

I understand stress is one of the main reasons for stomach and intestines problems amongst other pathologies. In my opinion, the department is causing it to get worse just because it's apparently simpler to make a phone call and write a placing off if not attended for some reason, and therefore the sick person like myself has to return to bookings and doctor’s consultations for another 180 days causing the sick person to be in yet more stress and sicker.

How hard would that be to send a letter with dates instead of phone calls that can or cannot be attended and cannot be returned? Wouldn’t that be more soothing for the sick person? Isn't a hospital a place to take care of and treat the sick?

Kind regards

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Responses

Response from Neil Doverty, Executive Director Fiona Stanley and Fremantle Hospitals Group, South Metropolitan Health Service 3 years ago
Neil Doverty
Executive Director Fiona Stanley and Fremantle Hospitals Group,
South Metropolitan Health Service

Submitted on 15/01/2021 at 5:01 PM
Published on Care Opinion at 5:59 PM

picture of Neil Doverty

Dear Luso,

Thank you for taking the time to provide us with your valuable feedback. I am sorry to hear of the stress you are experiencing.

I am aware of the issue with phone calls made from our hospital sites (both Fiona Stanley and Fremantle) being unlisted and therefore appearing as “private”, and the difficulty this causes for some patients particularly when calls are missed. We have been looking at ways to display a number or at least the name of the hospital, however this is taking longer than anticipated. We are unable to provide you with a phone number in advance as clinicians are not provided with the same desk/phone line for all appointments.

When patients are booked for an elective surgery, they are phoned (from a private number) if booked at short notice (within 2 weeks of surgical date). If patients do not answer, when possible a voicemail is left with a return number, followed by a text message to advise of same. If patients are booked with a surgical date greater than two weeks away, a booking letter is sent via post. If patients have an email address, a letter can also be sent via email. I hope this information helps to alleviate some of your stress.

An alternative is the “Manage My Care” app. The Manage My Care app gives you greater access to outpatient appointment and referral information and is free to download from the App store or Google Play. Please see here for more information: https://healthywa.wa.gov.au/Articles/J_M/Manage-my-care#:~:text=Manage%20My%20Care%20Manage%20My%20Care%20gives%20you,outpatient%20appointment%20and%20referral%20information%20than%20ever%20before.

In the meantime, as Care Opinion is confidential, I invite you to contact our Patient and Family Liaison Service on 9431 2787 Monday to Friday 8.30 am – 4.30 pm or email FHFeedback@health.wa.gov.au and provide your details so that we can look into your scheduled appointment(s) and find a way to assist you.

Thank you and regards,

Neil Doverty

Executive Director, FSFHG

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