"Difficulty making an ultrasound appointment"

I recently attempted to book a 12 week ultrasound with Tom Price medical imaging. I spoke to a staff member who asked me if I was having the harmony test done, which I confirmed I was. They then informed me I would not be able to have the scan done at 12 weeks as the protocol was 14 weeks as the anatomy measurements would be more accurate for the sonographer to coincide with my harmony test.

I explained to the staff member more than once that this was a separate scan requested by my obstetrician and fertility clinic. I explained I have an IVF pregnancy and that I am High risk and would be having more frequent ultrasounds than a spontaneous pregnancy.

My referral from my obstetrician states it is for a 12 week ultrasound. The staff member still refused to make an appointment for me at 12 weeks. I spent nearly 15 minutes on the phone trying to reason with them but they continued to tell me their protocol was that I couldn’t have the scan until I was 14 weeks because I was having the harmony test.

This was very upsetting for me, trying to access the public health system in and seemingly being denied. They asked me if I’d like them to speak to my obstetrician- which I declined.

I then called my obstetrician and spoke to the fertility clinic. They both confirmed the scan was required and that another would be required around 14-15 weeks.

10 minutes later the staff member called me back saying they could book me in for the 12 week ultrasound as per my referral but the sonographer had said the results would be suboptimal due to me only being 12 weeks pregnant. Again I tried to explain to the staff member that I would be having another scan at 14-15 weeks as confirmed by my obstetrician. I recall they kept pressing the point that my 12 week scan would be suboptimal. 

To live in a remote town of WA and to seemingly be denied public health services or having to fight for them is extremely upsetting. An appointment that I feel should have taken me 5 mins to make has caused me unnecessary stress and upset instead. The resources are limited here. We can’t have our babies here and have to leave town at 35 weeks. When routine appointments are made difficult unnecessarily, I feel, it adds unwanted stress and potential added costs for me to seek out the care I require/need for yourself and my baby.

I hope my feedback/complaint helps the next pregnant woman in a remote town trying to access basic health services.