Sinclair319
08-11-2005, 05:10 PM
The RE I go to is at the hospital. The waiting room is shared by OB/GYN patients. I asked my NP about this today and she said they keep trying to get it moved because they know it's not in the patients best interest. She ask that I write a letter to the patient care manager with my concerns. Here's what I've come up with--what would you add? It's a really rough draft--please give me ideas, language, paragraphs etc. I'm not as upset as this letter portrays, but I want it to come across strong. Names have been excluded for privacy.
I am a patient of (NP) and expressed my concern to her this morning. She asked that I also share this with you in hopes of this situation finally being resolved.
In October 2004, I met with (OB nurse) due to having long irregular menstrual cycles. She suspected I have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. Diane ordered the necessary tests and said she would refer me to the Reproductive Medicine unit as there was little she could do for me. The test results confirmed Diane’s diagnosis, however, similar to most insurance companies, I had to have “12 consecutive months of unprotected intercourse with the same male partner” without a pregnancy to receive the infertility diagnosis and coverage.
We tried and waited for help for a year. Finally on July 20, 2005, my husband and I arrived for our consultation with (RE). We were told that he was running 30-45 minutes behind schedule and to have a seat in the waiting room. In the 35 minutes we waited, I counted nine pregnant women (two appeared to be still in high school, one was an inmate from the county jail). I had just been forced to wait a year for coverage and them I am told to wait in a room full of pregnant women—some of which obviously did not have the infertility struggle I have. As a person battling infertility I was very uncomfortable waiting in the same area as other pregnant women. Each minute we waited was a constant reminder of the struggle my husband and I face each day. While in the waiting room I saw a coworker of mine waiting with his pregnant wife for an appointment. He made the assumption that I was also pregnant and asked me later that week when I was due. I am not comfortable disclosing my infertility struggle with most people but due to your waiting room, I was forced to address the situation.
I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and believe this practice is unethical. Infertility patients are suffering enough and do not need this emotional torture and the reminder of their struggle by sitting in the same waiting room as women who require little or no effort to get pregnant.
It is unfair, unethical, and erroneous to keep infertility patients in the same waiting area as regular OB/GYN patients. I strongly urge you to develop a temporary solution (such as adding temporary walls and have infertility patients wait in a different area) while designing a permanent and long-term solution.
Please contact me if you would like to further discuss my concerns.
ETA a word, thanks, Lizard!
I am a patient of (NP) and expressed my concern to her this morning. She asked that I also share this with you in hopes of this situation finally being resolved.
In October 2004, I met with (OB nurse) due to having long irregular menstrual cycles. She suspected I have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. Diane ordered the necessary tests and said she would refer me to the Reproductive Medicine unit as there was little she could do for me. The test results confirmed Diane’s diagnosis, however, similar to most insurance companies, I had to have “12 consecutive months of unprotected intercourse with the same male partner” without a pregnancy to receive the infertility diagnosis and coverage.
We tried and waited for help for a year. Finally on July 20, 2005, my husband and I arrived for our consultation with (RE). We were told that he was running 30-45 minutes behind schedule and to have a seat in the waiting room. In the 35 minutes we waited, I counted nine pregnant women (two appeared to be still in high school, one was an inmate from the county jail). I had just been forced to wait a year for coverage and them I am told to wait in a room full of pregnant women—some of which obviously did not have the infertility struggle I have. As a person battling infertility I was very uncomfortable waiting in the same area as other pregnant women. Each minute we waited was a constant reminder of the struggle my husband and I face each day. While in the waiting room I saw a coworker of mine waiting with his pregnant wife for an appointment. He made the assumption that I was also pregnant and asked me later that week when I was due. I am not comfortable disclosing my infertility struggle with most people but due to your waiting room, I was forced to address the situation.
I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and believe this practice is unethical. Infertility patients are suffering enough and do not need this emotional torture and the reminder of their struggle by sitting in the same waiting room as women who require little or no effort to get pregnant.
It is unfair, unethical, and erroneous to keep infertility patients in the same waiting area as regular OB/GYN patients. I strongly urge you to develop a temporary solution (such as adding temporary walls and have infertility patients wait in a different area) while designing a permanent and long-term solution.
Please contact me if you would like to further discuss my concerns.
ETA a word, thanks, Lizard!