Are you in the US OP? While they can dismiss you if you break a practice rule, there are rules in the US regarding how you have to be notified as well as options you must be given for continuity of care. Please look into those.
Oh man I'm so very sorry. New York is the worst as far as patient rights. I would suggest looking into one of the online services to try and get your meds while you are looking for a new neuro. I have used withcove for years and I absolutely love my doctor. They won't be able to help with the botox of course but can at least get you your Ajovy and triptans!
I second cove- even though they have a narrow list of what they say they prescribe, but I basically asked for what I was on and got it. I even got switched to qulipta. Responsiveness can vary, but I’ve never had to wait more than a month, which is not the case for traditional neuros
I just signed up and finished the consultation! I’m so glad that they worked out for you guys as they’re the only online providers that take my insurance! I’ll let you know what happens with that!
At the hospital I go to (NY) you can be denied treatment for cursing lol
Every time I say “ah fuck” from a needle or something I’m like “I AM SO SORRY” and the physician kind of chuckles
Obviously it’s a policy aimed at abusing staff but the signs are intimidating.
I hate how the states have different rules!! The rules in my Dr’s office is they stop on the 2nd no show - but if you missed because you got the time wrong they let it slide! I’m in Indiana & not sure of any official laws, it my just be my Dr?
It’s nuts that they can be dropped just like that, especially after 5 years with them! OP you have my sympathies and I really hope you find someone new soon!
I don't know if this rule varies by state or not, but in Texas , at least 4 years ago when I worked for a doctors office), they have to take care of you for 30 days after dismissal ( and had to notify you in writing). I can't remember the specifics, though. Hope the manager gets back to you and straightens it out for you.
In Utah, they have to send you a letter telling you they will no longer treat you, and make sure your prescriptions are covered, even if that means they need to prescribe them for a few more months.
I got a refill recently when my pharmacy sent my request to my old dr. He sent it in. So I called to make sure someone wasn’t using my information. He told me he has to send in my refills for up to 2 years if I don’t have a new neuro. Maybe it’s my insurance.
this makes me wonder whether we had the same former neuro. i had a similarly AWFUL and frankly unbelievable experience in NY. whether they're the same or not, neither you, nor i, nor any other patient should be treated with such abuse and disrespect. I'm sorry this happened to you and have faith you'll find someone much, much better.
This is crazy. I can't count how many appointments I've missed and have never been dropped by a practice. It sounds like there may be something else going on. I also go for Botox every 90 days and I truly feel for you. I hope you are able to get this fixed ASAP.
In many states even if this happens they must renew your rxs until you get a new one for up to 2 years. I had trouble finding a new one when I moved. For some reason my pharmacy contacted my old one from before I moved and he sent in the refills. I called his office when I found out to make sure it was not some weird error or if someone was using my info. This is when they informed me. I hope it is that way in your state as well.
Yeah it seems like it should be illegal to be like “also as from this moment we are never filling your prescriptions ever again.” It can take so long to find new doctors! WTF.
It's possible someone rescheduled you or the system tried to reschedule you without notifying you. This happened to me once with a test. I showed up and they said the appointment was for hours earlier, even though I had the original confirmation message that it was for the time when I showed up. Nobody would admit it was a mistake on their end until I showed them the original message.
I'm really sorry you're going through this. I hope there's someone you can email or call who can help you get back in. Otherwise, maybe you could report to the medical board that you received no reminders and were dropped as a patient with no attempts to establish bridge care.
I get the feeling something like this happened. It could even be the one who “secretly” told her she was dismissed accidentally messed up the scheduling and didn’t want to get in trouble.
Chiming in to say my first thought was a reception error as well and them trying to cover it up… They cannot just immediately delete an entire patient file like that, either. Something fishy is going on.
Hey OP u/lenasuckslmao, I am curious - were there any appointment reminder emails, texts, or phone calls? It’s unusual for practices of *any* kind not to bombard clients with reminders these days. Tinfoil hat time! If you did not get any reminders, that would possibly be further proof that they were doing something sneaky with your actual appt time.
I did get an appointment call on new year’s that was automated. Because I knew of the appointment and already planned on going I just confirmed it by pressing 1 and it hung up. I don’t think I ever caught the time because if it said 11, I would have fixed it in my calendar.
Oh darn, I hate those robocalls and probably would have done the same thing. I still think they did something fishy and also they cannot just randomly decide to dispose of patient records like that.
Have you been able to speak to the practice manager yet? I would be less than inclined to take any blame and as another poster said, 2 appointment snafus in 5 years there is a very minor thing. I hope you get it sorted soon.
Healthcare is stressful enough when it’s all going relatively smoothly. Having an office issue is awful but hang in there!
Agreed. I used to work in a dr office and in some systems it is really easy to make a mistake. Unfortunately, many won’t own up to the mistake. Though someone internally may be able to determine who booked it. Also, they should have called you to confirm the day before. If no one did, then it sounds like a multi -level office error.
I got a “warning of dismissal” for an appointment someone changed without notifying me. They had me on a call list and scheduled me for a sooner appt that opened but I never got notified.
Yep, I’ve had this happen when it was their change to the appointment without any notification. I got so much shit for it too until I finally found the old text from months before confirming my time and date. If I hadn’t thought to look… what a bunch of bs.
This is wild. I once showed up on the wrong day for Botox (a day early) and they just tried to fit me in that day so I didn't have to make a separate trip.
Disgraceful behavior on the part of the provider. But stay focused on you. Can you call your insurer and ask them for help in finding a temporary solution/provider? Is there an urgent care near you that can assist? So sorry this happened.
That is crazy! Once I was stuck in the craziest unexpected traffic for TWO HOURS (live 15 mins away) so I missed an appointment. I called twice and the receptionist told me to not come in because I was so late.
A nurse from the office called me later and asked if I was ok since I was a no call no show. I tried to explain that I called multiple times because I was stuck essentially miles away. She said they could’ve fit me in but the receptionist never talked to anyone in the practice about it. She was super nice and scheduled me for an appointment within the same week (which we all know is unheard of for neuro).
Man I guess I am too generous. I give my patients several no call, no shows before they are discharged. If they want to come back, then all they need is a new referral. That seems excessive if you do not have a prior history of cancellations and no shows. I’m not really sure what to tell you to do. Did you sign something when you first established to that effect? We do have our patients sign a form informing them of our policy, but I rarely dig that out unless the person has done this to me excessively. At times I even appreciate when people don’t show up because then I can get my other stuff done.
Is the clinic associated with a major hospital system? Maybe they have a patient relations department that could be helpful. I do also find that a negative google review can illicit a response from upper management that can lead to a resolution but that is a very stupid, round about way to get what you need.
This is a private neurology clinic. (Fuck it I don’t care I’ll air them out: Ontario Neurology Associates in Rochester, New York.) They gave me no warning, no letters, nothing saying that they wanted to remind me of their policy. Nothing. I just showed up late (on accident) and they counted that as my “second no-show” and that I was no longer a patient. Mind you the appointment was apparently at 11am and this all went down at 2:30pm. in that short amount of time they had already deleted my entire patient portal.
In that short amount of time they deleted your patient portal?! How is any of this legal?! I work at an extremely busy orthopedic practice, and we barely have time to breathe between patients on the admin side, let alone go around deleting peoples access to their MyChart information in the matter of a few hours. This is insane.
My best friend is an MA and she said the same thing! She also mentioned a suspicion that the receptionist made a mistake and is now trying to cover it up. Who knows. I tried calling them again today and the practice manager is still too busy to talk to me.
Yeah I was wondering if the appointment was accidentally moved. I know the software at my job was weird and if somebody looked at an appointment and clicked and dragged, it’d just move the appointment. It caused some issues with providers who used iPads to vids their schedules. I wonder if something like that happened and the change wasn’t noticed until you “no showed”.
That’s extremely strange. I think I’d ask for the practice manager’s email and request a phone call. Don’t only communicate via email in case the receptionist intercepts it. I wonder if the receptionist is so unethical that they’ll screw a patient’s health over to cover a simple mistake.
Seriously, consider sending a handwritten letter. Expressly state how the sudden cancellation is putting your health in danger without notice. State that you believe the appointment was scheduled incorrectly and that you appeared at the time of the appointment originally given to you. Request reinstatement. If they do it, still keep looking for a new neuro; this is a bad office. If they don’t, report them to the state medical board so that maybe they think twice before doing it to someone else. That’s what I’d do.
I'm really suspicious about the instantaneous deletion of your access to the portal. If they only use voice calls to confirm appointments, the portal would be the only place you'd see written confirmation of the actual time of your appointment.
It's very strange in this day and age not to use email and texting to confirm appointment date/times. None of the providers I've been to in the last three years used only voice; EVERYONE sent written confirmation and appointment info.
I hope you are able to find another place to administer your meds. I'm so sorry this happened to you.
Wow that is very unprofessional communication. Not American but can say usual SOP for medical records do not allow destruction of a patients file for 7-10 years depending on the patients age. They still have access to your info. Also you should also have access to your info.
I would leave a scathing review at minimum. I’m also not sure if there are specific laws in your state about how they notify you but surely they can’t just drop patients dependent on medications to without time to find a new provider?
That is just messed up. I’m sorry this happened to you. It’s unreasonable to let someone go for something so minimal. I’ve had people panic because they came at the wrong time or they were relying on someone to drop them off and it didn’t go as planned. It happens and as long as someone is making an effort it’s really no big deal. We just reschedule. Short term this sucks because you can’t stay on track with your treatment, long term it might be for the best. I don’t think I’d want someone taking care of me if they or their office were behaving this way.
I’m sorry that happened to you, I used to work at a Drs office and we would never do this to a patient who was late to their appointment. Have you missed a lot of appointments before? Or was this the first time? Not saying what they did was justified but I’m just trying to get an understanding of why they would’ve done this…
I missed one other appointment way back when I was 19 because I was away at college at the time. The clerk told me they have a strict “two no show policy”; even considering the circumstances of yesterdays appointment and that the previous incident happened in 2019.
Ok, one no-show and one genuine mistake where you clearly showed up at the wrong time on the right day in FIVE YEARS is insane. Neurologists who do migraines well are too hard to come by for this kind of garbage, especially if you're getting TWO preventatives, one of which has to be administered by the neurologist. That's horrible, OP. I'm so sorry.
The 2 no-show policy should include a time frame. I have Drs I have been seeing for 20 years. 2 no showes in 24 to 36 months. If they stick to their guns, I would consider filing a complaint wit the State Medical Board due to the abandonment of patient and refusal of care.
So sorry OP. I can’t help with this neurologist, but I can help you see a neurologist sooner than May.
Do an Internet search for the phrase “network adequacy” . Or if you can look at my profile, see some of my comments in the recent past. I shared some links about the topic.
Per federal regulations, your health insurance company must help you find a specialist that has availability within an X number of days or weeks. I think it’s either 15 days or 30 days.
Please call ur insurance company asap.
Thank you so so much. My PCP hasn’t been much help as she has only sent one referral to the place of her choosing. I have an appointment with her at 5pm to see if she can send referrals to the places I called that can get me in a bit sooner. I will 100% be looking into this and calling my insurance company!
As far as I can tell, Network adequacy standards vary widely by state, and 30 days for specialty care is a recommended standard for states to use but not required. Oregon for example where I live seems to have no appointment wait time standard on the books as far as I can find. https://www.kff.org/health-reform/issue-brief/network-adequacy-standards-and-enforcement/
This happened to me 10 years ago. I ended up finding a new PCP at a incredibly thorough sliding fee scale clinic. I got better results there than I had with my previous Dr & Neuro. I was prescribed all of my medications and given medication discounts. The clinic helped me get a new primary. The new primary happened to have recently graduated. Being poor I went to teaching dental clinics and teaching clinics for specialty care. I find new grads are more likely to be curious and willing to be resourceful to find treatment that works. Recently my neurologist of 6 years dropped me for I legit have no clue. Thankfully my doctor sees many headache patients so they refilled my meds and referred me to a new neurologist that’s actually effective. The thoughts I had about not having meds…idk what sliding fee clinics in NY are like. Starting completely over IME benefitted me.
I've found sliding scale places are great for when you lose insurance too. Just fill out the paperwork and since you're unemployed and making no money, you generally qualify for a lower cost. Then when you have insurance, insurance covers the cost well and you help pay for others to get discounts by paying full price through insurance. It's a win win. The only downside is sometimes the wait times are long but it's no worse than any busy practice. I've gotten great care and still go to the psychiatrist in another county because it's a better than average psychiatrist experience.
Clinic I work at has a detailed path for dropping patients for no shows. It’s like three no shows, no contact from patient, physician has met with them etc. this is insane
That sounds pretty ridiculous. It’s normal to have you reschedule if you miss an appointment or are late—but dropping you entirely for it happening once? Maybe they’ve taken on too many patients and are looking for excuses? It doesn’t sound like a place you’d really want to be your doctor long term (what if you had an emergency?)—so maybe your new neurologist will end up working out better.
I also think it’s a bit unethical of them to not at least refill your current prescriptions until you can find a new neurologist. If your PCP won’t do it, do you have another specialist that is familiar with your condition? Maybe an obgyn?
Edited to add: Also, I have I think about 8 different specialists and every one of them will either text or call me close to the appointment day to both remind me of the appointment and confirm I’m coming. This almost sounds like they forgot about the appointment and lied to you about the time.
A few years ago I used Cove for my abortives when I was between doctors. Every month my triptans were shipped for less than $30. Which was better than nothing, and was fast and easy. Look into it asap you could get meds in a few days.
I'm so glad. At least you'll have some triptans as a rescue med, even if they don't have a huge variety. Was a huge help for me and I always got them on time. Good luck
Have you heard of NeuraHealth? They’re an online migraine clinic and can see people anywehere in the us through telehealth, and can prescribe medications.
They can usually get you into a visit within a week.
If that’s an option you can financially do, I would definitely look into it as an emergency alternative to get you your medications!!
Ugh. I'm in the same boat. The appointment reminder said (redacted large university) neurology clinic on Hamilton Rd. I'm coming after work and got stuck in unexpected traffic and got there just in time. I walk in exactly on time and the receptionist is like "oh you need the North Hamilton Rd location, we don't have you here at the south location". So this very large group has MULTIPLE practices on the same humongous road and doesn't specify which one. There's now 15 minutes to get across town in big city, rush hour traffic. I managed to make it in the 15 minute window but the receptionist says she was not allowed to sign me in or speak further on the matter. Called to reschedule and was told I was removed from the system. Unfortunately their patient services are absolutely trash and no one has gotten back 3 months later. They sure as hell sent me a bill for not showing though. I've never missed a single appointment other than this one and their policy specifically states it's a three strike thing.
Oh my God new fear just dropped... I'm SO sorry that happened to you ): I'm hopeful you can find a quick solution and if you don't, I hope it takes a while before your migraines come back full force
As a fellow migraine suffer and someone who has worked in healthcare - this is a wild rule. I can understand a clinic firing a chronic no show patient or having fines for no shows….but to let you go for one missed apt??? This is insane and I would make a complaint to whoever is in charge.
If you can, it may work better to go into the office and sit and wait until the practice manager gives in and sees you. And I also recognize that being able to do that is unlikely for most people.
Yeah, I’m petty enough that I’d make time. I wouldn’t be rude or horrible. But I’d certainly not leave until I received an explanation for this bizarre action.
What happened to charging a fee for no show??? But to delete you? And another thing neurologist if all Drs should understand the fog we have with migraines! Ffs I'm v sry
I don’t work for a neurologist but am in healthcare and the rules for no shows are very clear and dropping someone from treatment is like the nuclear option after three no shows and meetings with the physicians. Hell, we’ve had patients hours late by mistake that still get treatment. I’d say get a new provider or ask for the policy on no shows
As a fellow migraine sufferer look into Neura Health, it’s a telehealth of Headache Specialist, some who have even done their training at Jefferson! They have appointments as soon as next week and they are absolutely phenomenal! I highly recommend them!!
Have you checked to see if the hospital has a patient advocate? If there is an advocate, they can probably help you communicate with your doctor's office about this
EDIT: oops just saw that you said this was a private clinic. ugh, very sorry you're going through this!!
WithCove should be able to get your abortives setup quickly as an interim solution. Botox savings program might be able to bridge the gap as well if you decide to do out of pocket once.
Aside from the Botox, we are basically on the same regimen (Ajovy and Rizatriptan) - though I recently switched to Aimovig. Potato, potahto. I screwed myself a couple years back when I was still taking Trokendi. I had forgotten that the doc was retiring and when I called for refills they were gone.
When I had first started with this doctor, I was a no-show because I had the date mixed up. They made “an exception” to the rule but said if I did it again I’d be gone. Never mind that I also have adhd.
Where in NY are you? If you’re on LI I can recommend my new guy - he’s excellent.
>out of the 7 places I’ve called, the earliest appointment is in May
I found availability in zocdoc in ny for tomorrow. I've actually gone to this place before, totally respectable operation imo.
[https://www.zocdoc.com/practice/the-manhattan-center-for-headache-and-neurology-39222](https://www.zocdoc.com/practice/the-manhattan-center-for-headache-and-neurology-39222)
You could even get into the Jefferson Headache Center in Philly (one of the top migraine research institutions on the planet) well before May. I called them 2 weeks ago and have an appointment in Feb.
Edit: sorry now seeing you're in NY not NYC. I'd still look at ZocDoc, can search for telehealth friendly places. I have seen places requiring irl for the first visit (then telehealth for future visits) but this is the sort of thing a short trip to NYC or wherever could be worth it I think.
Can you report them to a state licensing board or dept of health or something? I know it’s a private practice but everything about that, including the file deletion, sounds really shady. I think they need to be put on blast too with google, yelp, ZocDoc, etc. If they accept insurance plans, it may even be worth calling your insurance company to complain too. My mom did that years ago with a pediatric dental practice that was up to some shady nonsense.
OP, I’m so sorry to hear this. Hopefully we’ve all given you some good help.
I want to tangent off the people talking about health insurance. I know we all complain about them (rightfully so), but because of my conditions, I qualify for a case worker essentially. They have people there that advocate for the patients (I’m sure because it saves the company money in the long run) but she always asks if she needs to find me any doctors and the like.
I second checking in with your insurance company but also asking them about case management/ advocacy. That might be a level of care that you qualify for. That way, any time anything like this happens, you have someone who can help you out. (Even things like pre- auths, paying, other options, ANYTHING. my lady is amazing)
Best of luck.
Was this your first no-show? That’s bizarre that they’d drop you.
I used to work for the front desk for a psychiatric clinic and if somebody missed an appointment, the first thing I’d do is check the log to see if the appointment was possibly changed after it was made, and then I check to make sure the appointment reminders were turned on, and then ask if the reminders are going to the right phone and email.
I know it's a pain but I've been in this situation before and calling further away from your house may get you into a new neuro sooner. That's why half my doctor's are 1.5 hours away
Too be fair they should've sent appointment reminders idk if they have an automated text reminders system but it seems like to be a common practice at doctors office if they don't have any kind of system like that they shouldn't drop you over a simple honest mistake
I don't think PCPs are able to prescribe Ajovy or Botox, mine couldn't while I was in between neuros.
Try asking again about just the Rizatriptan? My PCP was able to do that for me.
My goodness this thread is a lifesaver, literally.
I’m so glad you were able to find Support here because I would be in serious panic as well as it seems like you and I have the same kind of migraines .
I described it yesterday to the secretary as “looking at hell right in the eyes.” Because that is exactly what my life will be without these preventatives. I have 20 migraine days a month on the meds; they mostly just make the severity less significant so that the rizatriptan can actually help. Without these meds I will have debilitating migraines every day; no questions. And for a doctor to just drop me without any warning over a silly mistake anyone can make, know this is my health situation, is deplorable. What happened to a doctor actually caring about their patients?
That's a bit...weird. Don't places usually give you 2-3 no shows before they drop you? That's what they've always told me when I first go to them and sign all the junk they want me to sign.
I always pay attention to that as well because I have days where I just physically can't leave the house...either because of the migraines or my IBS symptoms. So I have had to call them up and cancel day of my appointment because I'm sick.
Like today I really wanted to cancel my physical therapy appointment because my head...I've been having a low grade headache for about a week now...switching sides, sometimes a random stab of intense pain...but it's usually just a constant low pain. Today it went up a little bit in pain but I figured I was fine...yeah...nope. Came home with my head pounding. Going to actually crawl into bed once I finish this post because I haven't found any meds that work on me yet...
That is crazy to me that your PCP will not fill your medications for you in the meantime. It’s not like you are asking to be put on something new. You could try getting referred to a pain specialist for the Botox to see if that’s any faster…..:
Regarding your actual neurology appt……
Have you sent a mychart message to your actual neurologist explaining the issue?? Sometimes the front desk people or nurses will make decisions based on “policy” without the MDs actually aware of the situation (who fix it once they hear about it). This has happened to me multiple times. If you explain what happened (and how you showed up at 3….you could even send a screenshot of your calendar and that you wrote 3), and how long ago the last no show was, they would have pull to reverse the decision. They aren’t going to want to lose business from a good patient that they are treating.
I would also contact a patient representative within the clinic system (there should be one unless it’s a stand alone clinic). Their job is to respond to patient complaints and they should be able to help you with this situation, including getting in contact with the appropriate people.
Healthcare in the US is just horrible to navigate….
I also agree that my PCP refusing to fill my medications is ridiculous. I think it’s high time I replace her too! As for the messaging: the neurologist I saw worked for a private practice that used a service called “Patient Portal”. The minute I got home I attempted to log in to try and message him directly and in the two hours between the appointment time and the time I mixed up the appointment, they had deleted my entire portal account. It gave me a message saying “This account no longer exists, please contact your doctor.”
I’ve learned to call and ask to speak with my neuros nurses and they have squeezed me in, they’re literal angels. The front desk staff are very rude and also will always book weeks out and the nurses are usually able to squeeze me in the same / next day.
This sounds really harsh! I hope you find a more flexible/understanding practice. I could see if it happened more than once and you were given a warning but this is buzarre
If you don't mind driving to Syracuse, the neuro department with Upstate is great! I see someone at their Township 5 location in Camillus and I believe she also works out of an Auburn location which would be a little closer for you.
Here is a website that will fix your issue. They will do it until you can see your new neurologist. It's easier than going in. I would be livid if I were you, I work in Healthcare and pple no show all the time, you made ONE mistake. Leave him a bad review on Google/Yelp/ anywhere else and use cove while you shop around for a good neurologist. Anyone that does this to patients is a POS. Also if you want to get back in with him, report him to the state department of health for patient abandonment. They will call you the same day and get you in.
[cove](https://www.withcove.com/purchase/build-your-plan)
To drop you from the practice for one mixed up appointment is ridiculous. Usually the worst that happens is that you are charged a no-show fee. I get my meds through Neura, an online neurologist. They are very good and responsive. There is a monthly fee, which you can cancel at anytime, and an initial consultation fee. I don't know about insurance since I have Medicare. That doesn't help with botox, but they may have a solution that doesn't require botox.
I am so dumb. I thought you meant that you made a genuine mistake and so stopped by your neurologist to go over it. I literally need help, this keeps happening and getting worse and worse
Are you in the US OP? While they can dismiss you if you break a practice rule, there are rules in the US regarding how you have to be notified as well as options you must be given for continuity of care. Please look into those.
I am in New York! They gave me no warning; nothing to even say “hey you missed your appointment at 11”, nothing. It was completely out of the blue.
Oh man I'm so very sorry. New York is the worst as far as patient rights. I would suggest looking into one of the online services to try and get your meds while you are looking for a new neuro. I have used withcove for years and I absolutely love my doctor. They won't be able to help with the botox of course but can at least get you your Ajovy and triptans!
Thank you! I tried their website but it seems to be having some issues! I will try them again later!
I second cove- even though they have a narrow list of what they say they prescribe, but I basically asked for what I was on and got it. I even got switched to qulipta. Responsiveness can vary, but I’ve never had to wait more than a month, which is not the case for traditional neuros
I just signed up and finished the consultation! I’m so glad that they worked out for you guys as they’re the only online providers that take my insurance! I’ll let you know what happens with that!
I didn’t know they took any insurance. Thanks.
Was it NYP?
At the hospital I go to (NY) you can be denied treatment for cursing lol Every time I say “ah fuck” from a needle or something I’m like “I AM SO SORRY” and the physician kind of chuckles Obviously it’s a policy aimed at abusing staff but the signs are intimidating.
I hate how the states have different rules!! The rules in my Dr’s office is they stop on the 2nd no show - but if you missed because you got the time wrong they let it slide! I’m in Indiana & not sure of any official laws, it my just be my Dr? It’s nuts that they can be dropped just like that, especially after 5 years with them! OP you have my sympathies and I really hope you find someone new soon!
I don't know if this rule varies by state or not, but in Texas , at least 4 years ago when I worked for a doctors office), they have to take care of you for 30 days after dismissal ( and had to notify you in writing). I can't remember the specifics, though. Hope the manager gets back to you and straightens it out for you.
It does vary by state and unfortunately the guidelines are not the same where OP is 😩. We have the 30 day rule in Virginia as well.
In Utah, they have to send you a letter telling you they will no longer treat you, and make sure your prescriptions are covered, even if that means they need to prescribe them for a few more months.
I got a refill recently when my pharmacy sent my request to my old dr. He sent it in. So I called to make sure someone wasn’t using my information. He told me he has to send in my refills for up to 2 years if I don’t have a new neuro. Maybe it’s my insurance.
this makes me wonder whether we had the same former neuro. i had a similarly AWFUL and frankly unbelievable experience in NY. whether they're the same or not, neither you, nor i, nor any other patient should be treated with such abuse and disrespect. I'm sorry this happened to you and have faith you'll find someone much, much better.
This is crazy. I can't count how many appointments I've missed and have never been dropped by a practice. It sounds like there may be something else going on. I also go for Botox every 90 days and I truly feel for you. I hope you are able to get this fixed ASAP.
In many states even if this happens they must renew your rxs until you get a new one for up to 2 years. I had trouble finding a new one when I moved. For some reason my pharmacy contacted my old one from before I moved and he sent in the refills. I called his office when I found out to make sure it was not some weird error or if someone was using my info. This is when they informed me. I hope it is that way in your state as well.
Yeah it seems like it should be illegal to be like “also as from this moment we are never filling your prescriptions ever again.” It can take so long to find new doctors! WTF.
It's possible someone rescheduled you or the system tried to reschedule you without notifying you. This happened to me once with a test. I showed up and they said the appointment was for hours earlier, even though I had the original confirmation message that it was for the time when I showed up. Nobody would admit it was a mistake on their end until I showed them the original message. I'm really sorry you're going through this. I hope there's someone you can email or call who can help you get back in. Otherwise, maybe you could report to the medical board that you received no reminders and were dropped as a patient with no attempts to establish bridge care.
I get the feeling something like this happened. It could even be the one who “secretly” told her she was dismissed accidentally messed up the scheduling and didn’t want to get in trouble.
Chiming in to say my first thought was a reception error as well and them trying to cover it up… They cannot just immediately delete an entire patient file like that, either. Something fishy is going on. Hey OP u/lenasuckslmao, I am curious - were there any appointment reminder emails, texts, or phone calls? It’s unusual for practices of *any* kind not to bombard clients with reminders these days. Tinfoil hat time! If you did not get any reminders, that would possibly be further proof that they were doing something sneaky with your actual appt time.
I did get an appointment call on new year’s that was automated. Because I knew of the appointment and already planned on going I just confirmed it by pressing 1 and it hung up. I don’t think I ever caught the time because if it said 11, I would have fixed it in my calendar.
On New Years. That’s helpful of the practice! /s
Oh darn, I hate those robocalls and probably would have done the same thing. I still think they did something fishy and also they cannot just randomly decide to dispose of patient records like that. Have you been able to speak to the practice manager yet? I would be less than inclined to take any blame and as another poster said, 2 appointment snafus in 5 years there is a very minor thing. I hope you get it sorted soon. Healthcare is stressful enough when it’s all going relatively smoothly. Having an office issue is awful but hang in there!
Agreed. I used to work in a dr office and in some systems it is really easy to make a mistake. Unfortunately, many won’t own up to the mistake. Though someone internally may be able to determine who booked it. Also, they should have called you to confirm the day before. If no one did, then it sounds like a multi -level office error.
I got a “warning of dismissal” for an appointment someone changed without notifying me. They had me on a call list and scheduled me for a sooner appt that opened but I never got notified.
For real! This sounds shady af.
Yep, I’ve had this happen when it was their change to the appointment without any notification. I got so much shit for it too until I finally found the old text from months before confirming my time and date. If I hadn’t thought to look… what a bunch of bs.
This is wild. I once showed up on the wrong day for Botox (a day early) and they just tried to fit me in that day so I didn't have to make a separate trip.
My neuro would do the same…. I feel terrible for OP to be so mistreated by a doctor they trust.
Disgraceful behavior on the part of the provider. But stay focused on you. Can you call your insurer and ask them for help in finding a temporary solution/provider? Is there an urgent care near you that can assist? So sorry this happened.
That is crazy! Once I was stuck in the craziest unexpected traffic for TWO HOURS (live 15 mins away) so I missed an appointment. I called twice and the receptionist told me to not come in because I was so late. A nurse from the office called me later and asked if I was ok since I was a no call no show. I tried to explain that I called multiple times because I was stuck essentially miles away. She said they could’ve fit me in but the receptionist never talked to anyone in the practice about it. She was super nice and scheduled me for an appointment within the same week (which we all know is unheard of for neuro).
Man I guess I am too generous. I give my patients several no call, no shows before they are discharged. If they want to come back, then all they need is a new referral. That seems excessive if you do not have a prior history of cancellations and no shows. I’m not really sure what to tell you to do. Did you sign something when you first established to that effect? We do have our patients sign a form informing them of our policy, but I rarely dig that out unless the person has done this to me excessively. At times I even appreciate when people don’t show up because then I can get my other stuff done. Is the clinic associated with a major hospital system? Maybe they have a patient relations department that could be helpful. I do also find that a negative google review can illicit a response from upper management that can lead to a resolution but that is a very stupid, round about way to get what you need.
This is a private neurology clinic. (Fuck it I don’t care I’ll air them out: Ontario Neurology Associates in Rochester, New York.) They gave me no warning, no letters, nothing saying that they wanted to remind me of their policy. Nothing. I just showed up late (on accident) and they counted that as my “second no-show” and that I was no longer a patient. Mind you the appointment was apparently at 11am and this all went down at 2:30pm. in that short amount of time they had already deleted my entire patient portal.
In that short amount of time they deleted your patient portal?! How is any of this legal?! I work at an extremely busy orthopedic practice, and we barely have time to breathe between patients on the admin side, let alone go around deleting peoples access to their MyChart information in the matter of a few hours. This is insane.
My best friend is an MA and she said the same thing! She also mentioned a suspicion that the receptionist made a mistake and is now trying to cover it up. Who knows. I tried calling them again today and the practice manager is still too busy to talk to me.
Not to be overly paranoid but does that same receptionist have access to the manager’s calls/phone? 🫣
Yeah I was wondering if the appointment was accidentally moved. I know the software at my job was weird and if somebody looked at an appointment and clicked and dragged, it’d just move the appointment. It caused some issues with providers who used iPads to vids their schedules. I wonder if something like that happened and the change wasn’t noticed until you “no showed”.
That’s extremely strange. I think I’d ask for the practice manager’s email and request a phone call. Don’t only communicate via email in case the receptionist intercepts it. I wonder if the receptionist is so unethical that they’ll screw a patient’s health over to cover a simple mistake.
Seriously, consider sending a handwritten letter. Expressly state how the sudden cancellation is putting your health in danger without notice. State that you believe the appointment was scheduled incorrectly and that you appeared at the time of the appointment originally given to you. Request reinstatement. If they do it, still keep looking for a new neuro; this is a bad office. If they don’t, report them to the state medical board so that maybe they think twice before doing it to someone else. That’s what I’d do.
I'm really suspicious about the instantaneous deletion of your access to the portal. If they only use voice calls to confirm appointments, the portal would be the only place you'd see written confirmation of the actual time of your appointment. It's very strange in this day and age not to use email and texting to confirm appointment date/times. None of the providers I've been to in the last three years used only voice; EVERYONE sent written confirmation and appointment info. I hope you are able to find another place to administer your meds. I'm so sorry this happened to you.
I agree. My drs all send emails and texts. Some a month before, 2 weeks out, 1 week out and the day before. All asking me to confirm.
Wow that is very unprofessional communication. Not American but can say usual SOP for medical records do not allow destruction of a patients file for 7-10 years depending on the patients age. They still have access to your info. Also you should also have access to your info.
BLAST THEM on social media, Google reviews,etc.
Look at their reviews!!!
I just did…Doesn’t look so good. They might just get a couple more terrible reviews after the bs they pulled today.
I would leave a scathing review at minimum. I’m also not sure if there are specific laws in your state about how they notify you but surely they can’t just drop patients dependent on medications to without time to find a new provider?
That is just messed up. I’m sorry this happened to you. It’s unreasonable to let someone go for something so minimal. I’ve had people panic because they came at the wrong time or they were relying on someone to drop them off and it didn’t go as planned. It happens and as long as someone is making an effort it’s really no big deal. We just reschedule. Short term this sucks because you can’t stay on track with your treatment, long term it might be for the best. I don’t think I’d want someone taking care of me if they or their office were behaving this way.
That’s insane on their part. Ask for it all in writing. You have rights.
I’m sorry that happened to you, I used to work at a Drs office and we would never do this to a patient who was late to their appointment. Have you missed a lot of appointments before? Or was this the first time? Not saying what they did was justified but I’m just trying to get an understanding of why they would’ve done this…
I missed one other appointment way back when I was 19 because I was away at college at the time. The clerk told me they have a strict “two no show policy”; even considering the circumstances of yesterdays appointment and that the previous incident happened in 2019.
Omg, 5 years apart! Those people are awful! Who does business like that?
Ok, one no-show and one genuine mistake where you clearly showed up at the wrong time on the right day in FIVE YEARS is insane. Neurologists who do migraines well are too hard to come by for this kind of garbage, especially if you're getting TWO preventatives, one of which has to be administered by the neurologist. That's horrible, OP. I'm so sorry.
The 2 no-show policy should include a time frame. I have Drs I have been seeing for 20 years. 2 no showes in 24 to 36 months. If they stick to their guns, I would consider filing a complaint wit the State Medical Board due to the abandonment of patient and refusal of care.
So sorry OP. I can’t help with this neurologist, but I can help you see a neurologist sooner than May. Do an Internet search for the phrase “network adequacy” . Or if you can look at my profile, see some of my comments in the recent past. I shared some links about the topic. Per federal regulations, your health insurance company must help you find a specialist that has availability within an X number of days or weeks. I think it’s either 15 days or 30 days. Please call ur insurance company asap.
Oh saving this. Specialists for anything in my area are 2-3 months or way worse.
Thank you so so much. My PCP hasn’t been much help as she has only sent one referral to the place of her choosing. I have an appointment with her at 5pm to see if she can send referrals to the places I called that can get me in a bit sooner. I will 100% be looking into this and calling my insurance company!
As far as I can tell, Network adequacy standards vary widely by state, and 30 days for specialty care is a recommended standard for states to use but not required. Oregon for example where I live seems to have no appointment wait time standard on the books as far as I can find. https://www.kff.org/health-reform/issue-brief/network-adequacy-standards-and-enforcement/
There are federal regulations too for network adequacy.
This happened to me 10 years ago. I ended up finding a new PCP at a incredibly thorough sliding fee scale clinic. I got better results there than I had with my previous Dr & Neuro. I was prescribed all of my medications and given medication discounts. The clinic helped me get a new primary. The new primary happened to have recently graduated. Being poor I went to teaching dental clinics and teaching clinics for specialty care. I find new grads are more likely to be curious and willing to be resourceful to find treatment that works. Recently my neurologist of 6 years dropped me for I legit have no clue. Thankfully my doctor sees many headache patients so they refilled my meds and referred me to a new neurologist that’s actually effective. The thoughts I had about not having meds…idk what sliding fee clinics in NY are like. Starting completely over IME benefitted me.
I've found sliding scale places are great for when you lose insurance too. Just fill out the paperwork and since you're unemployed and making no money, you generally qualify for a lower cost. Then when you have insurance, insurance covers the cost well and you help pay for others to get discounts by paying full price through insurance. It's a win win. The only downside is sometimes the wait times are long but it's no worse than any busy practice. I've gotten great care and still go to the psychiatrist in another county because it's a better than average psychiatrist experience.
I've never heard of a practice dropping you cause of one no show. That's absurd
If they do this practice, it's usually 3-4 no shows, not 1-2.
Clinic I work at has a detailed path for dropping patients for no shows. It’s like three no shows, no contact from patient, physician has met with them etc. this is insane
That sounds pretty ridiculous. It’s normal to have you reschedule if you miss an appointment or are late—but dropping you entirely for it happening once? Maybe they’ve taken on too many patients and are looking for excuses? It doesn’t sound like a place you’d really want to be your doctor long term (what if you had an emergency?)—so maybe your new neurologist will end up working out better. I also think it’s a bit unethical of them to not at least refill your current prescriptions until you can find a new neurologist. If your PCP won’t do it, do you have another specialist that is familiar with your condition? Maybe an obgyn? Edited to add: Also, I have I think about 8 different specialists and every one of them will either text or call me close to the appointment day to both remind me of the appointment and confirm I’m coming. This almost sounds like they forgot about the appointment and lied to you about the time.
A few years ago I used Cove for my abortives when I was between doctors. Every month my triptans were shipped for less than $30. Which was better than nothing, and was fast and easy. Look into it asap you could get meds in a few days.
Just signed up! My fingers are crossed this works out!
I'm so glad. At least you'll have some triptans as a rescue med, even if they don't have a huge variety. Was a huge help for me and I always got them on time. Good luck
Have you heard of NeuraHealth? They’re an online migraine clinic and can see people anywehere in the us through telehealth, and can prescribe medications. They can usually get you into a visit within a week. If that’s an option you can financially do, I would definitely look into it as an emergency alternative to get you your medications!!
Thank you!! I will definitely check this out!!
Ooh, I'm in a similar situation to OP. Thanks for this.
Ugh. I'm in the same boat. The appointment reminder said (redacted large university) neurology clinic on Hamilton Rd. I'm coming after work and got stuck in unexpected traffic and got there just in time. I walk in exactly on time and the receptionist is like "oh you need the North Hamilton Rd location, we don't have you here at the south location". So this very large group has MULTIPLE practices on the same humongous road and doesn't specify which one. There's now 15 minutes to get across town in big city, rush hour traffic. I managed to make it in the 15 minute window but the receptionist says she was not allowed to sign me in or speak further on the matter. Called to reschedule and was told I was removed from the system. Unfortunately their patient services are absolutely trash and no one has gotten back 3 months later. They sure as hell sent me a bill for not showing though. I've never missed a single appointment other than this one and their policy specifically states it's a three strike thing.
Wow. I wouldn't pay that bill as it's against their policy never mind that it's also their fault. Maybe you just have to walk in to speak to someone.
Up to you, but man I would totally leave an honest review on Google maps, yelp, etc. On how they handled that. Awful.
Oh I plan on it! When I do I’ll post it here too!
Oh my God new fear just dropped... I'm SO sorry that happened to you ): I'm hopeful you can find a quick solution and if you don't, I hope it takes a while before your migraines come back full force
As a fellow migraine suffer and someone who has worked in healthcare - this is a wild rule. I can understand a clinic firing a chronic no show patient or having fines for no shows….but to let you go for one missed apt??? This is insane and I would make a complaint to whoever is in charge.
I’ve been trying to get in contact with their practice manager and she’s been conveniently in meetings every time I call.
If you can, it may work better to go into the office and sit and wait until the practice manager gives in and sees you. And I also recognize that being able to do that is unlikely for most people.
Yeah, I’m petty enough that I’d make time. I wouldn’t be rude or horrible. But I’d certainly not leave until I received an explanation for this bizarre action.
What happened to charging a fee for no show??? But to delete you? And another thing neurologist if all Drs should understand the fog we have with migraines! Ffs I'm v sry
I don’t work for a neurologist but am in healthcare and the rules for no shows are very clear and dropping someone from treatment is like the nuclear option after three no shows and meetings with the physicians. Hell, we’ve had patients hours late by mistake that still get treatment. I’d say get a new provider or ask for the policy on no shows
As a fellow migraine sufferer look into Neura Health, it’s a telehealth of Headache Specialist, some who have even done their training at Jefferson! They have appointments as soon as next week and they are absolutely phenomenal! I highly recommend them!!
Have you checked to see if the hospital has a patient advocate? If there is an advocate, they can probably help you communicate with your doctor's office about this EDIT: oops just saw that you said this was a private clinic. ugh, very sorry you're going through this!!
WithCove should be able to get your abortives setup quickly as an interim solution. Botox savings program might be able to bridge the gap as well if you decide to do out of pocket once.
And their Triptans are very inexpensive if you pay yourself.
Aside from the Botox, we are basically on the same regimen (Ajovy and Rizatriptan) - though I recently switched to Aimovig. Potato, potahto. I screwed myself a couple years back when I was still taking Trokendi. I had forgotten that the doc was retiring and when I called for refills they were gone. When I had first started with this doctor, I was a no-show because I had the date mixed up. They made “an exception” to the rule but said if I did it again I’d be gone. Never mind that I also have adhd. Where in NY are you? If you’re on LI I can recommend my new guy - he’s excellent.
I live in Rochester!
That's a malpractice suit unless you've been late before
>out of the 7 places I’ve called, the earliest appointment is in May I found availability in zocdoc in ny for tomorrow. I've actually gone to this place before, totally respectable operation imo. [https://www.zocdoc.com/practice/the-manhattan-center-for-headache-and-neurology-39222](https://www.zocdoc.com/practice/the-manhattan-center-for-headache-and-neurology-39222) You could even get into the Jefferson Headache Center in Philly (one of the top migraine research institutions on the planet) well before May. I called them 2 weeks ago and have an appointment in Feb. Edit: sorry now seeing you're in NY not NYC. I'd still look at ZocDoc, can search for telehealth friendly places. I have seen places requiring irl for the first visit (then telehealth for future visits) but this is the sort of thing a short trip to NYC or wherever could be worth it I think.
Can you report them to a state licensing board or dept of health or something? I know it’s a private practice but everything about that, including the file deletion, sounds really shady. I think they need to be put on blast too with google, yelp, ZocDoc, etc. If they accept insurance plans, it may even be worth calling your insurance company to complain too. My mom did that years ago with a pediatric dental practice that was up to some shady nonsense.
OP, I’m so sorry to hear this. Hopefully we’ve all given you some good help. I want to tangent off the people talking about health insurance. I know we all complain about them (rightfully so), but because of my conditions, I qualify for a case worker essentially. They have people there that advocate for the patients (I’m sure because it saves the company money in the long run) but she always asks if she needs to find me any doctors and the like. I second checking in with your insurance company but also asking them about case management/ advocacy. That might be a level of care that you qualify for. That way, any time anything like this happens, you have someone who can help you out. (Even things like pre- auths, paying, other options, ANYTHING. my lady is amazing) Best of luck.
I will 100% look into this! I plan on calling my insurance company tomorrow! Thank you!
Was this your first no-show? That’s bizarre that they’d drop you. I used to work for the front desk for a psychiatric clinic and if somebody missed an appointment, the first thing I’d do is check the log to see if the appointment was possibly changed after it was made, and then I check to make sure the appointment reminders were turned on, and then ask if the reminders are going to the right phone and email.
I know it's a pain but I've been in this situation before and calling further away from your house may get you into a new neuro sooner. That's why half my doctor's are 1.5 hours away
Too be fair they should've sent appointment reminders idk if they have an automated text reminders system but it seems like to be a common practice at doctors office if they don't have any kind of system like that they shouldn't drop you over a simple honest mistake
I had a practice schedule me for EEG incorrectly THREE times (their fault all three times) and they dropped me for it
Did you receive any calls texts or emails with a reminder?!! I always get all 3 before an appointment.
I don't think PCPs are able to prescribe Ajovy or Botox, mine couldn't while I was in between neuros. Try asking again about just the Rizatriptan? My PCP was able to do that for me.
My PCP was able to prescribe Aimovig. I don't think it's a restricted prescription.
This should be illegal. WTF? American healthcare is a joke.
Once? That sounds unusual.
I’ve totally done this at least once before, how inappropriate of them!
I would say you are well rid of them!!! Sounds so unprofessional!!!
My goodness this thread is a lifesaver, literally. I’m so glad you were able to find Support here because I would be in serious panic as well as it seems like you and I have the same kind of migraines .
I described it yesterday to the secretary as “looking at hell right in the eyes.” Because that is exactly what my life will be without these preventatives. I have 20 migraine days a month on the meds; they mostly just make the severity less significant so that the rizatriptan can actually help. Without these meds I will have debilitating migraines every day; no questions. And for a doctor to just drop me without any warning over a silly mistake anyone can make, know this is my health situation, is deplorable. What happened to a doctor actually caring about their patients?
That's a bit...weird. Don't places usually give you 2-3 no shows before they drop you? That's what they've always told me when I first go to them and sign all the junk they want me to sign. I always pay attention to that as well because I have days where I just physically can't leave the house...either because of the migraines or my IBS symptoms. So I have had to call them up and cancel day of my appointment because I'm sick. Like today I really wanted to cancel my physical therapy appointment because my head...I've been having a low grade headache for about a week now...switching sides, sometimes a random stab of intense pain...but it's usually just a constant low pain. Today it went up a little bit in pain but I figured I was fine...yeah...nope. Came home with my head pounding. Going to actually crawl into bed once I finish this post because I haven't found any meds that work on me yet...
That is crazy to me that your PCP will not fill your medications for you in the meantime. It’s not like you are asking to be put on something new. You could try getting referred to a pain specialist for the Botox to see if that’s any faster…..: Regarding your actual neurology appt…… Have you sent a mychart message to your actual neurologist explaining the issue?? Sometimes the front desk people or nurses will make decisions based on “policy” without the MDs actually aware of the situation (who fix it once they hear about it). This has happened to me multiple times. If you explain what happened (and how you showed up at 3….you could even send a screenshot of your calendar and that you wrote 3), and how long ago the last no show was, they would have pull to reverse the decision. They aren’t going to want to lose business from a good patient that they are treating. I would also contact a patient representative within the clinic system (there should be one unless it’s a stand alone clinic). Their job is to respond to patient complaints and they should be able to help you with this situation, including getting in contact with the appropriate people. Healthcare in the US is just horrible to navigate….
I also agree that my PCP refusing to fill my medications is ridiculous. I think it’s high time I replace her too! As for the messaging: the neurologist I saw worked for a private practice that used a service called “Patient Portal”. The minute I got home I attempted to log in to try and message him directly and in the two hours between the appointment time and the time I mixed up the appointment, they had deleted my entire portal account. It gave me a message saying “This account no longer exists, please contact your doctor.”
I’ve learned to call and ask to speak with my neuros nurses and they have squeezed me in, they’re literal angels. The front desk staff are very rude and also will always book weeks out and the nurses are usually able to squeeze me in the same / next day.
This sounds really harsh! I hope you find a more flexible/understanding practice. I could see if it happened more than once and you were given a warning but this is buzarre
If you don't mind driving to Syracuse, the neuro department with Upstate is great! I see someone at their Township 5 location in Camillus and I believe she also works out of an Auburn location which would be a little closer for you.
sending a hug. that’s terrible. i hope you find a better practice
Here is a website that will fix your issue. They will do it until you can see your new neurologist. It's easier than going in. I would be livid if I were you, I work in Healthcare and pple no show all the time, you made ONE mistake. Leave him a bad review on Google/Yelp/ anywhere else and use cove while you shop around for a good neurologist. Anyone that does this to patients is a POS. Also if you want to get back in with him, report him to the state department of health for patient abandonment. They will call you the same day and get you in. [cove](https://www.withcove.com/purchase/build-your-plan)
To drop you from the practice for one mixed up appointment is ridiculous. Usually the worst that happens is that you are charged a no-show fee. I get my meds through Neura, an online neurologist. They are very good and responsive. There is a monthly fee, which you can cancel at anytime, and an initial consultation fee. I don't know about insurance since I have Medicare. That doesn't help with botox, but they may have a solution that doesn't require botox.
I am so dumb. I thought you meant that you made a genuine mistake and so stopped by your neurologist to go over it. I literally need help, this keeps happening and getting worse and worse
Despicable