Bad Doctor: what to do?

[Grayfox54]

To make a very long story short as possible, my oldest son (44) is diabetic. He's been having serious problems with his right foot for about 6 months. Several surgeries to remove infected tissue and has to constantly be on a wound vacuum. He can barely get around and has multiple doctor's visits every week, plus any normal running around he needs done. I'm his driver.
Today he was supposed to have skin grafts put on his open wounds. This was to be the last step to getting him straightened out. Just a couple of weeks for this to heal and he'd be good to go.
This was to be performed by a Plastic Surgeon. New doctor for him. We only saw this guy twice to schedule surgery. Frankly, he didn't seem real interested. He did insist on a $1200 down payment. Which my son paid.
Because its the first of the year and due to my son's insurance and deductible, he had to pay the hospital $2800 in advance. 
Today was the day. We showed up a little early. The hospital did their part just fine. THE DAMNED DOCTOR DIDN'T SHOW UP!  Not a call or nothing. He just never arrived! 
My son and I are both beyond pissed off!!!!  
We have filed a formal complaint with the hospital. But we can't blame them. They did their part and quite well too. 

My question is what can we do about this? Who do we file complaints with? What action can be taken? And then there's the $4000 he's out! What about that? 
Any and all opinions/ options welcome. 

[FUJIMO]

7 minutes ago, Grayfox54 said:

To make a very long story short as possible, my oldest son (44) is diabetic. He's been having serious problems with his right foot for about 6 months. Several surgeries to remove infected tissue and has to constantly be on a wound vacuum. He can barely get around and has multiple doctor's visits every week, plus any normal running around he needs done. I'm his driver.
Today he was supposed to have skin grafts put on his open wounds. This was to be the last step to getting him straightened out. Just a couple of weeks for this to heal and he'd be good to go.
This was to be performed by a Plastic Surgeon. New doctor for him. We only saw this guy twice to schedule surgery. Frankly, he didn't seem real interested. He did insist on a $1200 down payment. Which my son paid.
Because its the first of the year and due to my son's insurance and deductible, he had to pay the hospital $2800 in advance. 
Today was the day. We showed up a little early. The hospital did their part just fine. THE DAMNED DOCTOR DIDN'T SHOW UP!  Not a call or nothing. He just never arrived! 
My son and I are both beyond pissed off!!!!  
We have filed a formal complaint with the hospital. But we can't blame them. They did their part and quite well too. 

My question is what can we do about this? Who do we file complaints with? What action can be taken? And then there's the $4000 he's out! What about that? 
Any and all opinions/ options welcome. 

You didn't happen to pay it all on a credit card did you ? If it were me first thing I'd do is refuse the charge when payment comes due. 

 

Edited January 26 by FUJIMO
Typo

[gregintenn]

7 minutes ago, FUJIMO said:

You didn't happen to pay it all on a credit card did you ? If it were me first thing I'd do is refuse the charge when payment comes due. 

 

Or go to the bank and get a stop payment issued if paid by check.

[Grayfox54]

I wish it was that simple. The doctor was paid several weeks ago and the charge has already cleared. The hospital did their part perfectly. I have no reason or grounds to challenge their charges. Hell, I want that damned doctor to pay him back for that! 

[FUJIMO]

15 minutes ago, Grayfox54 said:

I wish it was that simple. The doctor was paid several weeks ago and the charge has already cleared. The hospital did their part perfectly. I have no reason or grounds to challenge their charges. Hell, I want that damned doctor to pay him back for that! 

Capital One went back several months on a company attempting to extort funds from me. IF it were paid with a card I'd at least ask my card company. In my case they charged me for services I never received and that was what I used against them. I'd say that applies to this case for sure.

Edited to add: I'm referring to the down payment to the doctor, not the hospital.

Edited January 26 by FUJIMO

[10-Ring]

49 minutes ago, FUJIMO said:

Capital One went back several months on a company attempting to extort funds from me. IF it were paid with a card I'd at least ask my card company. In my case they charged me for services I never received and that was what I used against them. I'd say that applies to this case for sure.

Edited to add: I'm referring to the down payment to the doctor, not the hospital.

I assisted a friend in a dispute with Capitol One. Long story short she paid attorney's fees with the card and after the payment cleared the attorney refused to complete the work for the agreed upon price and refused to issue a refund. Fortunately she had a contact with the attorney which plainly stated that he would perform said work for a "flat fee of x". We still had a lot of trouble getting her money back and when it came down to it, after several calls, she finally spoke with someone at Capitol One who actually had a brain and she got her money back. 

Point being, if the charge was made on a credit card attempt to get the money back that way. And if the first couple of people that you talk to aren't helpful, keep calling back. If it were me, I would have no issue on a chargeback with the hospital. They will likely not continue to allow the doctor to continue working there if that happens repeatedly. Also, I would promptly contact the hospital administration. I suspect that they will advocate on your son's behalf as they would not want to have a part in a sloppy medical practice. 

[jpx2rk]

If the doctor's portion was paid with a CC, and went thru as a separate charge on the CC, you can dispute that charge and not the charge(s) from/for the hospitals portion.  

[TripleGGG]

First thing you do now is you document everything. Every phone call, email, text etc.

Contact the doctor and request a refund and follow this up in writing that you request a refund of monies paid to him regardless of how you paid. Most credit card companies will want to see that you tried to resolve with the business. If you paid by check or cash then you will need documentation if you have to pursue further.

Hopefully the Dr will refund your money and that will be the end of it. 

Edited January 26 by TripleGGG

[Ski]

I'd make sure your son's insurance company is aware of what happened, and you could complain to the medical license board.

https://www.tn.gov/health/health-program-areas/health-professional-boards/me-board/me-board/complaints.html

 

[btq96r]

This stuff, unfortunately happens.  I help administrate a medical practice and through fault of my own, have had times when a patient was waiting for a doctor I couldn't get to the site.  I always aim to provide notice before the day of the procedure so hospitals can reschedule the patient before they come in, but my success rate isn't 100%.

Hopefully they can get you a reschedule date ASAP.  That's what you should press for so you know when your son will get what he needs. 

The hospital then and there might not know why the doctor didn't show up, so hopefully it was for an understandable reason.  Doctors get sick too, and you surely don't want them working unsafe.  They have family members pass away unexpectedly and have to attend to that.  Sometimes their partners are the one calling out, and if your one procedure was sacrificed to make sure three patients at another facility could be taken care of, that's the cold hard math sometime.

But you're surely owed an apology for the sake of decency, and the quickest availability they have for the procedure for the sake of patient care.

As to the money, if this doctor or his practice won't be doing the procedure, talk to the same folks you gave payments to for the physician and the hospital, and push for a refund on each.  That might start the ball rolling on the reschedule if you tell them you want the money back or a schedule date.

Edited January 27 by btq96r

[DJTC45]

Stop by one of the Play It Again Sports store and pick up a good used Bat. Then go see said Plastic Surgeon and let him know he's going to need surgery. But seriously file a complaint about the Surgeon with the medical board, and also let his insurance know what happened. I hate to say it and I know $4000 is a lot nowadays with everything going on, but if your son was to sue I bet he'd spend more than he would get back. I'd probably find another Surgeon and explain to them what happened and don't pay up front.

[spdfrk70]

You could always stop by the doctor's house

 So I've had nothing but issues with my current doctor I feel your pain

 It's like they are overwhelmed which I'm sure they are to an extent some of that is their own fault

Due to snow days I had to take my son to a doctor's appointment I've got some irritation in my left eye anyhow I show up after I tell them what the issue is I wait 40 minutes pay my copay Dr walks in spends about 10 seconds looking at my eye and says you know this is really just not my specialty you need to see an ophthalmologist if you're having trouble with your eyes

 I said what do you mean it's not your specialty so you just get me in here to take my f****** copay and send my insurance company a bill for $350 I said what kind of b******* is this mind you I've had just about enough of the current state of things when it comes to the medical profession insurance etc

 I just had a physical in the beginning of December and one of those mail order poop examination deals for colon cancer or the early signs 

We've already discussed a positive result now I got to have the camera up the poop shoot anyhow she says oh and it looks like your colon test was negative I looked at her and said you just called me last week and said it was positive we've already scheduled an exam oh that's right I'm sorry look here I said you don't have a f****** clue do you then she proceeds to tell me s*** I already know in front of my 10-year-old who generally doesn't come with me and we have already discussed what all of this means so now my kid is like Dad you might have colon cancer I didn't Tell him because there are a lot of false positives if and when I would obviously

 Sorry for the rant but I feel your pain I think it's going to be cheaper to kidnap a surgeon and a general practitioner and keep them on hand for when we need them than to go through this b******* lol

[Grayfox54]

I spoke to my son today. He told me that while in waiting, the nurse tried to call the doctor at least 3 times. No response.

My son tried to call the doctor's office after he got home. They kept transferring him to the scheduling desk and all he got there was an answering machine. We still have no idea why the doctor didn't show. 

My son has a long list of people he'll start calling Monday morning. 

[Pain103]

Lodge a complaint with TN Department of Health. Probably won't do anything, but maybe with a complaint the doc will realize the world doesn't revolve around him or her. 

[spdfrk70]

12 hours ago, Grayfox54 said:

I spoke to my son today. He told me that while in waiting, the nurse tried to call the doctor at least 3 times. No response.

My son tried to call the doctor's office after he got home. They kept transferring him to the scheduling desk and all he got there was an answering machine. We still have no idea why the doctor didn't show. 

My son has a long list of people he'll start calling Monday morning. 

Sorry for all your trouble I hope things get better for him tomorrow nothing like prepping yourself for a big medical bill and then heaven more stress that you shouldn't have on top of it

[btq96r]

The medical board isn't going to care too much about complaints of this nature. Their purview is regarding the clinical practice of physicians, and this is a service issue.

Not joking, a scathing Google review would have more force than anything you file with the medical board and take you a fraction of the time.

Also, figure out if this is truly a solo practitioner or if he's part of a group practice. 

[Sunfish]

On 1/26/2024 at 6:26 PM, Ski said:

I'd make sure your son's insurance company is aware of what happened, and you could complain to the medical license board.

https://www.tn.gov/health/health-program-areas/health-professional-boards/me-board/me-board/complaints.html

 

The Hospital administrator can revoke his Hospital  privileges and as stated above the board can do a lot if they see a pattern of misconduct