I have had a similar experience to Dr Wilkinson with the specialist referral system [BCMJ 2011;53:455-456 [9]]. I was referred by my cardiologist to another cardiac specialist in August, and told to phone the office to book the appointment.
The first message I left was not returned. The next time I had a brief conversation with an offhand receptionist and told I would be called back. I am still waiting 3 months later.
I discussed this with the College of Physicians and Surgeons, and they do not seem to have any specific guidelines on this problem, other than that a reasonable standard of care would be to return phone calls. Perhaps the only way to deal with this situation is to make a formal complaint to the College.
I must add that since retirement 10 years ago I have had to see several specialists for various ailments and have only encountered this problem with this particular referral.
—Robert Walker, MBBS
West Vancouver
Links
[1] https://bcmj.org/cover/januaryfebruary-2012
[2] https://bcmj.org/author/robert-walker-mbbs
[3] https://bcmj.org/node/4499
[4] https://bcmj.org/print/letters/re-specialist-booking-protocol
[5] https://bcmj.org/printmail/letters/re-specialist-booking-protocol
[6] http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://bcmj.org/print/letters/re-specialist-booking-protocol&via=BCMedicalJrnl&tw_p=tweetbutton&via=BCMedicalJrnl&tw_p=tweetbutton&via=BCMedicalJrnl&tw_p=tweetbutton&via=BCMedicalJrnl&tw_p=tweetbutton&via=BCMedicalJrnl&tw_p=tweetbutton&via=BCMedicalJrnl&tw_p=tweetbutton&via=BCMedicalJrnl&tw_p=tweetbutton&via=BCMedicalJrnl&tw_p=tweetbutton&via=BCMedicalJrnl&tw_p=tweetbutton&via=BCMedicalJrnl&tw_p=tweetbutton
[7] https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Re: Specialist booking protocol&url=https://bcmj.org/print/letters/re-specialist-booking-protocol&via=BCMedicalJrnl&tw_p=tweetbutton&via=BCMedicalJrnl&tw_p=tweetbutton&via=BCMedicalJrnl&tw_p=tweetbutton&via=BCMedicalJrnl&tw_p=tweetbutton&via=BCMedicalJrnl&tw_p=tweetbutton&via=BCMedicalJrnl&tw_p=tweetbutton&via=BCMedicalJrnl&tw_p=tweetbutton&via=BCMedicalJrnl&tw_p=tweetbutton&via=BCMedicalJrnl&tw_p=tweetbutton&via=BCMedicalJrnl&tw_p=tweetbutton&via=BCMedicalJrnl&tw_p=tweetbutton
[8] https://bcmj.org/javascript%3A%3B
[9] https://bcmj.org/issues/specialist-booking-protocol
[10] https://bcmj.org/modal_forms/nojs/webform/176
[11] https://bcmj.org/%3Finline%3Dtrue%23citationpop