Mercy Woodstock Telephone Hours – Grade? F

Do medical patients often think of things they need from the doctor or the medical clinic at the end of the day? Can you get through? Do you get the night or week-end answering service when you call?

How can “customer service” be so poor? Maybe we need Dr. Reyes to picket at Mercy Woodstock, just as he did – with great success – at Woodstock’s Memorial Medical Center hospital.

The medical service at Mercy Woodstock is good, just as it is at Memorial Medical Center. The customer service (or patient services) from non-medical staff needs a lot of improvement at Mercy Woodstock.

Don’t tell me to contact them and complain (or offer suggestions). I have done so already. Perhaps what is needed is for a LOT of people to complain.

Yesterday I attempted to pick up a prescription at the Woodstock Osco. The pharmacy had faxed the doctor at Mercy Woodstock for a new prescription on Thursday, and the doctor had not replied yet. Looking back, I should not have delayed and should not have expected the “system” to work; i.e., that the doctor would respond on Friday and provide the necessary prescription.

When I telephoned Mercy Woodstock at 11:45AM today (Saturday), the phones had already been switched to the week-end answering service! They switch their phones at 11:30AM. Dumb!

While I am sure that the financial pressures from Janesville are high, the clinic must provide decent availability. Unless things have changed recently, their phones go on “Night Service” at 4:30PM on Monday through Friday.

Result? Now it will be at least Monday before the prescription can be filled. I will have to call on Monday and insist that they contact the pharmacy without further delay.

See another posting for how Osco Pharmacy conducts itself, when a doctor doesn’t respond to a faxed request for a prescription.