I realize after reading comments that my last post sounded like SCCA is disorganized and full of unnecessary red tape. That was not what I intended to convey with the post. It is very important to keep germs contained to the current germ holder and not spread them. Does everything run as smooth as silk, no, but I think it runs as smooth as it can.
Hundreds and hundreds of people are serviced at SCCA everyday by hundreds of hard working people. Do things get mixed up now and then? Of course. But, when I had an issue with an individual in the lab, I left a comment card and was called back with in a few days. Patient services was glad to get constructive feedback and I was happy to be heard. If I need to see my oncology nurse without an appointment, she (or another nurse if she is out) is available by just asking to have her paged. If I call to talk to my nurse, she is either available right away or calls back in a very timely manner.
The scheduler for all my appointments works very hard to have my appointments scheduled with the minimum amount of time needed between appointments but not more wait time than necessary. And, I can’t say enough about the chemo nurses. They are kind and patient and knowledgeable. I always feel like I am in good hands during chemo.
So, is everything always perfect? No. But rules and regulations are put into place to keep people safe and healthy. I think people need to be their own advocate, need to speak up when necessary and need to appreciate the work of those who deal with many, many people every day.
This is an excellent protocol. When I was treated for cancer at Our Lady of The Damned, the oncology clinic shared a crowded waiting room with the infectious diseases clinic, and the wait to see a doctor could be anywhere from 1 to 6 or more hours. There often weren’t enough chairs so immunocompromised cancer patients sometimes had to sit or lie on the filthy floor. The institutional indifference and contempt were palpable. But my site meter showed that someone from the Louisiana Dept. of Health was checking my blog daily, and a few months later the oncology clinic was moved so the cancer patients shared a waiting room with the colonoscopy patients, who were for the most part non-contagious. If this had anything to do with my blog, then I feel like my life on earth served a noble purpose! It makes me very happy that you’re in such good hands.