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Like so many of us, I have been doing both pdoc and therapy appointments by ways other than in person. Yesterday I had a telephone appointment with my pdoc. It was a pretty straight med check appt.
I told her that I'm having some tremors. I have been seeing her for over 3 years, so she has to know what my hand tremor looks like by now.
Well, she went into a tirade about how I need some kind of video set-up. She said she's been told that the clinic "might not get paid" for telephone only appointments. She also said that using the phone only could cause "medical malpractice." She finished her lecture by telling me to ask the receptionist about how the clinic could help me set up a video system.
The thing is, no way do I have the $ to buy a web cam. I have absolutely no idea of how to hook it up. Plus, all computer shops are closed now.
I was really upset. I called the receptionist, who is a very kind person. I explained to her that I do not have a web cam, I have only a PC (so a microphone isn't built into it). I do have a cell phone, but I use it only for car emergencies if I'm traveling, break down, and need to call roadside assistance. My cell is not connected to the internet. It's an old phone and I don't even know how to do Face Time or whatever.
The receptionist told me that pdoc needs to calm the eff down, and that no client has to have video capability to have an appointment with pdoc or therapist. The clinic cannot force people to pay for equipment they cannot afford to buy, nor does the clinic provide service to set up video in someone's home.
My pdoc often tells me to buy stuff that I have zero money to buy, She has to know that I'm on Medicaid, yet she seems to have no clue that my income is very low - as is the majority of patients that come to the clinic.
I have another pdoc appt. next week and I am a nervous wreck because I know she'll rag on me again. Using the telephone to communicate with my pdoc and T is not my first choice by any means, but since we cannot meet in person, we're stuck with phone appointments for now.
Does anyone else use only the phone for psych appointments? Am I a total freak for not having a video set up? Any ideas? I'm feeling miserably anxious about my next appointment with her. On Tuesday, I'm going to talk with my therapist about this issue, but I don't think she'll have much information for me.
I don't know what to do.
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