Even after all this time you can still send me a fax

[venta]

Aww. When large institutions try to engage with the modern world, it's quite cute.

This morning I rang the doctors' surgery. "Hello," I said, "I want to order a repeat prescription, which I think you now prefer me to do over email. How do I register for this service?"

The receptionist who'd answered ummed and erred for a bit. Then she ahhed. Then she asked me to wait a moment. Then she came back on the line and ummed a bit more, and asked me to hold again.

Eventually she came back on the line and asked: "Do you have a fax number?"

I said no, I didn't. She erred some more. Eventually, she took my phone number so she could call me back to explain the prodecure to me.

She just phoned back. I was braced for a fairly intricate registration process. It turns out that what I have to do is send them an email them stating which prescription I require.

She's now given me the "email number" and I'm all good to go.

Comments

[marjory.livejournal.com]

At our surgery one must now either go to the place in person or use their bespoke on-line system. I have a username and password which they gave to me when I rang. Luckily for me, the receptionist knew what I was talking about and called me back so I wouldn't have to stagger in, the callback letting them check numbers that I was who I said I was. Not that anything I'm prescribed could remotely be anything anyone would want to take recreationally, but then it is a strange world and I am innocent in its ways. I suppose with your antihistamines at least, there might be a meth lab somewhere, but that's a slim possibility.

Our new system is all a bit unfair on the old folk, methinks, unless all of them are committed silver surfers and/or have someone who will drive them/go for them if they are unable to make the trip. It's fine for me as I don't much like talking on the phone and have a House Mitch.

[venta.livejournal.com]

Last time I interacted with the surgery (and they expressed surprise that I hadn't emailed them my prescription - er, that's because 6 months ago you told me I absolutely couldn't get a prescription via email, and I haven't spoken to you since) they actually let me order one over the phone.

So I suspect that - being a fairly small practice - they probably know their regulars and may be willing to cut house-bound non-internet savvy pensioners a bit of slack. Even so, such things shouldn't really be reliant on the whim of the receptionist :(