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

[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 :(