Yesterday I wanted to query sonething with the GP surgery... just a quick question regarding a blood test request form that I wasn't expecting... I am more than happy to sit in a phone queue reading my book, or making a cup of tea, and after some time (usually not too long) have a short conversation with the receptionist...
All change! They have moved over to a completely online system for appointments, queries, prescription requests (although I had been doing these online for years).
My father’s surgery uses a similar online system so I wasn't totally in the dark, but utterly was all a bit unexpected. Even so, it took me about fifteen minutes to wend my way through the different pages and menus until I reached the point where could type in name/address/date of birth/telephone number/security information... and then the one line query...
Very reminiscent of shopping in IKEA - I remember the important thing is to remember where the short cut to the cafe is...
Aaargh....that's what I find myself saying after a while in IKEA, and, yesterday, after ten minutes on the surgery website!
but I did get a clear answer to my query within a few hours.
I think I'll revisit the surgery website and do a few practice runs, hopefully without actually sending the request, to get used to it. I wouldn't like to try using it if I was actually unwell..!
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But technology can be wonderful too;
The number of London hospital clinic appointments I have attended over zoom have saved me hours and hours of long journeys and associated expense.
Today my brother and I sorted out most of the arrangements for my father’s funeral on a zoom call with the local funeral directors, saving my brother a three hour drive each way. Easy! We'll do the same when we meet the celebrant in a few days.
We've done most of the communication with family and friends via email; when my mother died 9 years ago I spent every night on the phone for a week, as well as sending out scores of letters. That was exhausting at the time.
Back to zoom; since everyone started using it in 2020, I've seen far more of far-flung family and friends in the past 5 years than before, especially geing able to reconnect with my cousins
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We've come a long way since 'the old days'. Notice I didn't say 'good old days', because, in spite of the frustrations with technology, I would say that the benefits of zoom, email, WhatsApp, text, online shopping, and, dare I say it, even this new online access to the surgery (once I've got to grips with it) are all a great benefit to us.
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Psalm 23, from the Message; it's the other half of verse 5 today (the first two lines were yesterday's portion)
It's all sustaining stuff...
I think it would be a good idea to try it out. That way when you need to actually use it you'll know where to go for the short cuts! My daughter and her husband both had their last doctor appointments online to diagnose sudden illnesses. Really quite strange! I suppose it cuts down on the need for in-house doctors.
ReplyDeleteTelephone and video consultations have become the norm these days. I'm in favour, as long as you do get to SEE a doctor if you need to.
DeleteTelephone consultations ('telecons') are commonplace. More efficient use of a doctor's time, but open to misinterpretation/misunderstanding. My husband awaits one this morning - 'morning' is a very long time. Could be any minute now . . . or not! 😀
ReplyDeleteA lot of these newfangled systems optimise the professional's time, but don't necessarily optimise the client/consumer's time 😄
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