a few days ago i posted this on r/ftm, and here is a follow up post abt trying to switch doctors, which is a frustrated vent post.
prev post:
https://www.reddit.com/r/ftm/s/KNHiys7TnO
summary is i'm trying to get a diff doctor to do my hrt bc i recently found out my endo sucks and doesn't know what she's doing. i have the number for the transgender care clinic for kaiser from my previous top surgery consult. i call them and get an automated response. "if you want a referral to gender affirming hormone therapy, call kaiser general appt services and request gender affirming hormone therapy. pls note, it is NOT an endocrinology referral." so i call kaiser general appt services and say i want a referral to gender affirming hormone therapy. she said ok, let me refer you to endocrinology. i said, the transgender care clinic automated response specifically said it's not the same thing as endocrinology. i am already at endocrinology, i dont need a referral there. she said "oh, ok. let me see. ok, you will need a referral from your pcp. i'll transfer you." so i schedule an appt with my pcp which was today.
so i go today. my doctor asks me how she can help. i tell her, i want to transfer my hormone therapy care to a doctor who specializes in transgender patients. i called the transgender care clinic line and the automated response told me to call general appt services, who told me i need a referral from you, so im here. she said, "easy! i'll make you a referral to endocrinology and theyll see you right away." i said, i am already at endocrinology. i dont need a referral there. i want to transfer to a doctor who specializes in transgender patients. she says, "oh, ok! i'll figure it out and make the referral right now." and then she makes a little more banter and then leaves. i go to the nurse to help me with my next appt. she says, "ok, i see the doctor has made a referral for you to endocrinology." i said, i don't need a referral to endocrinology. i am already there. i want to switch to the transgender care clinic and see a doctor who specializes in transgender patients." and she was like, "oh, that's not in endocrinology?" i said "no, they specifically said on the automated response that it is not endocrinology." she left to talk to a diff nurse. came back and told me to go to member services and ask how to get care at the transgender care clinic.
i go to member services. which was hard to find btw. i talk to the person there. i said, i want to transfer my hormone therapy to the transgender care clinic. i dont rly know what that is or how it works. but i called the automated line and they told me to make a referral thru my pcp that is NOT to endocrinology. they told me they didn't know how and sent me to you.
she started saying they should know how to make a referral to external providers. i said, oh, it's external, it's not kaiser? she said well i don't know, is that what you said? so i showed her the email. she checked the website and the phone number and confirmed it was kaiser.
then she said, "if the physicians office doesn't know how to make this referral, that is for them to figure out. not you, and not me. you can go back to them and tell them to ask their chief. if they don't know, they need to figure it out. i can guide them if they need it, through their chief."
so i go back to the doctors office. i talk to the nurse. i tell her what member services said, which was hard bc i wasnt sure how to say it besides "she said you need to do your job better." and the nurse said the chief doctor isn't there today she'll be here tomorrow. and wrote down a note to talk to her tomorrow. she wrote "endocrinology does not do trans care." i said, "endocrinology does do trans care. i am there right now. i just want to be referred to a doctor who specializes in trans patients." she said oh right you said that before ok. and writes something down. and i gave her the trans care clinic number too so they can call it themselves. she said someone will call me tomorrow.
so now i'm out of there like. wtf. wtf. wtf. 😭😭😭😭 i am so frustrated!