Unknown Doctors office left message

[ls99]

On my answering machine I found a message from a doctors office with which I never dealt with, or know of, to call them.

A quick check on the the phone number confirmed the the name of the doctor, who is in the next town with over 38 years of claimed experience, DO, Family practice.

The female leving message had my first name correct.
Why would a doc's office I never dealt with call me to call them back? Most puzzling. No intention to call the office.

Any Ideas?

 

[6miths]

Do you have a relatively common name? May be that they got some lab work back for some reason with a name and no address (then a search for likely suspects) or even your name and address. They are going to try to follow it up. Doctors have a fiduciary responsibility so it is very hard to just say 'That's not our patient' and toss results in the round file. Or maybe they just heard that you were a great patient or one with a great health care plan and wanted to see if you needed a Family Doctor - a slow day!

 

[razztazz]

This has happened to me and not even with the same first name. Mayabe 4 or 5 times in the past 15 yrs. They got a digit wrong when they dialed and you're phone rang. I always called them back and tell them they need to double check their phone listings. It could be important info for Mr/Ms whoever waiting on those test results. OR... you could just ignore it. Chances are when they get no reply they'll call again and get the right number. OR... the person in question will call the office when they haven't gotten a call in a few days and that will sort it out.

 

[davebarnes]

Call them back and tell them that they are too late.
The IRS has already raided your house and taken all your money.

 

[ls99]

Do you have a relatively common name? May be that they got some lab work back for some reason with a name and no address (then a search for likely suspects) or even your name and address. They are going to try to follow it up. Doctors have a fiduciary responsibility so it is very hard to just say 'That's not our patient' and toss results in the round file. Or maybe they just heard that you were a great patient or one with a great health care plan and wanted to see if you needed a Family Doctor - a slow day!

My name is highly unusual. I've dealt with an in town, two miles to travel, Doc and his NP for the last twelve years. No intent on switching. See them maybe once or twice a year, usually getting several times prodded for "wellness check".

Maybe the slow day is the answer.

 

[Chuckanut]

Unfortunately, some people hijack the medical ID of others to get care. This has happened with Medicare, and is just another version of identity theft.

 

[Sarah S]

Call and find out. Could even be that someone gave you as a back up contact you should have been told butsometimes people have to choose on the spot and forget to tell the person they picked. It can be difficult for single childless folk

 

[COcheesehead]

I had my insurance company call me once to discuss my back problem.
I don't have a back problem or ever made a claim for a back problem.
I hung up. They did not call back.
They had my name and insurance provider correct. Very unsettling.

 

[ls99]

Allright, I called them, first, telephone push this number if etc. hell, finally a person, clueless as to why I was called, I said goodbye.

 

[razztazz]

Day ain't clueless. "Oh "S!" we "F"'ed it up! is the answer but it sounds better if they play dumb

 

[Sunset]

We got this type of call once, it was about a pregnancy test.
We didn't call back, figuring the real person would call them when they didn't hear anything.

 

[easysurfer]

Allright, I called them, first, telephone push this number if etc. hell, finally a person, clueless as to why I was called, I said goodbye.

Maybe the doc's number got spoofed?

I got a call a few days ago listing the name of the building of an eye doctor next to me. They did not leave a message. I didn't call back. Did a search on the phone number on the caller id and that didn't match the number of to eye doc's building. I wouldn't have called back anyhow since "no message, no call back".

 

[ChiliPepr]

On my answering machine I found a message from a doctors office with which I never dealt with, or know of, to call them.

A quick check on the the phone number confirmed the the name of the doctor, who is in the next town with over 38 years of claimed experience, DO, Family practice.

The female leving message had my first name correct.
Why would a doc's office I never dealt with call me to call them back? Most puzzling. No intention to call the office.

Any Ideas?

Were you a partner with anyone who tested positive for a STD?

It cannot hurt to call. You verified the number was a real doc, it is either a mix-up in which case there is no reason not to call and let them know they have the wrong info, or they do have info for you.

 

[WestUniversity]

Perhaps the office fat fingered the phone number when dialed, and by coincidence you have the same first name. Have they subsequently called back?

 

[T-Minus]

This happened with a dentist (let’s call him #1) I had been seeing up until a few years ago. I stopped going because I didn’t care for the dental hygienist or front office staff, and found another dentist. About two to three years later, I received a call from another dentist (#2) I had never heard of who had my name and number. Turns out, #1 had retired and sold his practice to #2, and #2 was trying to grow his practice by getting patients to come in for exam/treatment/etc. Could something like this have happened to you?

 

[ls99]

Were you a partner with anyone who tested positive for a STD?

It cannot hurt to call. You verified the number was a real doc, it is either a mix-up in which case there is no reason not to call and let them know they have the wrong info, or they do have info for you.

No.

As I noted earlier, they were clueless. or a SNAFU.

 

[ls99]

This happened with a dentist (let’s call him #1) I had been seeing up until a few years ago. I stopped going because I didn’t care for the dental hygienist or front office staff, and found another dentist. About two to three years later, I received a call from another dentist (#2) I had never heard of who had my name and number. Turns out, #1 had retired and sold his practice to #2, and #2 was trying to grow his practice by getting patients to come in for exam/treatment/etc. Could something like this have happened to you?

Ah, the possibilities!

 

[GalaxyBoy]

A couple of years ago I got a bill from a doctor I never heard of, so it could be worse. Got it straightened out over the phone, so it was OK in the end.

(What's an answering machine? )