Something went wrong - a technology rant

[target2019]

I once loved the idea of computer systems and how tech was gonna solve the problems of humanity. For some, that is probably true, but spouse and I seem to have the most interesting online interactions with these man-made systems.

This begins as an OptumRx rant, but there's always more...

Something went wrong
Error: We are currently experiencing system issues and cannot sign you in at this time.
Please try again in a few hours. If you need immediate help, please call the number on the back of your ID card.

Peachy, indeed! This reminds me why I don't often login to the array of healthcare systems that send out mysterious emails about important health care information (as from family MD and "System", etc.).

It's no longer possible to simply login with username and p/w. Have to wonder why I have a HealthSafe ID (thinks that's some M$ crap), that sends my phone a txt message (says it comes from Vanguard), only to find the error message above. What are we? Human, or scientific calculator?

Can't stop there. My penetration into the bowels of healthcare prescription system was precipitated by emails that came after recent visit to family doc.

Part two: Why does my family doc now have a med student who asks 10-15 minutes of questions that have perfectly good answers in the "system" for which she has no card access. I watched her fill a page in a steno notebook from top to bottom, and then waited for the doc, only to have her ask many of the same questions.

Think I need a "doc" app, which will ask questions, record answers, and just send me the !@#$ prescriptions! Of course it will require a $1K phone that requires constant updating, as well as an expensive plan!

Now, back to my paid day off...

 

[joeea]

Hope you feel better now after getting that rant off your chest.
You can go back to using your technology for better things - like posting here!

 

[easysurfer]

Way too many surveys in this day and age.

Though I did earn $2 filling out one recently about my confidence in the economy. So, wasn't a total waste .

 

[athena53]

Way too many surveys in this day and age.

Though I did earn $2 filling out one recently about my confidence in the economy. So, wasn't a total waste .

I use e-Rewards and fill out surveys almost daily, but I get Hilton points and Starbucks gift cards. I refuse to participate in surveys other than that, ESPECIALLY when they call me on my cell phone, which does not have a plan with unlimited talk time.

Yeah, technology has made things more cumbersome in many cases. My pet peeve is voicemail systems where you have to enter info such as an account number and the first thing a human asks for is info you've already entered.

 

[sengsational]

My rant is that when the system fails, whether it's the IT system or the business process, I can't write a "letter" to get it fixed; resolution requires that I call, hang on hold for hours, talk to someone who doesn't have the capacity to fix it.

 

[target2019]

Hope you feel better now after getting that rant off your chest.
You can go back to using your technology for better things - like posting here!

That's a very nice thought. Thank you.
I went out front door, and checked for spring growth. A better use of tech...

 

[CaptTom]

I remember when computers were supposed to REDUCE paperwork!

But you miss the bigger picture.

They're not computers any more. They're "communicators."

They were supposed to bring a great leveling of human discourse. No more pesky journalists or editorial boards filtering what we read. Freedom!

How has that worked out?

 

[MRG]

My rant is that when the system fails, whether it's the IT system or the business process, I can't write a "letter" to get it fixed; resolution requires that I call, hang on hold for hours, talk to someone who doesn't have the capacity to fix it.

Try that with Yahoo mail. After 20+ years we've locked ourselves out and there's no help. Chat doesn't connect, their 800 number is a travel site!

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

Try that with Yahoo mail. After 20+ years we've locked ourselves out and there's no help. Chat doesn't connect, their 800 number is a travel site!

Our friends with Yahoo mail have repeatedly had their accounts hacked by people who spun yarns of being jailed in the Philippines or mugged in Hungary, and "please wire us $3000 right away."

I emailed them back to tell them I was sorry to hear about their misfortune, but money would not be forthcoming.

 

[Clone]

They were supposed to bring a great leveling of human discourse. No more pesky journalists or editorial boards filtering what we read. Freedom!

How has that worked out?

You are a Monstur!! A terrible person! You should not be allowed on these boards....

Oh wait, sorry, I thought I was on a different discussion site.

 

[GrayHare]

My rant is that when the system fails, whether it's the IT system or the business process, I can't write a "letter" to get it fixed; resolution requires that I call, hang on hold for hours, talk to someone who doesn't have the capacity to fix it.

+1 Bugs don't get fixed except maybe when not fixing the bugs costs more than fixing them.

 

[MRG]

+1 Bugs don't get fixed except maybe when not fixing the bugs costs more than fixing them.

Those are sometimes called features.

 

[W2R]

I remember when computers were supposed to REDUCE paperwork!

Remember when everyone was talking about the "Paperless Office"? At my former job, that was a Big Deal. It ended up that we had to keep duplicate records, both on paper and on computers, so it was twice the work.

 

[Midpack]

Lots of industries have integrated tech very well, at least the mundane stuff. Health care on the other hand has little to no competition, and many payers who have no idea what anything really costs them, so they're not driven to improve service in the way industries with actual competition are forced to. It'll change, in someone's lifetime.

Lots of doctors, though not all, are infamous Luddites. I used to sail with a locally renowned orthopedic surgeon, who was baffled by all technology, even his own iPhone. He asked me to teach him about the tech on his boat, there was no chance he'd ever learn any of it. He asked me to show him the same things over and over and over. If the doctors are clueless, and everyone is getting paid handsomely, who would drive tech change?

Everyone at my GP is very friendly, can I get you coffee, see the pretty artwork and indoor waterfalls. But I have to fill out pages of questions every single time, even though most of the answers haven't changed and most can't. And even though I make the first appointment whenever possible, they never see me on time. Never.

 

[MRG]

Remember when everyone was talking about the "Paperless Office"? At my former job, that was a Big Deal. It ended up that we had to keep duplicate records, both on paper and on computers, so it was twice the work.

After I cleaned up from laughing while drinking my water, I'll mention that's not how it was supposed to work!

Long term storage, or geographical location was a problem?

Many years of my career was spent implementing solutions for paper problems. I thought I'd seen every poor implementation! That's one of the better ones.

 

[LOL!]

I like that the assistant asks questions and then discusses them with the physician away from you, and then you tell the physician the same thing. Basically, you get to clarify your thoughts, review them, and think about them. Then the people you talk to get to compare whether you say the same thing or not.

Are you fibbing? Are you forgetting something? Unfortunately, your fellow patients are causing problems for everybody because they are not revealing the truth like you are.

 

[joeea]

That's a very nice thought. Thank you.
I went out front door, and checked for spring growth. A better use of tech...

Nice! I wish it was spring where I live.

 

[joeea]

Health care on the other hand has little to no competition, and many payers who have no idea what anything really costs them, so they're not driven to improve service in the way industries with actual competition are forced to.

My healthcare provider is very automated.

I can log in to a portal site and see all my medications and medication history, the results of all tests, the schedule of all appointments, etc. I can even send a message to my physician and get a response later without having to call the office, leave a message and hope I'm around to hear the callback. I can easily look up simple explanations of any conditions, symptoms, and medications. I can check on billing, learn all the details for costs, find out what insurances has paid so far, etc, etc.

I like this system a lot it's very well done. No complaints from my end.

 

[Chuckanut]

They were supposed to bring a great leveling of human discourse. No more pesky journalists or editorial boards filtering what we read. Freedom!

Obviously you are another of the dangerous radicals that infest this site.

 

[MRG]

Lots of doctors, though not all, are infamous Luddites. I used to sail with a locally renowned orthopedic surgeon, who was baffled by all technology, even his own iPhone. He asked me to teach him about the tech on his boat, there was no chance he'd ever learn any of it. He asked me to show him the same things over and over and over. If the doctors are clueless, and everyone is getting paid handsomely, who would drive tech change?
.

I remember when my last PCP's office went to EMR. Oh what fun that was. The goal who did billing became tech support. They had a consultant in but there were some really bad choices.

My doc was in his 60s, not tech savvy and they gave him a laptop with the standard mousepad. I must have been his second patient and he's really struggling. He can't balance the thing or use the mouse and he's re-learning all his note taking skills.

I mentioned something about the mouse and he said he had no idea what he was doing. I said that it appears you're imitating a monkey trying to have sex with a bulldog; a portable mouse to go in your lab coat is probably only $20. He was pretty thankful.

 

[target2019]

At the request of my state-of-the-art healthcare provider:

Hello from Pooper University HealthCare. You have an important Preventive Health reminder to view in your MyPooper account. Please log into your MyPooper account and view the letter located in the My Medical Record section of your account. Thank you and have a great day!

I logged in, to see this:

 

[zedd]

I logged into my healthcare providers website to ensure that my recent premium was posted. I then clicked on the Payments and Billing tab which then took me to a third-party site. There I see that my payment has been posted to the PED DENTAL plan.

PED DENTAL as in Pediatric dental coverage ?! I (we) have no children. I called the 800 number and confirmed that my payment for healthcare did post. I went on to explain to them that their website was showing the wrong information.

The customer care rep then put me on hold where I waited for about five minutes. Finally the premium hold music goes mute. I say "Hello". "Hello" is the reply. "To whom am I speaking please?" I ask. "This is Carla with the Office of the XXXX State Auditor, Insurance. How can I help?"

Seriously. I started with the BCBS customer care rep and was transferred to the state insurance auditor!

 

[Sue J]

My healthcare provider is very automated.

I can log in to a portal site and see all my medications and medication history, the results of all tests, the schedule of all appointments, etc. I can even send a message to my physician and get a response later without having to call the office, leave a message and hope I'm around to hear the callback. I can easily look up simple explanations of any conditions, symptoms, and medications. I can check on billing, learn all the details for costs, find out what insurances has paid so far, etc, etc.

I like this system a lot it's very well done. No complaints from my end.

Oh, the "Patient Portal", if only it was so simple.

Every Dr I've been to in the last few years has their own version of a patient portal, each with it's own logon and password. One is MyClinic, another is MyChart, another just called MyPatient Portal. A few years ago I had one called MyPlanCentral and YourCareCommunity for a specialist. Each one is for a different medical system and none of them seem to be able to connect with each other.

In 2017, after having to find a new PCP again (last one left the practice and moved out of town, previous one became out-of-network when we changed insurance) I found myself with another new portal. My blood work results never showed up because the in network lab I used wasn't recognized by their system. Then a visit to a pain management practice showed up in my medical record. Nope, I hadn't been to a pain management doctor, but someone working for one had entered a visit into my record on the portal. When I called to inquire about this I was told that the entry was in error and I should just ignore it. Can't it be removed? Nope, our system does not allow that. At least I wasn't billed for someone else's visit.

In October of 2017 I got a letter from my insurance company telling me that my current PCP is now out-of-network. So I am doctor shopping again. There are 3 big medical systems in our area. If I'm lucky I'll find a doctor that has a portal that I'm already registered in.

Now if I can just find all my previous logons and passwords.

 

[joeea]

Oh, the "Patient Portal", if only it was so simple.

Every Dr I've been to in the last few years has their own version of a patient portal, each with it's own logon and password.

All of my physicians belong to the same system. My wife's physicians will be on the same system by the end of this month.
It really is that simple for me. Sorry to hear it isn't for some - you would like our system.

 

[kcowan]

I am convinced that those paper surveys are to make the wait time seem shorter. The doctor has all they need on their systems.