Is this discrimination and what can I do about it?

Question

My niece is hearing impaired, 30 and pregnant. She went to her doctor's yesterday and because she missed two appointments, her doctor would not see her and is referring her to a new doctor. I would not be concerned except for the fact that she is due to deliver on or before Sept 9th. My niece was devastated. I am very angry and want to be a voice for my niece. Help.

Answer 1

I wouldn't say this is discrimination. My opinion in this case is that your neice lost the opportunity by missing appointment when other women could use his precious time. If he just up and dropped her, then I would call this discrimination but I don't think you have it right. I don't think there is anything you can do but get your neice another doctor before she delivers.  

Answer 2

Sorry, it's not discrimination, its called non-compliance on your nieces part, a doctor is not willing to take the liability of a patient that is not willing to follow what the doctor asks, I work in an obgyn office and this is normal protocol when a patient continually misses appointments.  Her best bet is to call the office and speak to the office manager and see if their is a way she can continue her care with that office.

Answer 3

Most doctors have that policy, where after you miss 2 appt. without  calling ahead they drop you- this has happened to myself and my husband- however, her doctor is a jerk to drop her so close to her due date!!!!! Maybe a different doctor will be better in the long run.

Answer 4

Not only did the doctor give your niece a copy of his office policies early in her pregnancy, but he more than likely also contacted her by mail as soon as she missed that second appointment.  It is always the responsibility of the patient to notify the doctor ahead of time if they need to reschedule an appointment.  If she had a particularly compelling reason for why she couldn't be present for the scheduled appointments, she might be able to appeal to the doctor and convince him to change his mind.  (Especially if the decision to drop her was an automatic decision made by the office staff and not really an independent decision that the doctor made.)

But before you get all in the doctor's face, you need to understand from your niece exactly why she missed her appointments and what her reason was for not contacting the office ahead of time.  With the availability of telecom devices for the hearing impaired, email, and fax machines, added to the number of normally-hearing people in her life, she should have been able to cancel or reschedule the appointments in keeping with his office policies.  Just make certain you have all your facts straight before you go making accusations.

But no, regardless of what did or didn't happen, there is no discrimination here.  It's normal office policy for ob-gyns.

Answer 5

yeah that doesnt sound right at all..

Answer 6

I know. That is frustrating. But I think they do have the right to do that because when they make appointments and people don't show they lose money because they could of seen other people and made money. I think most doctors give a card with the next appointment time and day. Maybe they didn't do that with her and she did not hear when she had to go back. That's too bad. Maybe if you give a kind explanation they will understand and give her another chance. If not, I'm sure she'll find another doctor that will help her. Best wishes and congrats to her!

Answer 7

It's not discrimination... She should have called and told them, so they could fit someone else in, in her time slot. They have a business to run, after all, and it's nothing personal... It *is* close to her due date, but, the doc is under no obligation to let policy slide, just because of that.

*edited* You being angry, and wanting to be her 'voice,' is not going to help her. They won't take her back, just because her Aunt was mad.