551 - Scheduling a Medical Appointment

Descripción: Slow dialogue: 1:36
Explanations: 3:57
Fast dialogue: 15:33

I needed to make an appointment with a doctor so I called my health plan’s phone number for new patients. Bef...ore I could schedule my appointment, I had to listen to several recorded messages to be routed to the right medical office. The recording said to stay on the line for assistance.

Clerk: Hello, Western Medical Group.

Damien: Hello, I’d like to make an appointment with Dr. Gupta.

Clerk: Are you a new patient or a returning patient?

Damien: I’m a new patient.

Clerk: Who referred you to Dr. Gupta?

Damien: No one. One of the health benefits of my plan is that I can self-refer to some specialists.

Clerk: What is the name of your plan and your medical record number?

Damien: It’s Waiser and my medical record number is 23456789.

Clerk: It looks like Dr. Gupta is booked up for the next three weeks. She has an opening on March 2nd, at 4:30 p.m.

Damien: I was hoping to get an early morning appointment.

Clerk: The next morning appointment won’t be until March 18th, at 11:00. You’ll need to check in at 10:45 to fill out paperwork. Should I put you down for that?

Damien: Is it possible to get an even earlier appointment?

Clerk: Dr. Gupta doesn’t begin seeing patients until 10:30.

Damien: 10:30? Isn’t that pretty late?

Clerk: Dr. Gupta likes to play golf in the mornings.

Damien: Why do you think I want an early morning appointment? Doesn’t she know that some of her patients prefer late-morning golf?


Script by Dr. Lucy Tse