At work... so how am I on a computer?

"I need my paperwork to go to radiology."
"Misch, where's Marie?"
"Misch, my patient was supposed to have a procedure done at 7am can we get her there late? Wait - Misch??"

I am at work right now. You may be wondering why I have time to blog at work at 9:25 in the morning. I am "extra" on the schedule today. I volunteered to sit at the main desk for a while since our unit secretary is out. I thought it would just be phone calls but I am also responsible for helping to get people to appointments, managing the transportation list, handing out paperwork, and a slew of other things and I don't even know what they are so they are not getting done.

"Fourth floor, Misch speaking. He's not on my list.... Well I didn't write the list.... Yes, I can get him there... The case manager is supposed to do that... Well, that's why I said I'd get him there."

(static) "Come in, Gus.. (static) Gus, come in this is base four to Gus. (static) Gus I have an add-on going to 38 Chestnut Street. Are you still here with the van?"


I think this whole morning is a lesson from God. Every different role at a medical facility is unique and necessary. It comes with stresses and joys. But sometimes we forget to even imagine ourselves in someone else's shoes. Today I am thrust into a world of ringing phones, impatient patients, demanding insurance representatives and frustrated doctors and I kind of understand why "Mary," gets so crazed sometimes.

"What time does the podiatry clinic open?" (I have no idea.)
"Does Michael John's medicare cover more than 50% of his stay here?" (I can call benefits?)
"Can you find Dr. Z?" (Who is that???)

Luckily, the medical secretary has been helping me with things I didn't even know I had to do. Like copying certain records based on... something. I don't know. A list somewhere, maybe the lunar cycle. And the unit secretary form downstairs has been picking up my unintended slack left and right. We really are a team here. It's all kinds of eye opening and awesome to see it from this angle, but I can't wait to get back to where I am the most useful as I am.
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"Hi, are you covering the desk? .. Well, it's me, I'm coming in to relieve you. I'll be right up."

BEST PHONE CALL OF THE MORNING!