Dentists and Forms

[QBI]

OK. I'm acknowledging that I'm feeling an irrational and disproportionate response to this. I'm far more upset and bothered that I should be.
At least I think I'm over reacting...

I have an appointment with my dentist for a routine check up next week. They've just sent me an email Introducing the Patient Portal. With a video telling how to use it.
Seems like I'll need a username and password to fill in Forms in advance of the check-up. That pisses me off to start with.
These forms must be really difficult because they've bothered to warn me about them in advance. And they are complicated enough that I need a video to explain how to fill them.
Now I admit I have an unhealthy 'fear' of bureaucracy. And I think that a professional service provider such as a dentist should fill my forms for me anyway, perhaps via a nice conversation?
But supposing I do have these onerous forms to fill in advance of my visit, why the f*&k are they not attached so I can deal with that now?
They have opened up this 'problem' for me which I cannot resolve until they send the link 2 days before the appointment. I've got this 'incomplete' occupying the limited head-RAM of my psyche all weekend!

Thank you for listening

 

[DM Larson]

I can very much empathize here. It is bad enough to have to go to the dentist, but adding the patient portal to the experience makes unpleasant so much worse. I had to go through this last year with my dermatologist when I had some carcinoma removed from my nose.

It's nice to be able to vent. Hope your visit goes more pleasant next week.

 

[gordo]

Regarding patient portals. My biggest gripe is that all of my doc offices use a different portal. So instead of having one, I would have 11. I only use three and have refused to sign up for the remainder. Not sure how much longer that will be allowed. If I lived in Tucson and used one of the large medical systems, I'd have one portal. But where I live it's mostly all independent offices/ small clinic systems, so more portals. Aggravating.

An increasing number of places here are moving to a tablet-based system for forms completion on check-in. The tablet is wirelessly linked to their system and auto updates the forms as you complete them.

Supposed to be faster for staff and patients. So far, from what I've been seeing, in reality staff has to walk everyone through the process the first time or three. When the patient has a question or issue, they have to wait in line again to speak to staff. Staff then has to deal with the question or issue. And for the patients that have dexterity/ eyesight issues or other reasons using a touchscreen tablet is a problem or impossible, staff ends up having to complete the form for them and help them try and do the electronic signature.

Second biggest gripe is them assuming everyone has/ can use smart phones, and they send texts with hyperlinks to old flip-phones with no data plans. And no matter how many times you explain it, they seem incapable of understanding or just don't care.