Wednesday, October 30, 2024

UPDATE: Quest Diagnostic's Excellent Response, and Vindication Feels Good!


I have a half-written post as the second post on my horror-movie series, which I'll post tonight, but I just wanted to post a positive about Quest Diagnostic's response to these errors.

And let me just say, before any guesses are made on race - all of these people are white (except for the last MA, who did the test correctly).


As mentioned, all's well that ends well - and despite having to be walked through how to do the hair-follicle test by corporate at the local LabCorp office at Walgreens -  the test came back negative, I'm hired, and I will start soon at the best-paying job of my life! 😍

(Hair follicles are best anyway, as they detect both recent AND chronic drug usage.)


So as mentioned, since the local Quest Diagnostics office had promised to rectify the incorrect lab test and billing in a handwritten note on my receipt, I was not going to "tell" on anyone to corporate.


However, when my OB/GYN's office called me, confused about why the hormone-level test done in office from last April was repeated in September and I had to explain, this led me to investigate billing.  

In fact, my insurance had been billed for the blood test (who will reject it and I would have to pay out of pocket, which is around $250).

Additionally, on the same day my OB/GYN called me, I received the urine drug screen test from the same lab, which came back "negative-dilute" - as if I'd flooded myself with water first - but I didn't.


So when I called billing due to the lab office's error, explaining that I had a handwritten note from the manager stating the test would be canceled and I would not be billed.

Billing said that I would need a letter from my OB/GYN stating they did not order this test.

I asked billing that if it was the lab office's mistake, why I had to involve my OB/GYN, when she did nothing wrong?

They explained they were third-party billing and had no authorization or ability to cancel the test or bill without an authorization from an MD and Quest doesn't have one on site.


At this point, though I don't want to be a Karen - and I'm not into leaving reviews (positively or negatively because someone else's experience could be different than mine), preferring to resolve things privately - since there is no way to contact the local office directly by phone to rectify the situation, I had no choice but to contact the corporate office, by calling the 1-800 customer service line, as well as writing an email (because I tend to write better than I speak, especially when nervous). 


After customer service listened to my story, they were appropriately horrified and escalated my story to their leadership team as a Priority 1.

In response to the email, I received a call from the actual office manager. 

As it turns out, the person who wrote the handwritten note on my receipt about the test mix-up and billing cancelation was NOT the office manager - she's the medical-assistant team lead.

Apparently, there IS no manager on site, the manager  covers different regional offices. 


The actual manager was super apologetic, super embarrassed, super horrified, and super mad at her staff.

I told her I wasn't mad, I was worried - not only for my job, but if this happened to anyone else but it was a medical test that was wrong - they could end up in the ER or worse.  

I explained that I worked in healthcare, I can tell they are short-staffed and I get it, as well as how things can snowball very quickly if not caught early, but I would've never would've said a word, until my OB/GYN's office called me, confused, plus I was billed, and then this new strange test result.

I told her that I tend not to speak up unless the issue either affects my wallet, it affects someone else I care about, or the is issue bigger than me lol.

I said I would've called the direct office again, but there's no local number.


She explained that she can clearly see what happened and everything that had been done, and it was exactly as I said. 

She verified the third-party services that employers use for background checks and drug screens  scheduled my appointment at 12:30 on 9/17 for a urine drug-screen, and she could also see that I DID check "drug screening" as the reason for my visit at the digital kiosk.

She explained there are two systems: One for medical labs, the other for drug employment screenings.

However, no one ever checked the employment screening system for my name or the order that entire day of 9/17.

They assumed I was here for medical labs - despite my prospective employer clearly scheduling the appointment and my checking "employment drug screen" on the digital check-in kiosk, and it printing out to the back-office staff.

Worse, the MA/phlebotomist checked the medical-lab system, she could've easily seen the older date of lab order, that it was done in my OB/GYN's office and sent directly from their to the main Quest Diagnostics Analysis lab from there, and it had been completed - with results. 


I told her that I always try to look at what I could've done differently, because that's all I can control, and I should've printed up and brought in the email stating urine drug screen from the company.

She said "No, even THAT isn't your fault - you shouldn't have to.  The company scheduled it, you chose it at check-in, and it prints up in the back. And you did double-check her, but I understand not wanting to push back too hard on a drug test, plus we're supposed to be the professionals"  


Then she asked how her staff was when I returned to the office.  

Now, I had already said the MA/phlebotomist was defensive, but didn't go into detail. 

She asked exactly what "defensive" meant.


Me:  "Before I answer, please understand that I am not trying to get anyone in trouble, which is why I never mentioned her defensive response until you asked.  I just wanted the bill canceled, and at most, a policy change or perhaps retraining for the staff because this can get worse for someone else if not addressed." 
"I can also tell that you don't have the budget you need for a full, appropriate staff, which I'm going to mention to corporate when they call me to follow this up. 
Manager:  "Yes ... thank you (a smile in her voice). But I need you to tell me so that I can address how they resolve problems."


Only then, did I proceed to tell her what the MA did/said when I returned to the office to correct the mistake.

I explained since there is no direct office number, I had to visit in person.  I signed in for "drug-screening" as I now had until the end of day to get the correct test done or I have no job.  It was 1:00 p.m. and the lab closes at 3 p.m.

I also knocked on the door to the back.  The same MA/phleb that drew the blood test by mistake answered the door.


Me: (As quietly as I could):  "I'm so sorry - but I think we somehow did the wrong lab.  I have until day's end to get it rectified."  

 

MA/Phleb"Did I do it?" 


Me:  "Well ... yes? You drew my blood on Monday, but it was supposed to be a urine sample." 

 

MA/Phleb: "Oh, no! I don't remember, but we'll fix it. Did you check in?" 

 

Me:  "Yes. I now have until day's end or they'll rescind the offer. " 

 

MA/Phleb:  "Okay, I'll take you back next, right after this person."


Up until this point - perfect, no problems at all.

Then 5 people go in ahead of me.  It's now 2 p.m. and I have until 3 p.m. 


When she calls the 6th person back, I stood up and said:

 "No, no - I'm sorry, but I'M next.  I'm sorry (to the person called), it's just I was here earlier and there's a huge mix-up that has to be resolved by 3 p.m. or I'm out of a job."

My husband was with me and said he was so proud of me, because I had been shaking having to confront this lol. I didn't yell, I wasn't mean, I just was assertive and she DID say I would be next 5 people ago, we were running out of time.

 

MA/Phlebotomist"I will get to you when I'm good and ready and not before!  These people have scheduled appointments, you're a walk-in." 

 

Me: "I had a scheduled appointment, too - 3 days ago - but received the wrong test and I will be out of a job if we don't get this rectified by day's end. You did say I'd be next, 5 people ago." 

 

MA/Phleb (yelling):  "Are you saying I don't know how to do my job! I KNOW how to do my job!"

 

Me (stunned, exactly what I feared would happen and why I was shaking):  "No, no - I'm saying a mistake was made and we need to fix it by 3. I don't care how it happened, I just need it fixed by day's end." 

 

MA/Phleb:   "These people have appointments and you don't.  I will fix this problem when I'm ready to, especially since you're insinuating I don't know how to do my job." 

 

Me (now raising MY voice): "No, I had an appointment  ... look, is there someone who can check or mediate?  Because this isn't working!"

 

The lead MA walking down the hall because of her yelling - whom I was told was the manager - was already walking down the hall due to her yelling.


MA/Phleb: "Can you ... because I CAN'T with her."  

 

Lead MA:  "Come on in my office and let's talk.  X, go back to your office, please."

 

I tell the MA what happened, and K is standing outside the office door (which is open).

She suddenly walks in the Lead MA's office - who I'd been told was the manager - despite her having told her to wait in the other room.


MA/Phleb:  "You told me you were here for hormone levels!" 

 

Me: "No, I didn't.  Why would I do that, if I had 72 hours to get a urine drug screen?  I DID try to tell you." 

 

MA/Phleb:  "No you didn't! 

 

Me:  "Yes, I did. I asked you if the test was for X Company and if you were sure. Remember when I asked to go to the bathroom as I'd been holding it for the test? I figured if I kept pushing you, it would seem like I didn't want to be drug tested, but I knew it was the wrong test." 

 

MA/Phleb:  "No you didn't!" 

 

Me:  "Okay, I'm not going to waste time going back and forth with you on this yes I did/no you didn't stuff.  I just need the correct test done, that's all." 
"But it IS interesting that you didn't remember me at first, but now you suddenly remember.  Whatever, let's just fix this" 

 

MA/Phleb:  "I KNOW how to do my job, don't tell me I don't." 

 

Me:  "I am NOT saying you don't know how to do your job, you keep saying that!  I'm saying a mistake was made somewhere and it doesn't matter, we just have to fix it." 
"And you're misreading me.  I'm not mad at you, I'm scared!  Look, I'm shaking? Not because I'm mad, but because I hate speaking up for myself, because it never goes well AND because I have one more hour to get this done or I don't have a job."


She softened a bit with that, even slightly smiled, and said "Okay" and left the room.

At this point, the lead MA gave me the correct test, a urine one, and wrote on my receipt "Misunderstood - gave blood test instead of urine.  Blood test canceled."

The test came back negative and we were good to go.

Back to the manager on the phone.

 

Manager: "OMG, like you'd tell her you needed your hormones checked when you have 72 hours to get a urine sample for a job!" 
"And the fact that she kept trying to find various ways to blame you, and you're actually still partially blaming yourself!  How she handled it in general, the "I can't with her"  - all of that actually bothers me way worse than anything else you've said!  Not that the lab errors aren't bad,  of course they are, but I just have a thing about how my staff handles things and that was way, way rude and refusing to take any responsibility and blaming you? Nuh uh.  This was her error, she didn't check both systems or listen to the patient, she just operated on her own assumptions." 

 

Me:  "Oh, I've seen worse, believe me - that's why I was shaking - again scared, not mad lol.  But I will say the MA Lead or whoever was great. It's just she didn't cancel the test and billing.."

Manager: "Well, I'm madder than you are! lol. And just super embarrassed and so, SO sorry.  And can how can I say this?  
"That MA/phleb is a floater, hired to go to different locations, who is supposed to be trained better than in-office staff, and let me just say this - this is going to be a good lesson for her in humility that everyone will appreciate :)"  
"I'm also mad at my Lead MA, who didn't tell me any of this had gone on and wrote you a handwritten note on a receipt instead of a formal apology letterhead to give to your boss? So she was trying to hide it. And if she canceled the test and bill, like she said, I wouldn't have known." 
"AS for the new "negative-dilute" result, you said that you watched her do everything, initialed it, and that MA - who is one of my senior MAs - did everything right, thank goodness, - so that was something at the toxicology lab and it just happens sometimes, even with people that don't over-hydrate, and we don't know why, it just happened to be you, that time, which is why we retest." 
 "Lucky you, after all we put you through.  I'm sorry to lose you to LabCorp, but glad the hair test came back clean and you're hired, that's the main thing.  I think that one was just a fluke we've seen happen occasionally from the main lab, it's just unfortunate it was you on top of the other stuff."   
"So here's what I'm gonna do.  First, I'm canceling your billing.  Second, my entire staff will be receiving a performance review over this - and it's not going to be pretty.  Third, they will all have to go through mandatory retraining - not only how to do tests, but on customer service " 

 

Me: "Oh, wow - I didn't expect or need all of that, but thank you!  Yeah, my goal was just to address it, which I wanted to do personally, but there's no way to contact the office directly.  I don't want anyone fired, just retraining at most -  because with me, it was just a job, but with someone else on medical tests, mix-ups like this could end up with them in the ER or worse, and someone could get legal.  Not me, but it's a wake-up call, for sure." 
"To be honest, you're kind of lucky it WAS me, and that I've been in healthcare as long as I have and I know how mistakes can happen and things snowball.  Sometimes I've seen the ball get dropped somewhere along the line with everyone who touched it, we call them "cursed reports" lol.  I bet it won't happen again, though! lol." 

Manager: "No, no, you wrote it out very well in your email and on the phone to the CSR. Wow, your memory is super good, most people can't rely on memory, but everything checked out exactly as you said, when I trace the paper trail and logins with dates and times." 
"And you're clearly not mad, just concerned.  And as I said, I'm more mad than you are!  lol.  I'm sorry we lost you to LabCorp, but I don't blame you.  Just know that I am going to do everything in my power to ensure this never happens again to anyone and hopefully gain back your trust at some point." 
"And this is my personal cell phone - if you receive a bill or have any problem at all, you can call or text me, anytime." 

Me"Thank you SO much for listening to me, and for saying that about my memory.  I've had to have a good one, both professionally and personally - more than I care to remember, actually! lol." 

"I was afraid you'd dismiss me as some druggie trying to hide it or something, rather than the truth. I'm actually very sensitive to any medication, I don't even like to take prescribed meds, so there's no way I'd ever do drugs of any kind, legal or not.  In fact, I married and divorced that, once lol" 

She was a super cool lady, we're actually very similar in philosophy, and she handled it exactly as I would have, as a manager.  We actually laughed a few times, which helped break the tension on both sides - a sense of humor helps you get through anything!


Anyway, I'm very satisfied with Quest's response.

But again, what I said below still stands with both Quest and Labcorp - corporate has cut these offices down to a skeleton crew, with no receptionist to check in just a digital kiosk, no nurse, doctor, or even an on-site manager, and no direct phone number to call for questions or concerns.

I understand the cost of healthcare is astronomical, but you've cut back too far - and it won't be by me, but at some point, you're gonna end up having to pay out big bucks for the mistakes being made after having done so.

Nuff said. 

Otherwise, I gotta say, this feels good - vindication feels good.

Because there have been several times in life that though I was telling the absolute truth and could prove it, people just went with what they wanted to believe or covered their own asses..

Thank you, Quest Diagnostics!

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