Like Trudging Through Mud

Sometimes office hours are effortless.   Patients arrive perfectly timed.  They all have insurance cards and co-pays at the ready.  My front desk staff looks like 12 cylinder engine with pistons cranking at full speed--no back fires.  If there are any no-shows at all, they seem to come at opportune times and are followed by a add-on vasectomy or vas reversal patient that fill the holes perfectly.  The phones ring, but with all new patients or established ones wanting to be seen.  The EHR purs like a kitten as all patients fit all templates beautifully and clicks are minimal.  The prescription printer never fails and e-prescribed prescriptions always match the formulary.  The entire office is in the zone.  It happens and when it does, I love it.  

And then there is my last 2 days; like trudging through mud.  Phones never stop, but for billing questions and pre-approval calls, and pharmacy issues.  Patients are calling for results and when I cal back, I get voice mail and cycle goes on and on and on. . .   My front office is functioning but like my '65 Mustang after I neglected to change the oil after $3000 miles.  The EHR--no pateint ever seems to come in with any complaint I have ever seen before.  The prescrition printer must be tired as it goes into sleep mode way too often.  As for e-prescribe, pharmacy issues, formulary issues or both.

Torture.