This morning I got a number for my son to see the doctor who bolted his leg together a month and a half ago, for next week. When he was released from the hospital, they told me to do a followup in a month. Except they didn’t bother to explain exactly how. So when the time came, I went to the local clinic, who told me a number to call for an appointment, which I did.
Time out: the number they give out is 1920 1212. Since all phone numbers in Uruguay have eight digits, you might imagine this is the number to call. You would be wrong: in the event you’re not in Montevideo. You have add a 2 in front, making it a nine-digit number. This is apparently so obvious that they don’t bother to tell you, and wonder why you’d ask.
No appointments were available, they told me. Call back May 30—at 6:30 AM. 6:30 AM? Right. Well, I got around to it a few days later than that, at which point there no appointments available; call back June 13 at 6:30 AM. Someone tipped me off I could arrange it online, where the system also indicated that the next appointments would be available June 13 at 6:30 AM.
I set the alarm and got up at 6:15 this morning. At 6:33 their system went live and I got #1, meaning that a week from now, we will be the first served at 6:00 PM and perhaps home in time for supper. Twelve hours later (now), all slots are full; please come back on June 20th at 6:30 AM
God only knows what it must be like to try to phone at 6:30 AM: they list 100 specialties. Assuming 50 appointments needed per specialty per week (and each has numerous doctors), that means potentially 5,000 or more incoming phone calls on one line before 7 AM.
I don’t want to be judgmental about a system despite it’s being seemingly designed to make life difficult for patients, but one does have to wonder who exactly thought making every appointment for every location of a hospital for for an entire week at the same time was a good idea?
Oh wait—maybe they hired someone from Migración….
Lovely Española, you just dial your fingers out from 6:30 to 7:00 trying to beat those old ladies who don't get much sleep and have all the time in the world (in my case I would fall asleep in between and miss my chance)… And then is the moving out from Montevideo to discover that easy dialing (4 digits for UTE and Española and who knows what else) needs the 2 in front because they are in Montevideo… Wasn't it easy dialing?
Glad it's not just me! But at least you know how these things “work” (as if) – imagine coming to the country as a stranger and trying to figure this out!