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I hate referrals...So done with even trying. I feel like I am never going to see the GI. They get sent late and I miss the time frame of them and then the lady who does them never answers or the doctor forgets to renew them. It's been a cat and mouse game since January and I am so done with it.

I have been having issues off and on, and I am trying to get them resolved yet everything is red-taped. I think on one occasion, I might have caused a fissure that is continuously acting up, and at times I can't sit or use the bathroom without pain.

I just feel like I am just destined to suffer. Destined to not see a doctor that knows what to do.
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My current issue is not so much the referral paperwork issue, but my limited options with my Sharp Health Plan. I am stuck with my super-specialist (surgeon) since there are zero GI's in-network willing to see me with a J-pouch.

Your primary is responsible for referrals. If they are screwing up, I would get a new primary or complain to your doctor about his office staff's inefficiency.
I'd take someone who knew more about the situation any day though it would be nice to have a GI who knew something too. I wanted someone from the main hospital as I have saw some who specialize in j-pouch if I recall but they are too cheap to refer to the good doctors.

I am seriously contemplating a change in hospital. I have told the doctor that it never went in and when she was supposed to put it in, it was not put in either. I thought going to UCI as a primary would be good as it's supposed to be one of the good ones but it's seeming like I made the wrong move, they are more interested in saving money by wasting time.
I chose my health plan through covered California after I verified that I could continue to see my primary and my surgeon.

It may be to late for you to change your health plan until open enrollment, but you should definitely be allowed to change to a new PCP at any time. But before you change, call all of the colo rectal surgeons in UCI and find out if they are taking new patients.

I have to get my referral to my surgeon renewed every 3 months. This last renewal only took a week for them to send me written confirmation. Thank goodness I am not sick and only going for a scope, so I had plenty of time to put the referral in motion. But I would imagine, that if I were really sick, my referral could be done verbally.
She may be right regarding "going to the community". Sharp Hospital is not a "teaching" hospital, but they give access and permission to all doctors in the community. I met my surgeon via my PCP who referred me to a GI (San Diego Digestive Specialty Clinic). After I lost my colon, the GI referred me to the surgeon (he has his own independent clinic) who probably has permission to practice in multiple hospitals in San Diego.

UCI may be your health plan, but that does not mean that you must see a hospital-based surgeon right?
yeah, I was just hoping to see someone who specialized with J-pouches more. I would think if I saw the same one they referred me to in the beginning and he was iffy on helping me, he'd refer me to someone I else so I suppose it would be good to just see anyone to get started.

Now here is to hoping this referral comes before I go on vacation at the end of the month or that it expires sometime in July.

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