Can i file a complaint against a psychiatric case manager?

[Nubu]

I'm attending therapy and seeing a psychiatrist at a clinic right now. My first assigned psychiatrist departed, so I was assigned to a new psychiatrist. The "case manager" has attended the meetings with the new psychiatrist.

I got a weird vibe from the case manager right away. His gregariousness seemed tone deaf considering where we are and what we are doing. He couldn't wait to get in my face and tell me he read the therapist's notes on my trauma history, including the details of certain episodes of a sexual nature. (I am female and youngish). Right away, he seemed to take excessive interest in that part of the notes.

At the end of that appointment, he gave me both of their phone numbers, and says I can call them.

Two or three times now, on my weekly appointments to see the therapist, he has held me up in the hallway to talk about scheduling issues. This seems very odd, since he has my number and all he has to do is call me to schedule an appointment.

A couple of weeks ago, he called me and left a message, saying simply, "Call me." Nothing else. When I went in to see my therapist a coupe of days later, he pulled me over in the hall and said, "Did you get my message? We had a cancellation, and I could have got you in to see the doctor." Why the hell didn't he just say that in the message? If I knew it was time sensitive, I would have called him back right away. Instead, he just said, "Call me."

Last time I went to therapy, he was right outside the therapist's door when I left. He just randomly said hello to the therapist as I was leaving, but I looked over my shoulder and he was staring at me.

I called him the other day, and I left a message asking him to call me and leave a message with the day and time of my next appointment. He calls me back and does not leave that information on my voicemail. Instead he says, "Call me to reschedule an appointment." I called him and got his voicemail again and left a pretty angry message telling him not to leave anymore messages saying, "Call me," and to instead leave detailed information.

So he calls me back and this time I answered. He said right away, "You have an appointment with the doctor on (date & time). I said ok and hung up. If he knew when my appointment was, why was he telling me over and over to "call him?" Why not just leave the day and time on my voicemail?

I feel like he's being purposely inefficient so he can have interactions with me beyond what is necessary. He's compromising my treatment for his own totally unprofessional reasons.

The fact that I am a PTSD sufferer with triggers related to sexual behavior makes this seem extremely irresponsible. I've already suffered significant distress because of it.

I have no idea what his qualifications are. Is he even a psychiatrist? What training do case managers have? Who should I complain to?

 

[Inodu]

If he knew when my appointment was, why was he telling me over and over to "call him?" Why not just leave the day and time on my voicemail?

Logistical question - there is often a box you have to check that allows people to leave any kind of medical information for you as a voice message. Do you know if you gave them permission to leave you messages?

 

[Ijur]

I would hope it's as easy as telling your doctor you want a new case manager because this one makes you feel extremely uncomfortable. Case closed!!

 

[Amejon]

Hopefully he got the point after your last voicemail and the way you hung up on him. That was good.

There was another thread where someone was complaining about a "creepy" guy, where she basically admitted he did nothing wrong beyond giving her a creepy vibe. I knew what she meant, but I kind of called her out on that, because some of us have innocently been on the other end of that equation. You, on the other hand, have painted us a very clear picture of a true creep.

I am not an expert in this area, so I cannot help beyond words of encouragement. I am hopeful that with the assertiveness you've shown the situation has been resolved already, but if not, I somewhat sadistically look forward to hearing about this man getting his ass handed to him in some sort of way in the very near future. Good luck :)

 

[Udap]

He's compromising my treatment for his own totally unprofessional reasons.

Are you able to elaborate on the reasons?

If you were to lodge a complaint, based on what you've written, his 'unprofessional' conduct seems to be that he prefers speaking to you to make appointments, while you prefer voicemail. His being involved in your treatment would arguably be seen as appropriate, given he is the case manager?

If it's just the fact that he makes you uncomfortable? That's ok. But just ask for a replacement because he makes you uncomfortable. I'm not sure, based on what you've said, that getting involved in a dispite over this is the best option for you, because they can be a stressful process...

 

[Roji]

I'm attending therapy and seeing a psychiatrist at a clinic right now. My first assigned psychiatrist departed, so I was...

First, if you feel uncomfortable and don't trust your psychiatrist, I think you should go to a different one.

Second, unless you have confronted them and asked them to stop the offensive behavior that makes you feel uncomfortable and then they don't stop you can't file a complaint.

 

[Nubu]

Logistical question - there is often a box you have to check that allows people to leave any kind of medical information for you as a voice message. Do you know if you gave them permission to leave you messages?

I believe that I did. My therapist has called and left detailed messages. Others have called and left dates and times, which is all we're really talking about here.

Are you able to elaborate on the reasons?

He's compromising my treatment, for one, because he's making it more difficult to set an appointment than it ought to be. This is a clinic with very jammed scheduling. I have been desperate to switch meds. I would have taken that appointment if he had left a massage saying, "We have an opening on ___ . Let us know as soon as possible if you can make it." Instead, I get "Call me." One, I've never received a message from any kind of professional saying simply, "Call me." Professionals tell you in the message what the call is in reference to. Second, if the matter is time sensitive, as this was, he definitely should have said so in the message. That is why I said he is compromising my treatment by being purposely inefficient so he can have extra interaction with me.

his 'unprofessional' conduct seems to be that he prefers speaking to you to make appointments, while you prefer voicemail.

"Seems" is the operative word there. But on closer examination, it doesn't make sense that he is taking the long, arduous and inefficient route to doing everything when he can leave one-sentence messages and be done with it.

This has been really triggering. I have been in a rage for the last couple of days. I actually think it would be good for me and my PTSD to act out my anger somehow. Perhaps when I see him with the psychiatrist, I will voice my suspicions about him for both of them to hear.

if you feel uncomfortable and don't trust your psychiatrist, I think you should go to a different one.

I am going to ask about getting a new case manager/psychiatrist, but I don't know if that's possible. This is a clinic and it's sort of a package deal. I also have very limited insurance.

 

[Igef]

If he appointments are jammed, he could be calling around a few people and seeing who gets back to him first, rather than give the appointment to your voicemail and have no idea if or when you're going to call back about it?

You said this has really 'triggered' you, and that you've been in a 'rage' for 2 days. Do you know what it is about this that's triggering you? The apparent inefficiency seems to have caused you a degree of anger that doesn't seem quite proportional to the issue...?

Is 'acting out' 2 days worth of rage really going to get you the outcome you'd like?

 

[Denal]

Hmmm. Hopefully the last call cleared it up. If it happens again either tell him directly "when you call leave a quick detailed message as I don't like calling back pple with no information as to why." Or you can speak about the issue to your psychiatrist, how you feel about it and let them handle it.

 

[Nubu]

If he appointments are jammed, he could be calling around a few people and seeing who gets back to him first, rather than give the appointment to your voicemail and have no idea if or when you're going to call back about it?

How do they know to get back to him in a timely manner if they don't know what it's about and he's just leaving cryptic phrases like, "Call me?" Even if he is calling many people to see who calls back first, there is no reason why he should not give the reason for his call in the message.

You said this has really 'triggered' you, and that you've been in a 'rage' for 2 days. Do you know what it is about this that's triggering you? The apparent inefficiency seems to have caused you a degree of anger that doesn't seem quite proportional to the issue...?

Who said inefficiency was the main issue? The main issue is his purposeful inefficiency, because he wants interaction with me beyond what's necessary. Why? Because he knows things about my sexual history that appeal to his prurient interests. His inappropriately sticking his nose in my business and stepping over my boundaries is what has me in a rage.

Is 'acting out' 2 days worth of rage really going to get you the outcome you'd like?

Standing up to someone who is disrespecting my boundaries might be a very healing experience, I believe.

 

[Nubu]

If it happens again either tell him directly "when you call leave a quick detailed message as I don't like calling back pple with no information as to why."

Why should I tip-toe around the subject and look for evasive ways out? So he can keep finding novel ways to step over my boundaries and keep creeping me out? He's the one in the wrong, I shouldn't have to tip-toe. This is serious abuse of his professional position. I'm not the one that needs to tip-toe. His shady behavior should be brought into the light.

 

[Igef]

because he wants interaction with me beyond what's necessary. Why? Because he knows things about my sexual history that appeal to his prurient interests.

This. This is important. Maybe explore this further.

Because if that's what he's doing? Yeah, I'd be Pissed.Off.

But, based on what you've written, it seems like a leap.

I think we're talking 2 different things with the phrase 'acting out', and if what you mean is to raise this in an assertive, non-aggressive way with your T? That would potentially be a really awesome thing for you to do. But that's not really 'acting out', which would be a much less awesome thing to do!!