Dear Editor: I received a text message from UW Health a while back, and since I had already called to confirm my appointment two days prior, I hastily hit a button as I was walking into the grocery store and put my phone away. Turns out, I cancelled my colonoscopy by a text message.
I called back the next day after getting an email about the cancellation, and my appointment was gone. After nearly crying on the phone, I was rebooked for later that day. This had taken several months to schedule and one time to rebook. Crisis averted, but the confusion remained. How was cancelling a medical procedure that easy?
These types of messages are very convenient for appointment reminders, but should never be used in this manner. “You cancel a haircut by text message,” I said to the receptionist, who was only trying to help. “Healthcare should be more careful.”…