Endocrinologist leaving monthly voice mails to review CGM readings

I’m curious if anyone has any insight why this is happening.

I’ve been seeing my Endo for ~5 years. Starting about 6 months ago I’ve been getting a call once per-month I let go to voice mail.

I’m calling with “DOCTOR’S OFFICE NAME” to try to complete your monthly check in wanted to go over your latest readings and overall well being if can give me a call back at ###-###-####

I’ve never answered because they are not calling from the doctors office so it just looks like spam.

I’m going to ask my next appointment they stop calling me. Is this something they can bill insurance for? I really don’t get it.

I’m 95% Time in range for years I really don’t need or want any coaching on my numbers.

I looked up the phone number and its registered to a different city, so seems like whoever is calling definitely isn’t at the doctors office.

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This is probably not the ideal solution, but this is what I would do…

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I’ve gotten 3 calls in 2 weeks so I did block them. I’m just curious is this some way for the doctor to make money by having a tech call me to talk about my CGM every month between visits.

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My endo’s office (at a major medical facility) bills for reading and interpreting pump/CGM data. I have heard they do this because as endocrinology they can’t bill for a ton of things, so it’s another way to increase their revenue stream. Seems fishy to me if you are in good control.

It might be a good idea for you to call your Endo office directly and ask them about the calls you are receiving.

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I would not like being called or billed for something I had not requested, or had not been previously informed of. I would find phone calls to review MY data as intrusive unless I specifically asked them to call.

My Dr does bill for prescription requests but they informed me via email that they do so.

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I would hate to have everything reviewed monthly. I already hate there is a record 24/7 of my data that the doctor looks at every 6 months. As if I do something wrong or have poor control for the week, it’s written in stone for all to see type thing. My endo doesn’t ever question mine, but I do have great control (96%). But it’s just mistakes, cgm strays etc are always permanently there.

So I would be so against it. They probably don’t think anything about it and probably think it’s helping since so many have poor control. But I don’t think someone with poor control wants someone watching their data that much, over the shoulder all the time type thing, so intrusive.

They are all looking for ways to boost income. You used to be able to call and ask a question. maybe about a script you got and now I notice it shows up as an appointment now. Same with prescriptions, not all my doctors do, but more are registering it on mychart as an appointment prescription request. It could be coming from a larger group your doctor belongs too or the doctor office themselves. But personally for me I would definitely politely tell them I don’t want it.

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My endo’s office never answers the phone so I emailed them about this tonight.

I got 2 calls a few seconds apart AT&T flagged as “spam”.

Then I got 3 more calls from another number all back to back so I finally answered. “This is not a sales call I’m calling to review your CGM data…” I said take me off your list stop calling. Then he said something about do I want him to tell my doctor I’m not seeing them anymore. I said tell them anything you want and hung up on them.

It might be a scam but how do they know I have a CGM, know my doctors by name?

I emailed the doctor’s office asking about this. If this is really from them I’m going to be very disappointed. I already come in every 3 months. That should be enough.

I’m not exaggerating I really am 95% in range

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Wow, how intrusive! Almost like stalking. I hope your Dr responds to your email and removes you from this ridiculous CGM review!

Fantastic BG results! No need for “others” reviewing your data!

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First of all, make sure if you did send info, you are not being billed.
You are in great control and don’t need want further help beyond your check in every 3 months. Great place to be!
I look at this differently. I only wish my endo’s office was more available to go over my numbers in between appointments. Used up my 3 hours of dietitian allotment allowed on Medicare. I’d be thrilled to have your problem!

I don’t see charge for RX, but do insist on 90 day fills, which then cost lower.

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Not sureif this is what’s happening, but this may be indicative of it: “Then he said something about do I want him to tell my doctor I’m not seeing them anymore. I said tell them anything you want and hung up on them.” It’s possible that people who work in the doctor’s office are calling you on their own cell phones. That is frequently the case, now. When I leave a message for any of my doctors and either a nurse or office worker is calling back, it’s frequently on their own cell phone, so the caller ID doesn’t identify them as from your doctor’s office.

So, originally, they may not have meant to call monthly, but when you didn’t answer or call back, they kept trying to reach you. I would definitely call your doctor’s office back and find out if that’s what’s going on, before you end up being “fired” as a patient.

My Endo as a policy does not answer the phone. You have to leave a voicemail and they will call back in a day or 2.

I did email them now 7 days ago about this and no answer so far.

I really dislike the idea of them calling me back because if I miss the call then I just have to call leave a voicemail and maybe wait another 1-2 days to hope I don’t miss the call again.

Sometimes its easier to just drive there and talk to them because they choose not to answer the phone.

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In the USA and EU medical information cannot be sent via email because it isn’t encrypted. The solution is usually a web portal you can log in and use to send messages. My endo’s office is terrible also but the web portal says responses in 48 hours and they almost always meet that standard.

If you figure out the company that is offering the CGM review service please post it. I’d really like to look them up.

It makes sense that your endo added this service. Imagine the 100’a of Type 2 patents they have that are still trying to figure out diabetes. My current insurance pays the PBM to have CDEs call people with certain prescriptions. I don’t need it so I answered one of their calls and said I opt out and that was the end of it.
Another possibility is your DME vendor, if you use one. The “tell my doctor I’m not seeing them anymore” line is shockingly similar to what I was told when Byram called me to place an order for a CGM that I was (at the time) getting from Edgepark.

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I am guessing this is your friendly Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) milking insurance for more money. PBMs are who supply you with your diabetes equipment. They suck and are the reason all medicine costs more now so they can pay their employees.

Sounds like a PBM/Advantage plan (if you are on one of those Medicare Advantage plans) - trying to get more $$$.

I personally upload my Dexcom/Tandem X2 every month - but it’s for my use and analysis. I let the Endo know, and they can pull it if they want. It’s worked very well for me - I haven’t had to have an in person appt in years. My health plan as a one-size-fits all approach (often insisting that older patients have T2D. But in response to the above posts - yep, sounds rahter PBM-esque to me: Profits By Menacing.

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One response to “do you want to continue seeing Doctor X" would be to immediately insist on talking to a supervisor.

They have had access since I got my first CGM 5 years ago.

Here is a verbatim (excluding doctor names) copy of a voice mail they left me.

Hi Chris my name is Emily I’m calling with [DOCTOR OFFICE NAME] for [DOCTOR NAME] office I’m just calling to try and complete your monthly check in wanted to go over your latest readings and overall well being if you can give me a call back at [800 number] thanks have a great day

I’ve received several voicemails like this. I didn’t answer because they are from unknown phone numbers.

I talked to people at the third party company calling to review my CGM data. They are contracted by the doctor to do this. They shared with me its been off to a rough start mainly because the doctors office didn’t tell patients before the program started leading to confusion and some people be upset.

I asked them to remove me and she said she’d forward the request to her boss but she said I might have to ask the doctor to do it. The person I spoke to was very nice and thanked me for listening to her vent about it.

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