If you recall I was supposed to have a dental check-up a few weeks ago. She sent me away then because I had the beginnings of a cold. My re-made appointment was this morning.
I turned up to find the door locked. Then a girl came out to tell me that their server was down so they hadn't been able to tell patients that their appointments were cancelled. I thought about this for a minute. "Is the dentist worked by computer?"
It appears she is. Without the server they have no access to patients' records or treatments. I'm not sure why the dentist couldn't just check my teeth though, and write her findings on a bit of paper. Nothing wrong with a bit of paper.
The girl said they would phone me back when the server was working again. "But if we don't you can phone us."
Having driven half an hour to get there I was now in a "You'd jolly well better phone me," mood. But I didn't say that.
* * * * *
Zac's on the beach last night was good. A warmer evening and a good crowd. I'd prepared a short reflection on Palm Sunday, specifically on the point where, as Jesus approaches Jerusalem, he weeps for the city and the people. One of the points not often mentioned when discussing the Triumphal Entry, as it's known.
I also gave out palm crosses, like I used to get in Sunday school (and prison). One man refused it. Don't know why but he is a bit odd.
6 comments:
My goodness! Who’d have thought?
I suppose the computer also had information like phone numbers so they couldn't call to tell you about the issue?
The time is fast approaching when computers will be backed up with paper and pencil.
Well seems to me that dentists were able to work without computers and computer access before so they need to learn how to do things the old fashioned way instead of inconveniencing people.
Can't help wondering why they don't have a low tech way of keeping track of the immediate appointments. Like print them out with phone numbers.. while server is working. Just in case.
In designing systems many years, Nay, decades ago, we were admonished to allow for graceful degradation in the event that something went wrong. That was also the mantra during volunteer disaster response activities just several years ago. System outage was not an acceptable reason for our not fulfilling our responsibilities in either case.
Perhaps your dental people will learn from this incident - one hopes, for the sakes of you clients. Good luck with that.
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