I had to track down a charge receipt for contacts ordered last June at my eye doctor's office yesterday or else the insurance company would suspend our reimbursement account. Should I have expected the office to mail me a copy of the receipt when I placed the order?

I hate the poor service that I get when I call, so I went to the office in person to pick up a copy of the receipt. My biggest gripe with professional offices in New Jersey is that their business hours are erratic and completely discretionary. Would the eye doctor's office be open mid-morning Monday? What were the chances?

Approaching the closed door, I saw two huge notices: "Office closed Wednesdays" and "Office closed select Saturdays in summer". Neither applied and no other information was displayed. I tried the doorknob and it turned, so I went inside.

No one was waiting, not unusual, really. A staff person was seated at a computer behind the counter; the glass window was open. I went up to the window and waited to be acknowledged. She quickly asked what I wanted and took the date from me and hastily flipped through computer screens. Then, removing the dust cover from her printer, she confided, "We aren't really open yet" and printed out the receipt. It was 10:40 AM. I asked, "Oh, do you open at 11?" and she said yes. If I had called, would she have answered the telelphone?

I had a postcard reminder to schedule my annual eye exam, so I asked to make my appointment at that time. The initial set of dates I was able to dismiss because the times were too close to school release. I wanted something early afternoon since my mornings are more or less booked. She said, "Well, we are closed for lunch from 12:30 - 1:30 and close by 3." What is this, a bank? Is this the merry ol' Land of Oz?

In fact, I mind less trying to squeeze my schedule into theirs than the frustration of convincing them to reveal their schedule at all! Whenever I start at a doctor's office, I ask the staff for a business card with their hours printed or written on the back to faciliate scheduling appointments. If they honor my request at all, and they usually try to dodge it with a "Oh, just call and we'll schedule the appointment for you," it is done so grudgingly. They are really only interested in me coming in when it's convenient for them. In many cases, they just tell me when to be there or else. There is no negotiation when a specialist is involved.

Am I the only one who has noticed this shift? Is this characteristic of New Jersey only or are most doctors' practices run this way?