Crankshaft by Tom Batiuk and Dan Davis for March 06, 2024

“So why aren’t you using the phone app, young lady?”“It won’t return my calls, or something like that.”

… “if you need assistance, you may chat with the A.I. … if you require further assistance, you can request a live chat with one of the provider’s off-shore patient support center” … talk with a live person? LOL … no, your insurance does not pay.

I don’t have a smart phone and I don’t do well checking in on smeary screens. Where’s an old-fashioned doctor’s office with real people?

Not tell me it designed by same clowns who is design CK.

When I became a career postal worker I tried the online computer system to allow USPS to deposit my paycheck into my bank account. The system failed three times and each time I had to get my paycheck from my boss. A colleague told me to use my landline to create the bank deposit instead, and by golly it worked. Too bad that’s not an option for Lillian.

“Now go sit in that room for forty-five minutes and your doctor will run in with a laptop, talk to you for two minutes, type something, and then leave.”

Old people suck at technology jokes are soooooo funny.

It’s amazing what they have conditioned us to put up with. The other day I was trying to get a simple piece of information from the government regarding my pension. I was bounced via hyperlink from one web page to another, they appeared to be linked circularly because I kept ending up at the same places, none of which were relevant. At no point was there an option to connect with a human. Then I had to go back to my search engine and enter a bunch of different parameters, and finally found the answer — obliquely, I ended up at a site that didn’t answer my question but had a reference to lead me to the right place. Once upon a time, I could have phoned someone who could have connected me to the right desk fairly quickly. What’s annoying about all this is that they haven’t noticeably shrunk the bureaucracy — arguably, it is larger. Now, however, they don’t have to deal with the public.

Ageism

And when she finally gets in there, she’ll have to provide a urine sample and she hands the Doc her soggy underpants

You’d think the clerk would help her.

Born in the 20th century….trying to live in the 21st………bad to worst!

I hope she actually checks in by Saturday. This Saturday.

What about the paper forms printed in a size 6 font, in a grey color on a slightly shaded background? I’d rather have the technology screen. At least I can enlarge that!

go see rex morgan md lillian hes much faster too bad you didnt slip on coffee

So the woman next to her is using BOTH?

Office staff attempted to hand me a tablet to fill out their forms. I did not expect it to be so heavy. Immediately dropped out of my old hands onto the tile floor. Paperwork got done… on paper!

Notice that in Panel One Lilliopsaurus is complaining that the “screens” are confusing to her. Having lived long enough to see doctor’s office check-ins go from paper forms to hand-held tablets to kiosks to my computer screen (at home before I get in the car to go to the office), I can say with certainty that the check-in forms and questions haven’t changed. Not one bit. So what is it about the screen that is so confusing?

“Because screens are confusing! It’s called writing!!”

Generally hit the bloody things and somebody runs over to “save” it.

Most of my doctors now allow me to do check-in paperwork on my computer at home, before I even head to the office (when I get there, I just say “I’m here” and they send me back). This is a lot more convenient from my point of view—I don’t have to take a ton of records with me (especially the list of every medication I have ever taken, every surgery I’ve had, insurance card numbers, etc.); I’ve got all that stuff available at home.

So, just to reiterate how we got to this point and where we’re going the rest of the week: Lillian McKenzie Is an Elderly Woman and Totally Unfamiliar with Post-1960s Technology. This is the same worn-out trope Batiuk hauled out last February when the Grady Twins and Min-dull showed her how to set up a website; later last year when she went workdesk shopping; March of 2020 when she was asked to guest on a podcast; April of 2019 when she didn’t know how to pose for a selfie; and so on. I would say it never gets tiresome, but that’s only because it was born tiresome…much like Lil herself.

Where is Crankshaft……

Ha ha….,

I was at the grocery store a while back. I only needed to pick up a few items. As I stood there with my basked of 8 or 9 things a young assistant manager, let’s call him “Bob” walked up and pointed out that one of the self check out lanes was open. I asked him how do I get my employee discount? He looked at me quizzically before repeating, “Employee discount?”

I told him, if I’m going to do the clerks job, I should get an employee discount for ringing up my own purchases. Now if you want to have another clerk open up another lane I will gladly use it. Just remember son, if they can get rid of clerks then there’s no reasons for assistant managers either.

He shut up and walked away.

What that?

Lillian, You must really be unfamiliar with technology, are you?

Is that so?

No, it isn’t helping. My parents comment on how often it’s simply assumed everyone has a smartphone for various important tasks, like, say, checking in for a medical appointment.

I have a state mandated “refresher” course for my job. The app from my company doesn’t work well with phones, or, tablets, apparently. Have to use a pc, or, laptop. How’s that for friendly technology?

Or, Radical Thought, they could get someone to set up the screens so that they are easy to use.