What is the availability of Medical Care in Prescott/ Prescott Valley? (Phoenix: insurance, living in)

[Townandcountrygal]

My husband and I want to move from New Mexico's high desert. Our old bones need warmth. One place we are considering is Prescott. Do they have a good hospital/medical center there? Do they have specialists? Or does everyone drive to Phoenix?

[DellNec]

Originally Posted by Townandcountrygal

My husband and I want to move from New Mexico's high desert. Our old bones need warmth. One place we are considering is Prescott. Do they have a good hospital/medical center there? Do they have specialists? Or does everyone drive to Phoenix?

Moderator cut: completely off topic

As with any "small" town, the medical care will never match that of a large city like Phoenix. Your specialists will be limited and they will have long waiting lists. Any major care, we drive down to Phoenix. Sometimes the wait to see someone is 4+ months, so I call down to Phoenix and get an appointment within a week.

If it matters to you, Prescott DOES NOT have a Level 1 Trauma Center. You would have to be flown to Phoenix or Flagstaff by helicopter if you required Level 1 care (head trauma, car accident, snake bite, etc). For example, Gabby Gifford would be dead today if not for the fact that Tucson had a Level1 within 10 minutes of her location. Time is of the essence in such injuries and having to fly 30-45 minutes to Phoenix/Flagstaff can mean the difference of surviving or the morgue. Most insurance companies will NOT cover a helicopter ride, so you will have to pay the $10k-$15k bill for that ride.

[wretched wrench]

Originally Posted by DellNec

Most insurance companies will NOT cover a helicopter ride, so you will have to pay the $10k-$15k bill for that ride.

Ouch!

Who decides?

[smilinpretty]

Dell Nec, I just saw a kidney specialist, my appointment was within two weeks. I have seen another specialist a few months ago, my appointment wait was within two weeks. My husband sees a heart doctor, he can get a appointment within two weeks. I can call my Doctor and see her within a few days, if it is emergency she gets me right in.

The Yavaipai Hospital is EXCELLENT. I have been to emergency 4 times. Last time I went which was back in October, my wait was two hours. I have been to other hospitals, just recently Flagstaff and I waited 8 hours. Lake Havasu I have waited up to 7 hours.

My husband was on Hospice for 3 months and excellent service.

There is only one good Neurologist here. I ended taking my husband to Phoenix to get treatment for his Alzheimer's.

I am fortunate, I have the best Doctor in the World. She is very intelligent and attentive and spends time with her patients, because she cares about her patients. She is knowledgeable about what test you need to make a proper diagnosis. She doesn't have a Ego to lead her, she has a caring heart. I feel blessed to have a Doctor who listens to her patients. She is the best listener I have ever met in my entire life.

[DellNec]

Originally Posted by wretched wrench

Ouch!

Who decides?

You would have to check with your insurance company to see if they cover helicopter costs. Most of them don't but I would call them and check your policy.

[wretched wrench]

Originally Posted by DellNec

Most insurance companies will NOT cover a helicopter ride, so you will have to pay the $10k-$15k bill for that ride.

So,if you are injured and, say unconscious, who decides whether you go to the local hospital or get the expensive helicopter ride? Someone on the scene".....Someone at the hospital?..........

[DellNec]

Originally Posted by wretched wrench

So,if you are injured and, say unconscious, who decides whether you go to the local hospital or get the expensive helicopter ride? Someone on the scene".....Someone at the hospital?..........

The paramedics on scene would determine how critical your injuries are, if critical, they call in the helicopter. If they go the other route and drive you to the Prescott Hospitals and the doctors there determine they can't treat you properly because of the lack of a Level 1 Trauma Center, the doctors will call in the helicopter and have you flown to Phx or Flagstaff.

The medical care in Prescott is adequate but it will NEVER compare to that of a large city. It's impossible. For instance, you want specialized cancer treatment, well, you are going have to drive down to Phoenix to go to the Cancer Treatment Center out in the west valley of Phx. It's the only one in the entire state.

A large city will always have more doctors, more equipment, more specialist, better technology and advanced care. A small town can never compete, that's the way it goes. That's the trade off for living in a smaller town.

[keninaz]

I have been in Prescott just over 3 years now.
I have not had a problem finding a good doctor nor getting appointments in a short time frame.
I have had a couple of minor surgical procedures, both outpatient, and have spent a couple of nights in the local hospital's ER and cardiac unit and I have not one compliant about the staff or hospital.
I have seen 3 specialists, without long waits in addition in that time.
The town is far and above better for service than the Sierra Vista area in SE AZ where we moved from.

[DellNec]

As a general rule of thumb, the smaller the town, the worse the medical care. If one gets sick in Ash Fork or Seligman, they are in serious trouble.

Of all small towns in Arizona, Prescott is pretty decent, but will never be as good as Phoenix or Flagstaff. Large cities just have more choices, more specialized care, more doctors, more hospitals, higher care, better equipment, etc. For the most part you will be OK but at times, you might be required or better off driving to Phx.

We use to have a very serious shortage of doctors in Prescott back during the RE boom (2001 - 2008) but since then it has gotten better. More doctors came to Prescott and at the same time people moved out of Prescott to find jobs in bigger cities, this brought the doctor/patient ratio to better levels.

[Dan Mcconnell]

If a person had a medical problem? Is there a prefered hospital of choice that treatment and care of clients are better served? thanks