Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I am on a HMO plan - last couple of times it was within 2 weeks to see my Dr. - and even the specialist was within a couple of weeks as long as flexible. They have a couple of walk in urgent care clinics also that are open 12hr a day, every day as well as a call in Nurse Advice service 24hr a day.
My doc is part of a clinic that allows walk-ins where you can see a nurse practitioner immediately or close to it, which works for me most of the time. I rarely go the doc for anything routine. Most of my visits are for injuries.
Two months non-emergency; four for a specialist referral. And they make the appointment, call and tell you when and where it is and you go. Choice is not a thing here. Some mental health professionals can only be seen by video chat.
My GP takes walk-ins. Other wise it'll take a couple of days for an appointment. Sometimes it's same-day or next day. I wouldn't hold onto a doctor that made me wait 6 - 8 weeks for an appointment.
I also wouldn't hold onto a doctor that made me wait in the waiting room for an hour or more every time.
It depends on the need. For an current, sudden need such as a sinus infection or some such I would be able to get in within a day or two, but for a standard follow up which I get every 6 months it might be 2-3 weeks out. Specialists I've seen a similar pattern, if it's an urgent need, they will get you in quickly, but for a problem that is minor or has been existing for a long time it could be 3-6 weeks. If they quote me something ridiculous, I search for another in network doctor.
I wouldn't hold onto a doctor that made me wait 6 - 8 weeks for an appointment.
I agree. I was blown away at some of the reported wait time for appointments. I mean, why would a person who needs to see their doctor wait so long and think that's acceptable? I wonder if it's cause they have bad insurance or something.
Javacoffee, I am going to switch to another provider. My insurance is fine -- Anthem -- which is widely accepted where I live. My prior G.P. was in a much larger urban area, but was far more accommodating than my current one. And I realize he was very unusual in doing house calls for his homebound patients in the immediate neighborhood.
Rabrrita, I do not think that the wait time I am dealing with is acceptable. I have put it with it because I like my doctor and trust her. But that only goes so far. There are other good doctors out there.
Thank you to all who responded.
I practiced general Internal Medicine for over 40 yrs in Chicagoland. I saw ~25 pts a day, 4 days a week in the office. I was a solo practitioner. If pts called by noon, they could usually get in that day; if not, then the next day.
Now retired for 5 yrs, I'm living in WI. The closest hospital serves a population of only ~40,000, 30 bed facility, and all docs are part Of "The Group"- no internists; 6 FPs. Since Obummercare, with all its paper work, nobody can afford to practice solo anymore. Everyone joins The Group and works under contract for a set salary with very little incentive to see more than the contracted pt load. Here, it takes 2-3 weeks for an appt and when you get there, you're the only one in the waiting room. (Don't you wonder about a restaurant with no diners at dinner time?)
Absolutely unacceptable to wait even one week, let alone more...What if that new lump you're worried about is ca or maybe a pharyngeal abscess about to close off your throat and suffocate you in the next 6 hrs?
...and don't forget the idea behind HMOs-- they make their money by not seeing you, balancing profit vs the risk of malpractice. What a country. And it's gunna get worse with the growing socialism.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
