Frustration with canceled Doctor's Appointments

[tvguy]

Got a call from my Dermatologist's office today. I had an appointment at the end of January. He has decided to take that week off on vacation. The first date open is at the END OF MAY! Although they are putting together a waiting list to bump people up if slots open up.
Six weeks ago I got a call from my Nephrologist's office canceling my December appointment because she has decided to take that week off on vacation. That appointment was only pushed back to the end of January.

Now, I understand appointments being canceled for emergencies, but I would expect Doctors to do a little planning ahead for vacations so they don't book appointments for weeks they are taking off.

Maybe it's just me, but my vacations were always planned 6 months to a year in advance. And my wife's (former) employer required all vacation requests that were based on seniority be submitted by September of the year before the vacation was being requested in.

 

[lowlight]

I just received a cancellation call for January as well, but didn’t say why. My rebook date was only a month and a half later, but it took me six months just to get in in the first place. The doctor shortage is real and they are burning out at an alarming pace. This is a six doctor practice so pretty decently sized.

 

[barkley]

i don't know what it's like where you are (these days vs. when we lived thereabouts) but all the doctors around us are pretty much enjoined with hospital medical groups so even if you are a specialist at a practice site far from the hospital you can still be called upon if the need at the hospital arises for extra help. our household sees a mix of primary care and specials and we've had all being pulled in all directions with covid and now the addition of rsv and flu admissions at the area hospitals. one of mine has been required to be at the hospital 3 days per week so his practice had to shuffle patient appointments to fit the 2 days he's on site. another is booking out 2 years vs. the 6 month wait pre pandemic. they all look like they've aged 10 years in the 3 so unless it's a life or death issue for one of us i'm thankful they can take a break (had far too many retire out or die in the last few years to begrudge them some downtime).

 

[lynxstch]

My husband had one 2 weeks ago. He had a 6 month follow up with cardiologist and a device check. They called and said Dr was going on vacation, so it got pushed till the end of March. That will be 9 months instead of 6 months

 

[tvguy]

i don't know what it's like where you are (these days vs. when we lived thereabouts) but all the doctors around us are pretty much enjoined with hospital medical groups so even if you are a specialist at a practice site far from the hospital you can still be called upon if the need at the hospital arises for extra help. our household sees a mix of primary care and specials and we've had all being pulled in all directions with covid and now the addition of rsv and flu admissions at the area hospitals. one of mine has been required to be at the hospital 3 days per week so his practice had to shuffle patient appointments to fit the 2 days he's on site. another is booking out 2 years vs. the 6 month wait pre pandemic. they all look like they've aged 10 years in the 3 so unless it's a life or death issue for one of us i'm thankful they can take a break (had far too many retire out or die in the last few years to begrudge them some downtime).

Well, the woman that called today said he was taking vacation that week. Most of my Doctors belong to medical groups that are affiliated with specific hospital group, although my Nephrologist is in a medical group that is affiliated with two hospital groups. I am not aware of them being pulled into the hospital to see patients.
When my mom was hospitalized she never saw any of her Doctors, all she ever saw were the Hospitalists in each specialty. They were Doctors who worked exclusively at that hospital, for that hospital, not for a medical group.

 

[tvguy]

I just received a cancellation call for January as well, but didn’t say why. My rebook date was only a month and a half later, but it took me six months just to get in in the first place. The doctor shortage is real and they are burning out at an alarming pace. This is a six doctor practice so pretty decently sized.

Yes, the Doctor shortage is real.

 

[AnnaS]

The last few months, both my DH and I have had doctor appointments cancelled.

We make these appointments months in advance and plan our life/schedule around those appointments. As we get older, we have more frequent ones Not too happy when they cancel but life happens (not vacations that they should have planned themselves/within reason). Just weird that almost every appointment we have had and with different doctors.........cancelled.

 

[nw6675]

Same here. Gastro and ophthalmologist. One was a month, one about 5.

 

[Southernmiss]

The doctor shortage was real before Covid and exacerbated by Covid.

In the spring of 2019, my daughter need3d a rheumatologist. We were initially told 6 month wait. But she was declining fast and her pediatrician called a doctor 1.5 hours away and got her in in 3 weeks.

I called to make a new patient gastrointestinal Dr appointment in October. Was told February for the local clinic or December for the one 45 minutes away. I took that one.

All doctors we've needed recently are booking appointments months out

 

[Pea-n-Me]

My DH had an appt postponed recently too - the doctor was out with Covid. (We were able to get in touch with him online for some issues we needed answers to right away.) Rescheduled for January.

The other night in the hospital I was trying to get in touch with a doctor but unusually, no answer. Saw him running by and ran after him. He was almost out of breath. He apologized and said they’d had a lot of sick calls. This time of year people get sick at holidays with their families and holiday parties. Doctors are all human, too. I got my concerns answered, then gave him a handful of cookies and off he ran again. Sad to hear a pp say they’ve all aged. I’m sure we have too.

The whole vacation thing, idk. We have to schedule official vacations at least three months in advance. But we do have the ability to request days off closer than that, however they’re not guaranteed like those days scheduled early are. Things happen, and come up, though. If people need some time off in healthcare, it’s probably important they take it off. Stress levels are somewhat unprecedented right now, and systems have been put in place to help with those who are hurting or struggling. That said, we need more dermatologists, for sure. Both of my kids see nephrologists, too, and it can be hard to get appts with them.

 

[kymom99]

Well, the woman that called today said he was taking vacation that week. Most of my Doctors belong to medical groups that are affiliated with specific hospital group, although my Nephrologist is in a medical group that is affiliated with two hospital groups. I am not aware of them being pulled into the hospital to see patients.
When my mom was hospitalized she never saw any of her Doctors, all she ever saw were the Hospitalists in each specialty. They were Doctors who worked exclusively at that hospital, for that hospital, not for a medical group.

Our doctors are all in a hospital network and they take turns making hospital rounds. But not for emergency situations. The hospitals have doctors for that. My cousin has a practice with 2 other doctors. They work in the ER at a local hospital. That’s all they do. They don’t see patients by appointment.

 

[Kitty 34]

I've seen my Lung doctor three times in three years; July 2020, May 2021, and this past July (22). I'm suppose to see him every 6 months but he has canceled, obviously, many times. I actually keep track of all the times he has canceled.....it's been 7 times even going from pre-Covid times .

My Alpha Support lady gets frustrated and tells me to switch up doctors but I live in a small town and there's not many lung guys around. Besides, I really like him the few times I see him. He was quite busy with Covid patients and as long as I feel I'm not needing his service I'm good.

 

[monsterkitty]

I have two friends on my triathlon team, one who is a doctor and the other an oncology PA, who both work for the same system.

Both had vacations scheduled and then cancelled a week before because of the shortage. They then had to reschedule their vacations which meant they had to reschedule patients.

So it is possible that your appointments were cancelled or postponed so the doctor could go on the vacation that had been cancelled due to shortages.

 

[OneOftheB's]

My husband is in the medical field (a dentist, so marginally different) and we have numerous friends who are mds. Not only is the doctor shortage real, burnout has become exponentially worse since Covid. So, while hugely inconvenient for you, the doctor may need that break for their own mental health

 

[BayouQueen]

I can empathize with the OP. Appointments are scheduled months in advance and then cancelled willy-nilly.
It's hard adjusting to this post-Covid world.

 

[Dan Murphy]

We too have had a good number of appointments made months in advance, canceled on short notice for vacations. Reschedules then typically take more months.

 

[tvguy]

I have two friends on my triathlon team, one who is a doctor and the other an oncology PA, who both work for the same system.

Both had vacations scheduled and then cancelled a week before because of the shortage. They then had to reschedule their vacations which meant they had to reschedule patients.

So it is possible that your appointments were cancelled or postponed so the doctor could go on the vacation that had been cancelled due to shortages.

None of my Doctors that I am aware of ever work in the hospital. Hospitalists do all that.

 

[disneychrista]

In September I got a call that my Womans Health doctor was going to be out on a "emergency" and I would need to reschedule my appointment or see the NP in her office. I declined and asked to be rescheduled which was a month or so later. THEN the day before my rescheduled appointment they called again and said that the doctor was double booked and again asked if I could see the NP, this time I agreed. THEN I get there and they say "oh you don't need a PAP for another year." The NP didn't even do an exam AT ALL. Just said see ya next year. And to top it off she didn't send in the orders for my annual mammogram or the refill on my birth control.

 

[White Cat]

Yes, the Doctor shortage is real.

Doesn’t pay like it once did.

 

[BayouQueen]

In September I got a call that my Womans Health doctor was going to be out on a "emergency" and I would need to reschedule my appointment or see the NP in her office. I declined and asked to be rescheduled which was a month or so later. THEN the day before my rescheduled appointment they called again and said that the doctor was double booked and again asked if I could see the NP, this time I agreed. THEN I get there and they say "oh you don't need a PAP for another year." The NP didn't even do an exam AT ALL. Just said see ya next year. And to top it off she didn't send in the orders for my annual mammogram or the refill on my birth control.

I had a very similar situation and really blame that NP for missing my breast cancer. I feel certain that had I seen my physician, a physical exam would have been done and my cancer discovered much sooner.
I’m going to probably get flamed here that the NPs are great, but that was my experience and it really harmed me.