How far out do you have to schedule your physicals?

[kt_mom]

When you call to schedule a physical with your Doctor how far out do you usually find the first available appointment is?

I called today and the first thing they have available is May 10, 2013. Is this normal? I went ahead and made the appointment but I have no idea 7 months in advance if I will be able to make that appointment. Its been almost 4 years since I've had a physical, mostly because its such a pain to get an appointment, so I'm obviously not in a big rush. Everything was normal at my last appointment and I don't anticipate anything to have changed really. But I do know that I should get a physical every year.

Anyway is this normal? DH sees a different DR. and usually has to go in quarterly because they are trying to get his gout under control so his situation is different. I'm rarely sick and the last time I went to the doctor was when I pulled my back out again last year. I go see my GYN every year of course. But I can usually call several weeks before I need to see her and get an appointment right around when I want.

 

[cluvsdisney]

That is not normal at all.

I called this morning to get an appointment for next Monday or Tuesday morning. Since I have to fast for bloodwork, I wanted an early appointment which meant Tuesday. I didn't even ask about an appointment for this week but I am sure I would have been able to get something, especially if I didn't care about the time.

 

[cepmom]

timely thread...I just called this afternoon to make a physical appt. My Dr left and they assigned me a new primary care and I think it's been about 2 years since my last one, so I figured it would be a good time to go in.

My appt is for 12/17, so about 2 months out. Not sure I would want to deal with waiting until May! I know some specialists can be long waits but for a regular primary care Dr I think 7 months is excessive.

 

[Janepod]

Perhaps you're in my town. When I saw my doctor for the first time (as a new patient) I had to schedule 6 mos. in advance. Now it's about 3 mos. in advance for physicals. She only blocks off a few appointment slots a week for them; the rest is for patients who are ill and for surgery.

The flip side is that when I'm sick and need to see her, they always fit me in in about two to three hours and don't keep me waiting long.

Not ideal but I can live with it. I don't have a problem putting an appointment on my calendar 3-6 months out and then planning around it.

 

[Mandychelle79]

If you have insurance you may want to check with them. Many have rules with their participating providers and how long you have to wait for an appointment. ( ie you call in for an emergency appointment they have x amount of hours, sick have a different amount, well vistits have another amount)

That being said I can usually get into my doctor for a sick appointment that day or early the next if Im calling late into the shift, within a day or two if its a oh you need to be seen before we can refill the med again, or within a week or 2 if its a well check/physical.

But I also go to an office where my doctor does not double book time slots so We went today for a med check, scheduled it last wed for today, appointment time was 1010, got there at 1005, was escorted to the weight/bp room so fast that poor bradyn couldnt pick out a book to read, lost power, escorted to another room, had the check up and was out the door before 20 mins to 11 and he took time to answer any questions.

 

[BreeBree]

I've had a couple of appointments I had to schedule months in advance. Probably the longest I've ever had to wait was six. Most of the time I can get a regular doctor for a physical within a week or two, but for specialties like dentist/GYN/eyes I've had to wait much longer. It just depends where you live, but since it's your first in four years, I'd call around and see if another doctor has earlier appointments available

 

[goofinoff]

I always schedule mine at the end of my current appointment. So I schedule them a year out. It's so much easier than trying to remember to call to get an appointment. My doctor is always full so it's just easier for me to do that. Otherwise I could easily wait up to 4-5 months to get a physical appointment.

 

[Andtototoo]

About 2-3 months for a regular physical.

A mammogram needs to be scheduled 4 months out.

 

[Pixiedust34]

Every office seems to have its own rules. For a routine physical, I would probably wait 2-3 weeks. For my annual ob-gyn appt., I have to call about 2 months in advance. If it's sooner than that, they don't have the schedules yet. If it's later than that, she is booked solid. For teeth cleaning, our dentist schedules about 4 months in advance. Again, no schedule before then and if you call late then you have to wait until the next schedule extension if they book quickly. The annual eye exam can always be done within 2 weeks. It really does vary depending upon office policies.

Of course, if we're sick, have a toothache, have an issue, etc., we are seen in a timely manner--usually same or next day. But with the routine appointments there is a system to learn with each doctor we see.

 

[crashbb]

Funny, I just booked mine today for February.

I probably could have gotten one earlier, but February is when I am due. I tend to call about now to book it (so, about 4 months out), because I want a specific slot (the first one in morning), which makes things a bit more limited.

 

[firecracker725]

I had a doctor like that once. When I moved to a new town and got a new doctor, I was amazed at how flexible and timely the scheduling was. If I were you, I'd call around to a few other physicians and possibly schedule a new appointment sooner and fire the current doctor.

 

[DVC-Don]

Physicals are a good year + in advance. A regular visit for a problem I can usually get in within a day or two.

 

[kt_mom]

I may call around to see if I can get in with another doctor at a different practice. The last time I was in there when I pulled my back out I had to see the NP because he wasn't available and the time before that when I was sick I had to see someone else as well. I have stayed with this Dr. because he was familiar with my illness I had as a teenager and the rheumatologist I saw during the illness has since retired. But I'm not sure its worth the hassle anymore especially since I haven't had any issues since I went into remission almost 20 years ago.

She wasn't even able to make the appointment at first. She had to check with him to see if he would still see me since it had been so long. But I guess he said yes because she called back to make the appointment.

I don't even know where to start to find another doctor. I may wait until we have our benefits meeting in a couple weeks since there may be some changes to our plans and I may switch plans. No sense in trying to switch doctors before that I guess.

 

[Pigeon]

I started with a new PCP last year, and I had to schedule almost a year ahead. My gyn is the same way. If you have to cancel a check-up it's a good 8-10 months to get a new appointment!

 

[disfan07]

For my doctor its usually about 4 months out. But she does hold some appts back for last minute physicals.

When I was a new patient, I waited 6 months to get in. It was worth it though. Now I can get in same day about 99.9% of the time if I am sick.

But for non urgent appts this is how it is for my doctors:
Primary: about 4 months
Neuro: about 3 months
Dermatologist: about 2 months
Cardio: usually within the week
Pulmonologist: usually within the week
Allergist: within the same week
GYN: 2 months (she is no longer accepting new patients...shes full)
GI: usually about a month

For urgent appointments though all of them have either same day or at least within the same week depending on just how urgent.

But thats good compared to the fact that I was referred for a priority endoscopic ultrasound and the earliest they could give me was Nov 12th...that was 5 weeks from when I scheduled it. I cant imagine how long I would have had to wait if it was referred as a regular priority level test!

 

[LittleStinkerbelle]

I had a physical in early October - I made the apt. in mid-August and that was the earliest opening they had. When I first joined that practice they got me in as a new patient pretty quickly, within two weeks I'd say. I know they only hold certain slots for physicals but that seems like a long time to wait until May!

 

[maelstrom]

I can get an appointment with my GP within a week or two, and this is at the community health center that has more patients than they know what to do with.

 

[mnrose]

For a routine, annual exam, they schedule 3-4 months out in my area. If I need an appointment to address some specific concern, I can be seen within 24-48 hours of the call.

But, just a regular physical? You better schedule ahead. The obvious reason is that my Dr will take 30-45 minutes for this type of appointment, and they need to schedule pretty far out to get that kind of block of time.

 

[trip]

I may call around to see if I can get in with another doctor at a different practice. The last time I was in there when I pulled my back out I had to see the NP because he wasn't available and the time before that when I was sick I had to see someone else as well. I have stayed with this Dr. because he was familiar with my illness I had as a teenager and the rheumatologist I saw during the illness has since retired. But I'm not sure its worth the hassle anymore especially since I haven't had any issues since I went into remission almost 20 years ago.

She wasn't even able to make the appointment at first. She had to check with him to see if he would still see me since it had been so long. But I guess he said yes because she called back to make the appointment.

I don't even know where to start to find another doctor. I may wait until we have our benefits meeting in a couple weeks since there may be some changes to our plans and I may switch plans. No sense in trying to switch doctors before that I guess.

Sounds like he isn't taking new patients anymore and since you hadn't seen him for almost 4 years she had to check with him. Some of the Drs. in the practice I go to don't see any new patients.

 

[goofyintoronto]

the average waiting period for physicals in my area is ONE YEAR. crazy huh.

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