what do you expect when trying to get a Dr.'s appt

[princess lovers mom]

I would like your opionion on something....I am a Nurse Practitioner in a outpt clinic in a city of 20,000 serving our city and several small surrounding towns. We have 5 full time and 1 part time Md's and 2 full time Nurse Practitioners. It gets very hectic here during the summer when we all start to take our vacations. Right now we have 4 people off (inc the part timer) which leaves a lot of work for the rest of us to cover the practice. Seeing pts, signing prescriptions returning phone calls...

The nurses are getting very frustrated because we do not have openings to see everyone who calls and it seems like the majority of people this week as VERY upset....we are double booking, coming in early, staying late, but there is only so much work we can do...

my question...when you are the pt on the end of the line and you are told there are no openings for you to be seen do you understand or do you get really bugged too???

I can take it...tell me what you really think...

 

[Blondie]

When I call for an appt. for myself, I don't ever expect to get in that day, usually it's 3-4 days.

With our pediatrician, we are always offered that day appointments unless it's during the flu season, then it's next day.

I go to one of the busiest practices in town, so I never expect to be seen right away. Having worked for doctors in offices as well as hospitals, I know how it is, so maybe I'm a little more understanding.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

I know my doctors office really well. I know if I call, I will likely get in that same day if I am sick. So I guess I expect that.

 

[oogieboogie]

If it's just for a check-up, then I can wait. If it's for something serious, like my child's been coughing non-stop for more than a week, I'd hope you could fit me in sooner.

I don't go to the doctor very often. Unless it's a major problem, I try to fix it at home first with over the counter medication.

The last time I had to go, they admitted me in at 3:30 (apt was for 3:00pm) talked to the nurse practioner at 3:45pm and the doc finally comes around at 4:25pm and stays for all of 5 minutes or so. Having to wait from 3:00 - 4:25pm to see the doctor was just absurd to me. (Oh... and the muzak was making me loony! )

 

[Maleficent13]

I have worked for several different doctor's offices, and I know how crazy it gets. This makes me more tolerant than others, I think.

However, having said that: if I get a referral to see a specialist about something serious, I do not expect to wait 2 months to be seen. I want to be seen immediately, and by that I mean within a week. It always amazes me when I hear people referred to a specialist in May and then say, "I called but they couldn't get me in until August." What?!?!

 

[Christine]

If I'm REALLY sick, I expect to get in that day. If I have a hangnail, I can wait 3-4 days or a week. But most of all, I appreciate honesty and respect when I call. What I cannot stand is to get some snotty receptionist on the line who tell's me "no you can't get in" with no explanation, no sympathy, and an attitude. I think if you explain to the patients that you are temporarily short-staffed and cannot possibly fit any more patients in for that specific reason, it would make a huge difference to me. I would probably call another clinic if I was very ill (and if one were available). I can certainly understand the frustration, but if the situation is clearly explained, few people would have a right to argue with it.

 

[luvmk]

I have to call at least 4 months in advance for my annual checkup. I don't mind because I know that's how it is. If I have an emergency, the office will work me in. Our pediatrician's office is the same way. It usually takes 2-3 weeks for a routine exam, but they will work in sick children. However, if I am worked in to an already busy schedule, I know that I will have to wait. There are others that already had their appointment scheduled, they shouldn't be forced to wait because I came in. If it is an emergency and I can't wait an hour or so at my appointment, then I best get to the emergency room.



Rachel

 

[goofy4tink]

I don't expect to get in that day unless it's really serious. Sometimes the office has sent me to an outpatient type thing at a nearby hospital. But, I know how you must fee. I've had a toothache, or something wrong in that area, since last week-end. My dentist is on vacation, so I call another one that I know of and they are also on vacation. Long story short...I've tried 5 dentists that I know and all are away. I have been given referrals but they are not near-by and I have to be around to pickup-drop-off my dd at her summer stuff. So, I'll just wait for next week when mine gets back. It's tough on all concerned during the summer. People don't always realize that doctor's and nurses need vacation also!!!

 

[pkasbohm]

It depends! If one of my kids are reallysick i expect to get them in, but if it is just a mild reason then i wouldn't be mad if i had to wait another day.

 

[BillSears]

Personally I've just stopped making appointments. Nope don't go to the doctor anymore because it's such a hassle to get to see them. I'll still go to them for an emergency type of thing but every day aches and pains get ignored because of the hassle they put patients through.

For example last year I had a back ache. I went to my normal doctor, 8 week wait to get in because I wanted to just bring it up during a physical. I was refrerred to a spceialist, 4 week wait to get in who then referred me to another specialist, another 3 weeks. After all was said and done, X rays, MRI, 3 different doctors and months of waiting they all did NOTHING. I was told come back in a year and they would monitor my condition.

 

[CEDmom]

If it's for a checkup/immunization/routine tests then I'm fine waiting. I usually expect to wait 3-6 weeks for that. If one of us is sick though I expect to be seen that day as long as I call as soon as the office opens. Our dr. has always accomodated us because of illness. We may have to wait in the office for awhile but we've always been seen that day. Of course it might help that I bring goodies to them a few times a year ,

 

[lisajl]

I usually can get in to my doctor the same day.

But, last Friday I went with my sister to the eye specialist here in our town. I waited with her for 1 hour, then they got her in, then I waited another hour for her to come out!
They were way behind! Then they told her they could not do anything for her, it was probably a virus, but go see another specialist at OSU medical. She can't get in until July 20th. No, I am not going with her, her husband is taking her.

Unfortunately, she has some dizziness and some blindness with this. The doctor assured her she would be fine until July 20th. I, on the other hand, am not so sure.

Why does it take so long, when it seems like an emergency?

Lisa

 

[mickeyboat]

If I or my child are really sick, I expect to be seen the same day, which usually happens. With my HMO plan, I don't really have a choice where I can go, although I can be easily referred to another Dr. in the same practice.

I try to explain my problems to a nurse before I make an appointment. Many times I just need assurance that everything sounds o.k. to her. If it is a weekend, I always call the pediatrician on call.

Refilling presciptions is another matter. It is very frustrating when a Dr's office says they are going to call in a Rx and they forget or call it in late in the day. I don't have time to keep checking with the Pharmacy, especially if I need the Rx right away. For maintenance drugs I give lots of notice, but when you are on the way home with a sick kid who needs antibiotics and you stop to pick them up on the way home, you expect the Rx to have been called in by the time you get there.

We understand that Dr's offices are busy and we try our best to be patient patients, as long as the office is direct and reasonable with us. If a Dr. is running late, I think it would be courteous for someone to call and offer us another appointment.

Denae

 

[LadyAurora]

What I don't understand is this: if an office (dentist or doctor, whatever) is soooo busy that they can't take routine appointments for weeks or even months, when is it time to add a doctor to the practice? What's the deal with that?
Do they need the security of having patients lined up for the next year?

 

[Pin Wizard]

For me, it's when they can get me in with any doc...if I'm miserable enough.

DS always gets in the peds office the same day...or night if it's one of their 7 p.m. evenings. They have those twice a week...plus Saturday mornings...thank goodness!! Hope I find an office like this in my new state!!!!!

 

[Pooh Girl 71]

I used to have a dr. that you had to make an appt 2 months prior if you were sick. Just kidding. But, you could never get in there.

My PCP I have now is wonderful. If I am sick, they can see me the same day. That is what I expect from them and they always come through.

Specialist' appts shouldn't take months either. That's just crazy.

 

[NMAmy]

I just love my doctor. They will get you in the same day if you're ill and we never have to wait. She told me when I first started seeing her that my time is important to her as her own is. If I was going to be late, please call to reschedule--they won't wait for you. You're in the office five minutes after you arrive, then the most I've ever had to wait is another five minutes in there. She's the best. But she doesn't take new patients because she likes having her own office but doesn't want to stretch herself to thin.

 

[Boo'sMom]

if we're sick, and I call indicating that we need to be seen that day...I expect that my dr's office will get us in.
anything else, I'm willing to wait.

 

[RobinMarie]

If I am ill, I expect to be seen relatively soon (that day or early morning next).

If I have a routine-type appointment I scheduled in advance, I appreciate being seen on time. I call most offices ahead now and inquire about the wait - my time is valuable. Sometimes when I call ahead they are very behind and I may offer to give up my appt. slot altogether.

If I have a routine appt and the office requests a move in time/date to accomodate real SICK people, I am very glad to do so.

On a side note, each year I encourage my staff to schedule vacations outside of July. It is not possible for EVERYONE to be off in July. Unfortunately I have had to deny July vacation requests in order to maintain appropriate staffing levels.

 

[Pin Wizard]

I remember when I had started with a new doc in FL, I was floored that I didn't get a call back for 2-3 days!! That just wasn't ever done when I lived in NJ. Now that was a GREAT practice in NJ! There were four docs in it, and EVERY day one of them was a floater...the entire day! If you were sick and called, they got you in the same day. Even if you were just calling with a question, someone ALWAYS got back to you the same day. Oh, how I miss them! LOL!