Are doctors and medical clinics become difficult to schedule appointments these days?

[DodgerGirl]

When my uncle was talking to my aunt recently my uncle told her that he has been having trouble scheduling his doctor's appointments and when my uncle tries to make a doctor appointment they always tell him that they are VERY busy and be put on a waiting list and they are only open for serious emergencies like heart attacks accidents or if you're elderly and suffer a stroke or fall. And I want to know if this is a new fad with doctors offices and medical clinics now? Because it used to be that when you had an injury like a broken leg or arm or had the flu the medical clinics and doctors offices could see you right away if you were very ill. And not only has it affected doctors and medical clinics it also is hard to schedule dentist appointments too. Is this the new way that medical clinics and doctors offices are run now as well as dental offices too?

 

[unrequited23]

Annual visits/child well checks are more challenging to book in my area. I went to book a yearly exam with my Dr. in February 2023, the earliest appointment available was in May 2024. Child well check visits used to be able to be booked 1-3 weeks out, but now you need to book at least three months ahead.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I'm definitely seeing longer wait times for appointments than I used to - doctor, dentist, even vet's office.

 

[mjkacmom]

It depends, here new patients are always 3+ months, well visits for pediatrics 3+ months, specialists for well visits a few weeks, a sick visit with a PA//NP a day or 2, my gynecologists office texts and emails me almost daily to remind me to make an appointment for my annual.

 

[jo-jo]

We have had trouble if we want to see "our" dr. If we are sick and want to be seen by anyone, usually that day or next. But if we wanted to wait for our dr, it might be weeks. Before we check out, we make the next appointment two or three months down the road.

 

[Moliphino]

The last time I signed up with a primary care doctor, the earliest they could book me for a physical was a year out. The doctor left the practice before I was even seen. This was about 10 years ago, so I don't think this is anything new. The primary care doctor I had before that also left after I saw her maybe twice.

 

[Meriweather]

Most of my appointments are scheduled when I leave the last one.
But I had to wait 2 months for my eye doctor....his partner had left and the new one hadn't arrived, so he was doing double duty.
My biggest surprise was scheduling a mammogram.....I've been going to the same place since we've lived here, 13 years. Used to be a week or two....this time (to get a morning one) 2 1/2 months.

 

[Travel60]

Several of my childrens' friends are doctors. It is a long, arduous, expensive proposition. And, in today's insurance/Medicare/litigious environment, it is harder to make it as a family practitioner or internist. So, they go into the specialties. So, the pipeline has narrowed. I see more of the current generation becoming nurse practitioners or physician's assistants. Costs less money and time, often allows better hours.

 

[DeeBee3]

Always schedule my physicals at the time of the last physical.
My kids' doctor is very hard to see. I do their physicals in advance but if someone has an ear infection or a cough that needs to be checked, it's very hard to see him. Usually get an NP.

 

[Turn the Page]

in my area well child exams are several months out. I can usually get a sick appointment at my doctor's office that day or the next but if you need to see a specialist good luck. the dermatologist routinely takes more than 6 months. I know a woman who broke her leg and had to wait over a week to see the orthopedic specialist. my SIL tore her hamstring a month ago and can't get her mri until next week. but then again my oldest was getting daily headaches so I called on a Friday to make her appointments with the pediatrician and ophthalmologist and got her in the next Tuesday and Thursday so go figure.

 

[White Cat]

No.

 

[easyas123]

Serious emergencies like heart attacks accidents or if you're elderly and suffer a stroke or fall.

Honestly, I'm not going to my PCP/Dr. if I'm experiencing one of these, I'm going to the ER!

In terms of getting a Dr.'s appt., I have been fortunate this past year that I haven't had to go outside of my regularly scheduled appts. With that being said, I have in years past taken advantage of a telehealth appt. thru my insurance company. Was able to get the appt. in a few hours, it was great.

 

[lanejudy]

Is your uncle looking for a “sick” visit for an emergent (new) issue? If he isn’t fussy about the provider then he can probably be seen sooner than if he requests a specific provider. But many offices now prefer “urgent” needs be handled through an Urgent Care clinic and they almost always can accept walk-ins.

Specialist visits can take several months for an appointment, especially as a new patient.

It sounds like he might be contacting the wrong type of doctor’s office if he’s getting told they only see patients with those needs. Can someone help him locate a Primary Care practice?

 

[BrianL]

Honestly, I'm not going to my PCP/Dr. if I'm experiencing one of these, I'm going to the ER!

In terms of getting a Dr.'s appt., I have been fortunate this past year that I haven't had to go outside of my regularly scheduled appts. With that being said, I have in years past taken advantage of a telehealth appt. thru my insurance company. Was able to get the appt. in a few hours, it was great.

Even sometimes at ERs these days you might be waiting longer than you should. I know they triage and someone having a heart attack will be priority, but if they're understaffed, and they all seem to be, it still might be a minute. This may vary from area to area, but our entire medical infrastructure is so strained.

 

[Moliphino]

In terms of getting a Dr.'s appt., I have been fortunate this past year that I haven't had to go outside of my regularly scheduled appts. With that being said, I have in years past taken advantage of a telehealth appt. thru my insurance company. Was able to get the appt. in a few hours, it was great.

I was recently able to do an online dermatologist consult just through pictures and description (I had some really bad poison ivy that looked like it might've been getting infected). I submitted it Sunday afternoon and by Monday morning I had a diagnosis and prescriptions already submitted to the pharmacy.

 

[easyas123]

Even sometimes at ERs these days you might be waiting longer than you should. I know they triage and someone having a heart attack will be priority, but if they're understaffed, and they all seem to be, it still might be a minute. This may vary from area to area, but our entire medical infrastructure is so strained.

Well yeah...I don't think that is anything new. But I'm not talking about going to the ER for day - to - day issues that don't require emergency medical attention, honestly - if I am having a heart attack or a suspected stroke or have experienced a bad fall why would I NOT go to a ER?

 

[TiggerTrigger]

It's such a challenge. To add insult to injury, we have one doctor that's notorious for canceling our appointments. I try and book my kids' well visits months in advance during times that work well with school. I always seem to get a call 2-3 weeks out that the doctor needs to cancel and has nothing around the time that was convenient. Normally, they'll rebook me with another doctor with better openings, but this time they refused!

Still, appointments for specialists are particularly tough. Our allergist, who is actually great with schedules, wanted us to see a dermatologist. He was shocked when I was able to get an appointment in less than 3 weeks. He was expecting 3 months. My friend with lupus needs to see a specialist for a new issue and the soonest they can give her is something like 6-7 months from now. Even when I got my cancer diagnosis, it was a month until the cancer hospital could see me and another 3 weeks before they could operate. With something like that, you can't help but sit there and wonder if each passing day could potentially compromise your chances.

 

[BrianL]

Well yeah...I don't think that is anything new. But I'm not talking about going to the ER for day - to - day issues that don't require emergency medical attention, honestly - if I am having a heart attack or a suspected stroke or have experienced a bad fall why would I NOT go to a ER?

Well, of course. Then again, whenever I call my doctor, the autoamted message always says, "Itf this is a medical emergency, hang up and dial 911." Somehow, I'm sure that message is there for a reason.

 

[john7994]

As others have found, new patient visits are definitely longer to make than existing patients - even the call-in number for my specialists ask upfront to differentiate between new and existing patients - I think this trend is new’ish.

I am also seeing for my primary care appointments that I never see the actual Doctor but often a PA for a physical and basic blood work ups - however as an exiting patient - I never have to wait more than a week or so to book.

I suspect there is also a lot of regionality and urban versus rural in terms of what is available to schedule along with insurance choices which determine the network options

 

[China Expat]

Very difficult!