waiting long to see a doctor

[wholegrain]

Is it normal to call and book an appointment with my primary care doctor and have to wait 10 days to 2 weeks to see her? That last time I booked an appointment with my doctor, it was literally 14 days from the date I called to book ti. I've just been thinking back to when I was a kid and we'd have a cold or something- my mom would call our doctor in the morning and we'd come in later that afternoon and see him so that we could get medicine and get back to school. Am I just crazy or if one is having a medical problem, shouldn't one be able to see their doctor to have it treated ASAP?

I'm just wondering if I should switch doctors. I have an anxiety disorder so I'm also wondering if it is normal to wait this long, it just feels worse for me because my panic grows and grows while I am sitting at home waiting for my appointment day and my health problem is getting worse.

[Seraph]

This is becoming a problem everywhere. You are right , I remember just calling in the morning for later in the day. It takes about a week to see our GP sometimes, tho if you are ill and create a bit if a fuss they can often squeeze you in. I hate it when I have to get a medical cert. for sick days off work and I am always better by the time I see the Doc., so I generally drag myself to work rather than claim sick days without a certificate.

[butrfligirl28]

I would swich doctors. Mine will see me the same day, and call after hours if he cannot get me in. He has gotten me through many weekends when I would have had to go to the ER otherwise. I would get a better doctor.

[RubySlippers]

All Doctors have room for "emergency" appointments for same day calls by patients with an ailment that qualifies for one of these appts.

When you call you need to tell the receptionist that is't an emergency and that you need to see the doc right away. If you are in good standing with the doc -meaning you don't call for an emergency appt. excessively) then you should be able to get in either the same day or the next day. You may have to wait awhile in the waiting room because you've been squeezed in, but if your primary care doc can't see you for these types of appts. for 10+ days, then I agree with the other poster: Get a new primary care doc.

It also depends on what insurance you have, like if you have HMO it may take longer, or if you have no ins. it may take longer. I'm not condoning this practice as "right" because it's not, but it's just the way it goes - especially if you have no insurance.

My doc just left the group practice to open a practice on her own. She's a great doc and I'm very happy for her. The problem is, since this is a start up, the wait (in the waiting room) is exhorbitant. Last time I was there I waited an hour and a half just to be put in a room. It was another 20 mins. to see the doc. The same thing happens when my duaghter has an appt. too. I really hate to think this way, but I feel like she's triple booking and taking emergency appts. to cover the "start up" costs.

I will continue with her a little while longer, but if the long wait continues, I may have to find another doc.

Sorry, got off on a tangent there. Back to your issue - is there some reason your doc may think your "emergency" isn't really an emergency? Have you tried to make too many of these kind of appts in the past? I'm only asking because what you describe is ridiculous and no doc should be that booked with no room in the daily schedule for emergency appts.

Good luck

[wholegrain]

Ruby the appointment coming up isn't for an emergency, but yes there has been one time in the past when it definitely was an emergency and I spent two days on the phone with the medical assistant at my primary's office, trying to convince her to let me come in. She agreed that my symptoms did sound severe, and she even referred me to a specialist who "might" be able to see my sooner, but said that my doctor was booked and there was simply nothing she could do. Something about the way she talked about it suggested to me that that particular practice did not have any type of "emergency squeeze-in" rule. She wouldn't even let me come sit in the waiting room and see if maybe the doc might have time. Because of that, I ultimately ended up in the hospital for three days.

That time was an emergency, but still...even with chronic problems, it just doesn't seem right to have to wait that long. Like I said I do have anxiety, and when something goes wrong with my body, it's pretty imperative for me to have reassurance that it isn't killing me as soon as possible so I can go back to my life. That's why I wonder if maybe it IS common and proper to have to wait half a month and I am just oversensitive to it because I have panic attacks.

I have PPO so it definitely isn't that. My doctor is a family doctor- perhaps she puts children and elderly ahead of a relatively healthy 22 year old woman? Part of the problem might also be that my doctor is located in a major hospital in a huge city. Maybe if I drive out to the suburbs, the doctors won't be as busy.

Well I think judging by the information you all gave me, I am going to find a doctor who is more flexible and not constantly booked solid. Now, when I find one, how do I go about having my medical records transferred or whatever?

I hate to do this because I like my doctor and she is a very sweet lady, but I just cannot be waiting 14 days to get help.