Waiting so long for care
Posted By: Judy Hall 
Date Posted: June 10th, 2010 Category: Being a Patient
When a patient is in pain or really feeling poorly, why must we wait several days or even weeks to see the doctor? I realize they are busy and booked but what alternative does a sick patient have other than going to the Emergency Room and waiting for many hours and then being criticized for using the Emergency Room as a doctor’s office? There must be a better way to be seen by a doctor than waiting days/weeks or the other extreme, going to the E.R.
Comment By: Tiffany Sewell
Date & Time: June 11, 2010 at 8:05 am
If the doctor you usually see can't get you in, I recommend calling the physician referral line at BJC (314.362.WELL) They're exceptionally good at getting appointments as soon as possible.
One of the reasons I go to my general practicioner is that I have never had to wait to get in to see him. I call, tell his nurse what the problem is, and she has always been able to schedule an appointment within MY desired time frame.
Comment By: Judy Hall
Date & Time: June 11, 2010 at 8:19 am
When you have a particular problem that your g.p. cannot handle, you must see the "specialist." He/she may already have test results, etc. I'm sure the patient's insurance company would not want these tests repeated again. It would be a lot of "red tape" to start all over again with a new doctor.
Comment By: Tiffany Sewell
Date & Time: June 11, 2010 at 9:31 am
True, however, if you have to see a specialist who can't get you in, the physician referral line may be able to put you in touch with a different physician in the same specialty; or your doctor may be able to recommend a different specialist.
If I told my GP, "you told me to see X, but he doesn't have any open appointments for two months," my GP would find another specialist for me to see.
Comment By: Rebekah
Date & Time: June 17, 2010 at 12:00 pm
I have been really lucky with my GP getting me in the day I call if my symptoms are serious… of course with a specialist it can be a different deal. When I called my orthopedist because I thought my ankle was broken (and it was), it still took 3 days to get in. Another specialist saw me the next day when I called and explained signs of an infection my GP had told me to look out for.
I have some friends who really like the Urgent Care clinics and the Walgreens Take Care clinics for those times you know you're sick but it's not urgent enough for the ER. I hope to see more of those, and more people aware that they can take advantage of them.
Comment By: Kit Kellison
Date & Time: June 22, 2010 at 12:03 pm
I have Graves' disease, and when I was hyper and my heart rate was through the roof, if my endocrinologist's staff gave me an appointment six weeks out, I'd call my GP, who would call the endo's office and get me in immediately. Don't cow to staff who don't understand the severity of your condition. That's not to say that one should be rude, but explore other channels. If your doctor isn't receptive to the severity of your condition, fire him. It can be a life or death decision. It is the patient who is hiring the doctor, and, as an employee, if the doctor fails in his job of properly caring for you, get another one. I've found the referral line at BJC to be excellent at finding docs who will meet my simple demands as a consumer.