Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Weird Medical Arrangements

     I like the little walk in medical clinic that I go to. I can request the doctor  I want to see. Sometimes the wait is long but they give you a time and you can go away and do something else. I've found a really good young doc who's with it and shows an interest in patients in general.

    Now it's time for my annual medical check up. The system they have for making an appointment is just plain wacky. Appointments are made on the first of the month for the next month. Bookings can be made by phone or walk in. There aren't very many spaces for yearly medical check ups.

   Now the door to this clinic opens at 8:30 AM. They open their phone lines at 9:00 AM. So if you phone you might find that all the appointment spaces have been taken. So people line up outside the clinic to be able to book their appointments at 8:30 AM.

   So there I was this morning at 8:00 AM waiting half an hour to get in the clinic. I was second in line. It was minus 15 C(plus 3 F). By 8:30 AM there were about 30 people waiting. There was lots of good chatter.

    So once the doors were open it took 30 seconds to book my appointment and I was back out on the street in two minutes.

   Before I left, my wife was criticizing the procedure I had to go through to get an appointment. 
She said, "Just think how difficult this must be for old people!" Well, whether she knows it or not, this old person waited in the cold and did very well thank you very much. On the other hand I'm happy not to be classified as an old person.

    So tell me now, does anybody else have to jump through weird hoops to get an appointment for a yearly check up?

36 comments:

  1. The walk in clinic here where I live is like that too - people line up early in the morning to get in!

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    1. I think it's only the first day of the month that this happens when people are trying to book and annual.

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  2. You've got a lot of spunk, so I don't think you'll ever really grow old!

    I had a really good doctor in Montreal, and his receptionist always booked appointments within a few days to no more than a week or two when you called. You could even get an appointment the next day if you really needed to see him. And the appointments were spaced out so well that you never waited more than a few minutes to see the doctor.

    I live in a much smaller city now and my family doctor's receptionist actually calls me to remind me that I'd due for a physical. Something I've never experienced before! And when I get to my appointment, I don't wait very long. Just a few minutes!

    And we have a walk-in clinic a few minutes walking distance from our home. We've only gone there twice, but it's nice knowing it's so close to us in case we need. Great service at that place, and the wait is not very long.

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    1. You have a very well organized clinic. On top of that they must be caring. This clinic also contacts me and tell me when to come in for lab reports.

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  3. I can't say i do as I have stopped going.

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    1. You're one of those indestructible guys. But then us guys have a habit of not looking after our health.

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  4. That's quite the system.
    I love your wife's comment. When my father was in LTC, he looked around and said, "There are a lot of old, sick people here!" He had a brain tumour.
    I don't do annual checkups any more. The screening tests are so inaccurate. Our doctor pretty much sees us when needed. He did pick up hubby's prostate cancer, though.

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    1. I don't think anybody else uses this system. I hope this clinic comes up with a new approach. With my old Doc annuals were a waste of time. Nothing registered with him. It's like you weren't even there.

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  5. Gee Red, I must be lucky - I have a wonderful young Doctor also in my little town, as the older Doctor retired and when she first came, I called and made an appointment with her, got in to see her and am lucky to have a Doctor so close. I called as soon as she moved here, for I knew my Doctor was retiring. Many people have to travel up to Saint John or other towns along the way to see Doctors and when they cannot do that, they bombard the Emerg Dept at Hosp. I also know many people that do not have Doctors - where are all our trained specialists or GP's going - wherever the big money is - If you want a tranquil live in a nice town, open your practice here, but for most people its about the big bucks, so like I said, I am most fortunate to have a Doctor, that I can just make a phone call, be recognized by the staff and make an appt. right away. Cheers and have a nice day. YOU.....OLD....NAW...

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    1. You are most fortunate with your Doc. Age? You have to get by the number. Only the number says how old you are. After that it's how you operate...mostly in your head.

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  6. No, I can call whenever to get an appointment for my checkup. But it does take usually more than a month before I can see the doctor. This year it was about six weeks from start to finish. And I can do it on line, too, but it still takes awhile, unless I'm sick, and then I can see him the same day.

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    1. Most other clinics around here operate like yours. You phone and get an appointment in 4 to 6 weeks.

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  7. Hate waiting, that is how I picked the clinic I use.

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    1. Many service providers seem to think that they have the right to make people wait.

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  8. Yes what is old nowadays, we ouself don't feel old but other people can see you in a different way. When you are 60 you think 70 is old, but when you have reached 70 you think 80 that is old an d so and on. A yearly check up I don't have but 3 month check for somethin else I can make the last time I am there for the next 3 months.

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    1. I like your take on age. Really age is just a number. what you do is really tells how old you are. Maybe age is only in our head?

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  9. Nope. Not a problem at our local clinic. Just call in and usually within two weeks you in..... Mayo Clinic is Rochester is another matter. There you need a reference from your local doctor and then wait.....

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    1. Most of our clinics you phone and make an appointment.

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  10. oh, my! i guess that's one advantage to our health system in the states.

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    1. All other clinics you phone for an appointment and get one in 4 to 6 weeks. It's only my clinic that plays games.

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  11. Wow.. no. That's just weird. I've always been able to book the next available one by phone. That been said, I'm now living up in the country and have not looked for a doctor yet. There might just be a change in procedure in store for me. I'm glad you were able to get your appointment booked, Red.

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    1. It is a wacky way to do things and this is the only clinic that plays this game.

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  12. I just have my regular GP so although I need to book my annual a few months in advance, it's otherwise no problem.

    And I don't think of you as "old people!" :) My mother-in-law goes on about her friend being old. The friend is 89. My MIL? 84! Hee hee! She doesn't think she's old!

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    1. This is the only clinic that books on only one day. all the others you can phone whenever you feel like it. Age is only relative. The numbers get bigger but the only thing that is important is what's in your head.

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  13. Getting an appointment for a check-up isn't a problem, but the last shot I received cost me and my insurer two hundred dollars because it was classified as surgery. Since when is a shot considered surgery?

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    1. Anybody else here does what you do...phone and book and appointment.
      Now for a shot that's pricey. We never know what things cost as our medical program covers it. We do know that it's much less money overall compared to an insurance model.

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  14. Actually the answer to your question is yes. Around here, there's just one clinic within 30 miles, and you have to book an annual exam appt. 6 months to a year in advance, if you want to get in to a certain doctor at a certain time. (They're short-handed).

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    1. Well, for a well organized young lady like you it should be easy to plan six months ahead.

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  15. Sometimes there is a three week wait...sometimes not. Our clinic tends to be busier in the summer and before school starts. (Tourists). We make all of my husband appointments with his Neurologists three to six months before the day:)

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    1. Now specialists are a different story. When I see my neurologist she books my appointment right there for the next year. I also have to most awesome neurologist in the world.

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  16. I can call or email to get an appointment. Non-urgent care appointments are scheduled a month ahead of time so there might be a wait.

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    1. This place is great for everything else. They just have a weird system for booking annual check ups.

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  17. Our walk in clinics are simply that. Walk in and get seen for what ails you. No appointments. I can call my regular Dr. or specialist and be seen in a few days.

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    1. This walk in clinic acts like regular clinic. You can ask for your guy. Now since there are no appointments it can sometimes be a 2 hour wait. they will tell you how long your wait will be and you can leave the clinic.

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  18. In NZ the medical practice to which I belong has an emergency room where you will be seen as soon as possible (my one occasion was immediately). Appointments for other things can take from a few hours to a few days or more if you want to see your 'own' doctor and he's booked up. In Scotland I've never waited more than a week or so for a non-urgent appointment. In Scotland it's the completely free public system to which I'm referring.

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    1. We have complete medical coverage here as well. The clinics are independent and their business practises vary.

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