When you’re sick, or you have some persistent problem, you can run into a dilemma.
It’s not a serious enough problem to go to the emergency room, but you don’t want it to get that bad. So you want to see your GP to get it taken care of.
But there’s a problem: It takes 19.5 days for the average person to see their family doctor.
For specialists, it’s even worse To see a dermatologist, it takes an average of 28.8 days to get an appointment.
Of course, you can’t drive anyone else’s hard-earned appointments from the schedule. But using these tricks may help you get in to see the doctor about that weird thing on your arm slightly faster.
- Get to know the office. You never know who’s going to pick up the phone, but if you know someone experienced in the office who can understand what’s wrong with you and why you need an appointment soon. If that person isn’t in the office, schedule the first appointment you can, and tell the person who answered to have your contact call you back by the end of the day, and that you’ll be waiting for their call. ##MN_RESP##
- Call later in the day. Instead of calling right when the office opens, which is the tactic you assume would be the best, call a few hours after they open. That gives the receptionists time to check all of their messages, and it could mean that there are cancellations that open up for you when you call. You’ll also receive more personalized attention, since the craziness of the first few hours of the day will have calmed down.
- Ask about a cancellation list. Some offices can put you on a list that notifies patients when appointments become available. This can give you an advantage over other patients, and shows your doctor you’re serious about being seen. Ask about this at your next appointment.
