Glad I'm Not Sick

[KennyG]

In our area, the local hospital/health clinic organization is one of the top three employers. It seems you can't turn around without seeing a medical facility of some sort. Today (9/14) I called to schedule my annual physical. Earliest appointment - January 11.

The last time I needed medical care, I had severely impacted ear wax that I couldn't clear. The walk-in clinic couldn't do anything and referred me to a specialist. Earliest appointment was three months. With some creative self doctoring, I took care of it myself.

Dental and vision care is a little better. If you are an existing patient, you can get a checkup appointment within one to two months.

Is this the new standard for every place?

 

[scootr]

I'm afraid so. Canadians have been coming over the border for yrs to get medical procedures they have to wait a yr or more for up north where ... medical care is socialized.

 

[oldnslo]

Seems to be Same way around here. Even in the hospital everything takes twice as long.

 

[riptides]

In our area, the local hospital/health clinic organization is one of the top three employers. It seems you can't turn around without seeing a medical facility of some sort. Today (9/14) I called to schedule my annual physical. Earliest appointment - January 11.

The last time I needed medical care, I had severely impacted ear wax that I couldn't clear. The walk-in clinic couldn't do anything and referred me to a specialist. Earliest appointment was three months. With some creative self doctoring, I took care of it myself.

Dental and vision care is a little better. If you are an existing patient, you can get a checkup appointment within one to two months.

Is this the new standard for every place?

Dermatology has been like a year out, forever.

With the growth of urgent/minute clinic types, getting to a primary care doctor if they are still in business is usually by appointment only.

Getting to an urgent/minute clinic depends on how busy they are.

Getting to a doctor in a hospital is about the same, depends on how busy the facility is at the time.

 

[NoTrespassing]

Lack of employees just like everywhere else would be my guess. My nurse wife said CNA's, LPN's and RN's are hard to find and they don't stick around long where she works. More and more baby boomers are retiring every day.

 

[mrmikey]

Not to lessen your wait time but:
Took me 6 months to get a knee replacement after waiting for over two years for WCB to say yes. That was 7 or so years ago. Only reason it was only 6 months is that it was a WCB claim
Well over two years for a hip replacement from initial appointment with GP. All I could do to walk. The surgeon screwed that up and it popped out twice and it took 5 months I think it was for a replacement surgery. That 5 months I was waiting to do a faceplant at any time.
Second time it popped out, from the time the ambulance picked me up and the time it was put back in place was 10 hours. Couldn't move...nutthin.
Saw my GP over a year ago for pain in my hands and wrists, still waiting for appt with specialist.
Just had one cataract done two weeks ago, that was a two year wait, hopefully not as long for other eye.
Appt with GP is 2-4 weeks if you call first two± weeks of the month. After that date they don't take appointments and have to call back next month.
Going to ER it's nothing to hear of 12-20 hour wait that is provided the ER isn't closed for staffing problems.
Is our healthcare free...yup but you get what you pay for.

 

[ultrarunner]

We lost a significant number to burnout, early retirement due to Covid, 7% terminated refusing vaccine, headhunters offering big money for traveling nurses, etc.

Lots of practices closed during Covid... our Chief of Staff at 58 said enough, bought a farm, tractors and 1-ton diesel pickup when he moved to Oregon...

 

[MossRoad]

I book my next regular Doctor and Dentist appointments at the end of my regular Doctor and Dentist appointments. That way it's on the books and I don't have to worry about it. So a year in advance for my annual Dr. and 6 months in advance for my regular cleanings. I like them in May and November and have had those months for probably 30 years. Dr. can see me same day usually for oddball things, like a few weeks ago I woke up and my eye was swollen shut. Allergic reaction. If he can't get me in, he sends me to urgent care, which is usually at most a few hours wait. Emergencies get ER.

 

[NoTrespassing]

Not to lessen your wait time but:
Took me 6 months to get a knee replacement after waiting for over two years for WCB to say yes. That was 7 or so years ago. Only reason it was only 6 months is that it was a WCB claim
Well over two years for a hip replacement from initial appointment with GP. All I could do to walk. The surgeon screwed that up and it popped out twice and it took 5 months I think it was for a replacement surgery. That 5 months I was waiting to do a faceplant at any time.
Second time it popped out, from the time the ambulance picked me up and the time it was put back in place was 10 hours. Couldn't move...nutthin.
Saw my GP over a year ago for pain in my hands and wrists, still waiting for appt with specialist.
Just had one cataract done two weeks ago, that was a two year wait, hopefully not as long for other eye.
Appt with GP is 2-4 weeks if you call first two± weeks of the month. After that date they don't take appointments and have to call back next month.
Going to ER it's nothing to hear of 12-20 hour wait that is provided the ER isn't closed for staffing problems.
Is our healthcare free...yup but you get what you pay for.

Free? How do you figure?

 

[Thomas]

Also wait time around here not unless your brought in to ER.