Do all doctors offices suck?

[adam_p]

My family doctor retired around 2010, I have been to a regular doctor 1 time since then. I will probably die of something completely preventable and here's why.

Before my family doctor retired they moved buildings. I called to get a tetanus shot. I had a mountain bike wreck and stuck the sprocket in my leg. They told me they couldn't give me one because they didn't have my medical records. This is the doctor I had been seeing since I was a child but since they moved offices they didn't have my records. I had to call to get my records even though I assured them it had been at least a decade since I'd had a tetanus shot. Tried to call multiple time to get those records and never got them. Gave up and decided that if tetanus was going to get me so be it. I still haven't had a tetanus shot BTW.

Doctor retired and a new lady took it over. Same building. I was having an odd pain along my waist line. I call to make an appointment and since I was a new patient, again same doctors office, it would be 2 weeks before they could see me. I told them I'd feel better in 2 weeks or I'd be dead and that was the case. Pain went away. Come to find out it was diverticulitus and I discovered that in the ER last spring.

Yesterday I call the local doc that everybody in town recommended. I found some poison ivy this weekend and since more kept popping up I wanted to get a shot. I call and tell them that, first response, "we can do a virtual appointment on Friday" First of all it will be done itching by then, second how are you going to give me shot virtually? So they make me an appointment today to see the other guy in the office. Receptionist calls this morning to get some insurance info then ends the conversation with "we will see you tomorrow", HOLD ON A SECOND, TOMORROW? My appointment is today. "No we have you down for tomorrow, we don't have any openings today". I just said cancel it. I'm over it,

[tvc184]

My doctor doesn’t suck. In fact two PCPs going back about 45 years have been great. I can usually get in within a couple of days. If it is something more serious then an ER or Doc In A Box.

Make sure you have an updated will….

[WItoTX]

I went the concierge health route after having similar experiences.

Now my Dr knows me, she can only have a limited number of patients, still uses my insurance but I pay a yearly fee to see her. Same day appointments, and I have her cell phone number in an emergency. Full blood work once a year, and a detailed, hour long consult yearly on my health. Oh and they will see my kids, even though they are not technically patients at her office. One other nice benefit, if you are travelling, she will find the closest dr/pharmacy, which is awesome if you are travelling.

It's worth the $1800/yr IMO.

[friscopaint]

I went the concierge health route after having similar experiences.

Now my Dr knows me, she can only have a limited number of patients, still uses my insurance but I pay a yearly fee to see her. Same day appointments, and I have her cell phone number in an emergency. Full blood work once a year, and a detailed, hour long consult yearly on my health. Oh and they will see my kids, even though they are not technically patients at her office. One other nice benefit, if you are travelling, she will find the closest dr/pharmacy, which is awesome if you are travelling.

It's worth the $1800/yr IMO.

I use a Dr in Grapevine, Dr. Kara Farley formal Naval flight surgeon, for my VA letters. She is fantastic and does concierge service. I have insurance so I go to my FNP in Kingston Oklahoma and she is great but like the rest has a hard time keeping decent staff, especially there.........

[Drycreek3189]

No, but some definitely do ! I had one doctor for 20 years or more until I just got tired of his attitude, then floated a little until I found my present doctor. I like him and his staff, and the clinic. I’m sorry I wasted so much time with that other doofus.

[okrattler]

Oh yeah, they do. I don't even like the way a doctors office smells. Let alone all the other stuff.

[sectxag06]

My family doctor retired around 2010, I have been to a regular doctor 1 time since then. I will probably die of something completely preventable and here's why.

Before my family doctor retired they moved buildings. I called to get a tetanus shot. I had a mountain bike wreck and stuck the sprocket in my leg. They told me they couldn't give me one because they didn't have my medical records. This is the doctor I had been seeing since I was a child but since they moved offices they didn't have my records. I had to call to get my records even though I assured them it had been at least a decade since I'd had a tetanus shot. Tried to call multiple time to get those records and never got them. Gave up and decided that if tetanus was going to get me so be it. I still haven't had a tetanus shot BTW.

Doctor retired and a new lady took it over. Same building. I was having an odd pain along my waist line. I call to make an appointment and since I was a new patient, again same doctors office, it would be 2 weeks before they could see me. I told them I'd feel better in 2 weeks or I'd be dead and that was the case. Pain went away. Come to find out it was diverticulitus and I discovered that in the ER last spring.

Yesterday I call the local doc that everybody in town recommended. I found some poison ivy this weekend and since more kept popping up I wanted to get a shot. I call and tell them that, first response, "we can do a virtual appointment on Friday" First of all it will be done itching by then, second how are you going to give me shot virtually? So they make me an appointment today to see the other guy in the office. Receptionist calls this morning to get some insurance info then ends the conversation with "we will see you tomorrow", HOLD ON A SECOND, TOMORROW? My appointment is today. "No we have you down for tomorrow, we don't have any openings today". I just said cancel it. I'm over it,

healthcare in this country is on a death spiral. every single doctor me, my wife, and our 2 kids have seen since they were born have sold out to big corporations. It's all become a gigantic scam.

[BayouCat]

Get your tetanus shot at a Walgreens or Kroger.

If I need meds prescribed, I use a teleadoc or a doc in the box. Those are pretty quick.

For everything else, a bottle of Knob Creek and a prayer usually does the trick.

In all seriousness, I have ran into similar issues. Healthcare isn't what it used to be.

[Chad_E]

My wife is a PA in family practice. She cares (sometimes too much) about her patients but has gotten to the point that she's at least considered leaving family practice more than once. According to her the insurance/government buracuracy makes practicing terrible. IMO, this is the reason there is becoming a huge shortage of providers in family practice and thus becoming increasingly difficult to see a MD, PA, or NP. I don't see things getting better any time soon.

[Txhunter3000]

I just use my cardiologist as my GP. He's a heck of lot smarter than any other Dr. that I've been to. He does my blood work and any other tests I need. I feel he can point me in the right direction should an issue come up. If an immediate issue comes up I go to one of the 24 hour clinics.

[ThisLadyHunts]

No, they don’t but “managed healthcare” business model has made it almost impossible for general or family medicine docs to offer the dame personalized care as yesteryear.

Your best bet is to establish a relationship with a doctor by going to see him/her BEFORE you have an urgent need. Schedule a new patient appointment and get a physical. Then, when something urgent arises, I suspect you’ll find it easier to get in.

[HoustonHunter94]

I think for the most part a majority of them are nothing more than legal drug dealers. I am searching for a new PCP after my current one does nothing but blood tests, read results and start naming off drugs they want to put me on. No mention of anything regarding addressing the problems, just test, read, prescribe meds, come back in 6 months. Especially since they were so quick to prescribe me statins, that told me all I needed to know. I'm out. Good luck finding a good one.

[bowhntrmatt]

for things like tetanus shots and poison ivy steroids, tamaflu, etc., the little urgent care centers all over the place are the ticket. I'm in the same boat. I'm 35 and haven't been to a real doctor since I was still on mom's insurance, so 18 or earlier.

[Outback77]

I think most the good ones have just fed up with the insurance game

[Goldeneagle]

I've given up on my oral surgeon. Several times they've called the day before to reschedule appointments. They never see anywhere near your appointment time. Last time I had a 3:30 appointment. They called me back at 4:30 and then I sat in the little room and finally walked out at 5:00 without seeing anyone.