The Doctor Will See You… Eventually?
Today, going to the doctor costs more than just a copay. A new report from Sollis Health puts a price tag on one of the most frustrating parts of American healthcare: all that waiting. To put it in perspective, data from the research found that travel and wait times for medical care cost Americans an estimated $89B in lost economic value every year, while the average wait for a new-patient physician appointment has climbed to 31 days. More than half of Americans have delayed needed care, while 61% have skipped an appointment because scheduling was simply too much of a hassle.
Beyond logistics, recent years have also put an emphasis on the need to advocate for yourself during healthcare visits. Women have called out the impacts of “medical gaslighting” and the fact that conditions that affect women specifically, like endometriosis, have only recently gained attention for some proper research.
Sollis' Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Scott Braunstein, told The Newsette that his best advice to patients, given the current state of healthcare waits, is that when you are trying to navigate specialist appointments, “to be proactive and flexible.” He went on to say that when your doctor recommends a specialist, you should ask if there are other options by asking how urgent the appointment is and whether there are multiple physicians or practices they would feel comfortable referring you to. Another tip? “When you call to schedule, ask to be placed on the cancellation list and let the office know if you can come in on short notice,” said Dr. Braunstein. “It can also help to ask whether another physician within the same practice has earlier availability or whether there are appointments at another office location.”
When you finally do get into an appointment (which are often very short), it becomes important to make it productive. To do this effectively, Dr. Braunstein advised writing down “your top two or three concerns, when your symptoms started, what makes them better or worse, and any medications or treatments you’ve already tried. Put the most important issue first rather than saving it for the end of the visit.” And don’t forget to bring any relevant medical records with you!
