Mystery Solved: Three Tips in Getting Into Your “Busy” Doctor

By Howard Danzig

I tell friends that there is a conspiracy of sorts to keep the whole health insurance/health care paradigm a “mystery.” We at ECCHIC unravel it every day in every way – including gathering and sharing information that helps everyday people work “the system” to their advantage. So when I ran across this excellent article in a Bottom Line Health, a medical newsletter we subscribe to, I had to share it.

Read the entire “Get In to See Your Busy Doctor” article yourself, but here are the highlights as I see them:

• Talk to the Right Person. When you call, get past the receptionist by asking to speak to a nurse. (We all know nurses make things happen more than anybody else!)
• Avoid “Waiting Lists.” Use the phrase “quick call” list, which is a term your office likely uses to fill cancellations.
• Urgent Care. These little centers have popped up everywhere for a reason, so if you can go to one of these, consider it. (But here’s my tip on these places: Don’t let them “upsell” you on a prescription as they mark them up – get it filled at your regular pharmacist.)

The article ends by saying that if all else fails – get another doctor! If you’re not getting the service you like from your mechanic, your lawn mower, or your insurance broker, you switch; Doctors should be treated similarly.