Is it just our doctors office or are they all like this?

My children's pediatrician sets aside sick time. She allows so much time a day for parents to bring in sick children. There are times when I will call up the doctors office at the last minute and the will fit my child in that day to be seen by the doctor. The next time you take your child in you might suggest to the doctor that they set something like this up and explain why you feel they need to have something like this in place.

I have always been able to get my kids in the same day at our pediatrician's office. I always go planning to wait a little longer because they "squeezed" them in, but I've never had to wait very long. I don't know if that is the nature of a pediatrician's office or if I have just found a really good one. Do they give you the option of speaking with a nurse or a doctor over the phone? I've done that before when I have been unsure of what to do - if I really need to take them in or just wait whatever it is out. Maybe she will be all better tomorrow and you won't have to take her :-) I hope it all works out for you.

In Sri Lanka too we have this problem. If you have a toothace you can't run to the dentist. You have to make a booking first. Even to see a doctor it is like that. I think the medical profession is very much commercialised. With so many people getting sick, the doctors are capitalising.

Aww. I hope she feels better soon. If its that bad and the doc wont see her take her to the emergancy room. She could have a seriouse problem. My doc sets aside time for sick kids. If I call in the morning they can usually see them in the afternoon. I dont know why your doctor dosent do this.

Here they set aside a few afternoon appointments for emergencies but you still have to ring super early to be able to book them. I have had this kind of problem before where i have called but it was to have my daughter's shots done & they couldn't fit me in until the Monday & i had called the Tuesday beforehand. I think it's a bit ridiculous but if i told them it was an emergency, they would have found me a spot. Have you tried a different doctor maybe? I know some people prefer to use the same Dr but i have found that if i think it's an emergency but they cant fit me in here, i call the next closest office & see if they have an opening!

In my country all the main health care clinics are government run. There are private clincs but I never bother with them. They have branches strategically placed around the country. They are open during office hours. If you need to see the doctor after hours then you have to go to the main building where the ER is. Basically you can see a doctor anytime of the day in my country. You don't need to do a booking for outpatient. Bookings are only required if you need to see the specialist. Specialist are only found in the main building. If your dauther was in my country and she had severe pain, she can go straight to the ER.

I am sorry she was so sick dear. I also am sorry to say you many need a new doctor, or discuss this with your doctor. The girls up front do a lot of dumb things at times, as they want to leave. If your doctor is told, and nothing changes, find a new one.

they all seem to overbook themselves. But i think you are lucky that they had an appointment for the next day. where i live you would be lucky if you could be seen within a week!

I definetly agree with you. They should set aside some time for the people who are really sick and need to seen right away. I know my doctor will see me if Im real sick. He always makes the time. They all should do that.

if they are not available just go to another doctor inorder your daughter will be check on her pain..its the top most priority...

I think it does depend on the doctor, on his/her priorities and on what he/she believes in. There are some people that wants to have a full schedule as not to waste their time. But as doctors, there are those that do know how to think of emergency situations. Being a doctor, they should actually be more flexible, knowing that their field deals with urgencies arising at the least expected times.

I believe it is like that everywhere . I know in my area when you call you are lucky if you can get in that week . Usually it takes at least two weeks before you can get in . Even in emergency it can be a problem . My best friend took her one year old in when a shelf fell on his head . He split his head open and it was bleeding quite a bit and then he started getting sick . She works at the hosptiatl and took her little one in and there was no place to park , so my best friend just parked anywhere . She was met by the security guard who told her she was not allowed to park there and she told him that she didn't have a choice that there was no place to park , at this point her car reaked from the smell of her little one getting sick as he got sick all the way to the hospital and there was blood everywhere and yet when she got out of her car the security guard called and reported her for being parked in a place where she should not have been , yet keep in mind there was no place to park as emergency was filled . When she got in with her son , she still had to wait three hours before a doctor would even look at her little guy . I though this was ridiculous as he was only a baby and he was bleeding from the head and throwing up but it works as first come first serve and if they don't think you are dying then you have to wait .

After reading some of the responses to your original post, it sounds like the problem lies in having a family physician instead of a pediatrician for your daughter. Most pediatrician's offices have special office hours just for sick children, and I've even found some offices that are open Saturdays and Sundays for sick children. When my daughter was younger, she had a bad case of swimmer's ear, an infection in the ear caused by water. It was a Sunday morning and she was in severe pain. I called the doctor's answering service and we had an appointment to see the doctor within 2 hours. We managed her pain and got her on anti-biotics and ear drops by noon and by dinner time she was feeling much better. Perhaps you may want to consider finding a pediatrician for your daughter and leave the family doctor for the adults. It may save on heartache and pain and illness for your child. Just my two cents worth.

We go on base, and if you have a problem that you know about first thing you can call at 630am and try to get a same day appt. They fill up fast though and if they are filled they don't usually get you in for like 3 days! They recently implemented a walk in clinic on base for after hours. It's like 5-8 and 5-9pm depending on the day so that helps. I don't think my place leaves enough appts open for acute patients though. There are a ton of people on base and if everyone is calling at 630 for the appointments what about the people that have an issue later in the morning? some stuff it seems silly to go to the emergency room, but some stuff can't wait all day either.

The ones we use in our area does keep open slots in the morning and afternoon for "emergencies" and that includes illness that pops up overnight. I think this is a good plan and allows for sick patients to be seen when symptoms are there. You get a better diagnosis and since you are seen quicker, you get well quicker. If a time comes up when all appointments are taken, you should ask to speak to the nurse. Tell her the situation and see if she can squeeze you in. This is usually a good option to take. I would also let the doctor know what the front desk is doing. This doesn't sound like a good practice for a medical office.

This very thing struck a nerve in me too, not so long ago. I suspected my 3 yr old had an ear infection so I phoned my doctors office...here is that conversation... Me Could I please book an appointment for my daughter ? Receptionist I'm sorry, the doctor is booked Me Oh ok , well is there another doctor I could see....I think she has ear infection. Receptionist No M'am, I Have no appointments available until next week Me Thats rediculous...no doctors have time for a 3 year old to check for ear infection...I can't wait a week Receptionist WELL YOU NEVER TOLD ME SHE WAS 3..CAN YOU BE HEAR AT 1:00 ? That just ticked me off....older kids dont qualify?? Even adults get sick unexpectedly.

I know that I can always get into my doctor the day I am ill....they must set some appts aside. I would look into switching pediatricians if you aren't happy. It's ridiculous that you can't be seen until the next day...imo

I'm in the middle of changing drs offices. My daughter is 22 months old now but the office we went to never seemed to have anything for infants as far as the shots and stuff go. Then they were supposed to call me to set up an appointment with another dr about her legs going inward a bit. I had to find a dr myself. Then when we go the nurses that are there are just standing around chatting and you have to wait an hour just to get called back then the dr is in and out in about 20 minutes then you have to wait another hour for them to get the shots ready for them to give to your child. No matter how many things I bring to keep my daughter busy who wants to sit around forever waiting for these people. You should of asked if there was anyone else she could of seen. What if it was her appendix or something else. I wonder whats your wrong with her stomach. I hope she feels better. If they don't find anything you may want to start asking some questions. Kids use an excuse like that for reasons sometimes and its odd that she feels better after a certain time. Could be a bully or something like that. Hope she feels better soon. Sorry you guys had to wait until the next day.

No it is not just your doctor's office I beleive all of them are that way. I agree with you on setting aide like 1 hour a day to see school aged kids who are sick then not the next day or even next week. I have 2 children and if one gets sick the other usually gets it to, well my son had a cold for 2 days then my daughter I finally called thier doctor about it, they were so busy they could not get them in till the next week. What are parents supose to do to help our children when the are sick and even thier doctor can not help? I think that your advise on time set aside for sick kids is a wonderful idea, who do I need to contact about that it should be a rule for a doctors office. I hope I helped but I am sure I did not as did not get any where but no hon not just your doctor's office is so busy.