Whether you are due a checkup or you’ve noticed some signs/symptoms, booking a health appointment is never as straightforward as it should be. The waiting times are ridiculous and it could be weeks before you are seen by a professional. Too many of us look at this and accept it – but you should not!
Speeding up the waiting times is possible and here are three possible ways of doing so:
Use telehealth services
These days, you will find digital services for just about every aspect of your health. There is telemedicine for doctor’s appointments, telehealth and hearing care are popular, plus so many other options. These services pave the way to rapidly reduce waiting times and get seen by a professional ASAP.
Instead of going and meeting the specialist in person, you will have a virtual consultation via telephone or video call. In a lot of instances, this is enough to assess different symptoms and get the medical advice you need. It is super useful when you have a follow-up appointment to discuss how things are; there is no need to wait months to go to your doctor when you can phone them up in a few minutes. It is also important to be aware that regulations concerning telehealth appointments can vary by state, which may impact the services available to you and help ensure you make the most of telehealth offerings.
Opt for online booking systems
Part of the reason appointments are hard to come by is that everyone phones up at the same time. You know that most appointments are handed out as soon as the doctor’s surgery opens, so that is when you call. Unfortunately, everyone else has the same idea and you are usually stuck in a queue, only to end up with a booking for next week.
Rather than wasting time with this system, opt for online bookings when they are available. Most healthcare businesses use these and they are a quick and easy way of seeing when appointments are available, then booking right away. You do not have to wait in a telephone queue, so it is a lot faster. You can be seen quicker and will not have a nervous wait for your diagnosis.
Join waiting lists
If you try to book online and find the earliest appointment is still quite a while away, the next best thing is to call the facility and ask to be put on a waiting list. Give them your details and they will contact you if cancellations appear. This is an excellent way of sneaking in a lot sooner than you expect while retaining a later appointment if necessary.
Make sure you are ready whenever a cancellation comes through and do not forget to cancel your original appointment. It will mean someone else might get lucky and can book an earlier appointment than they expected.
Use apps to find available providers
Lastly, you could consider using an app like ZocDoc which helps you find local health practitioners with pretty immediate openings. If you want fast appointments, you need to be flexible – it is a lot harder to be seen quickly when you are only looking for bookings with one physician or healthcare provider. Apps like the one mentioned above show you places that accept your insurance, so you can be seen a lot sooner.
Long waiting times are a pain – and it is not always possible to be seen instantly. With the few tips noted in this post, you should find it easier to get appointments much earlier than expected!
