Long Wait Time to get Appointment with Dermatologist

[John Galt III]

I noticed a small flesh colored bump on the tip of my nose in Dec, 2023. Receptionist said earliest I could see my derma would be in May, 2024. I told her I wanted it to be looked at as soon as possible, and she said I could get in earlier if it doubled in size or started bleeding.



I thought about going to another dermatologist, just to have it seen sooner, but opted to stay with my familiar derma, and wait til May.



It did actually double in size by early April, so I told them, and they got me in a week after I called. I mentioned to my derma that I had wanted to come in sooner, but the receptionist gave me the 'double in size or bleeding' policy. My derma said I did the right thing by calling in, but she didn't apologize for the policy, or defend it, and I didn't press the issue.



Has anyone else encountered something like this ?


By the way, the bump may or may not be something serious. She sent it out for a biopsy. No results yet.


She scraped the bump completely off, down to what looks like normal deeply scraped skin, no signs of the bump left.

 

[RetiredHappy]

I am on my 5th dermatologist and he is great. I didn't care for the other 4, and I gave them a couple of times before ditching them. I would have gone to a different dermatologist if I were you.

I also have the best health insurance (private off-exchange plan) that every top specialist accepts.

 

[badatmath]

I don't think long waits for any specialist are uncommon.

 

[Texas Proud]

I do not have a derma myself but will go to my DWs soon...


I did have a bump on my arm that did not seem to go away and was worried... called up a few and all said that if it were an 'emergency' that they had spots open within a day or so... I am surprised that yours did not have something like this...


I did not think it was an emergency so did not take the spot...

 

[braumeister]

My dermatologist, who I’ve been seeing for over 20 years, takes appointments six months out. But he’ll have you see another one in his practice in a couple of days if you can clearly explain why it is more urgent. I think that is pretty common with many specialists.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

Takes a week here in NW Fla.

 

[Aerides]

Has anyone else encountered something like this ?

Not that I've tolerated, no, and definitely not when I'm an existing patient with the practice.

Mine is usually only a week or three from booking, but never even that long if I have an actual concern.

Remember, you are a customer first - treat them like a business.

 

[odie42]

On July 18th of last year I had a biopsy done on a spot next to my nose that tested positive for Basal Cell Carcinoma. The soonest I could get in at a specialist to have Mohs surgery done was Nov 13th.

 

[Walt34]

Six months out is also normal here for a normal visit, but they do make sooner appointments if it seems to warrant that.

 

[harllee]

Around here it takes at least 6 months to get a dermatologist appt unless you can somehow convince them you have melanoma. If you need MOHS surgery for basal cell another 6 months. If you have Melanoma they get you into MOHS surgery in a few weeks. The problem is that all us Baby Boomers are seeing the ill effects of all that time in the sun.

 

[John Galt III]

On July 18th of last year I had a biopsy done on a spot next to my nose that tested positive for Basal Cell Carcinoma. The soonest I could get in at a specialist to have Mohs surgery done was Nov 13th.

Wow, 4 months. Seems long, but one would think that they take into consideration how fast different things spread, when scheduling appointments.

 

[Irishgirlyc58]

As others have said- dermatologists are in high demand and short supply.
I would ask about seeing a PA or NP if the wait was that long. Or ask about getting on the waitlist for an opening when someone cancels.
My health system-Sutter Health does that and it works really well.

The other way would be to see your PCP and see if you can get an expedited referral. That happened to me 11 years ago when my Dr asked if I could go to the dermatologist office that same day due to her concern about the spot I had- it was melanoma. I actually had been there for a different reason but I got seen the same day by the dermatologist.
Do not- I repeat- DO NOT take your PCP’s opinion that a spot/mole is nothing and not to be concerned. I was told this by more than 1 previous PCP about my melanoma. They were quite wrong and I’m lucky to still be alive.
My dermatologist said that no dermatologist would have misdiagnosed the spot I had.

 

[MdaPetralia]

I noticed a small flesh colored bump on the tip of my nose in Dec, 2023. Receptionist said earliest I could see my derma would be in May, 2024. I told her I wanted it to be looked at as soon as possible, and she said I could get in earlier if it doubled in size or started bleeding.

My insurance includes coverage for Telehealth visits with a network of doctors/specialists 24/7 throughout the country. I would have made a Telehealth with a Derm and if they thought by looking at the spot over the computer camera that it was questionable, I would have had them call my local Derm to make an appointment sooner to get a biopsy.

 

[Sarah S]

Long waits for all doctors and even things like bone density and mammograms seem the norm here ( Boston). One practice I go to has a waiting list system. If you want an earlier appointment you sign up and when there is a cancellation the system emails you, you open a link and if you are the first to respond you can book it on line. I got to see a specialist in July instead of November last year. I wish my other specialist had this!

 

[latexman]

I go every 6 months to a Mohs center anyway, for a full body scan by a PA. During my most recent 6 months, the PA prescribed, and I treated my “problem areas” with Efudex. Lots of places sloughed off.

 

[mn54]

you can make appts. on line with my dermatologist. she was booked out 6 months but i was keeping an eye on line and sure enough a spot opened up in two days, must have been a cancellation. good thing because one of the two biopsied spots was melanoma.

 

[momoftwo]

Took a couple weeks for an initial dermatologist appt to check the growth on my upper lip. She suggested that a plastic surgeon would do a better job biopsying it given it's size and location.
I appreciated her reluctance to leave more disfigurement than necessary.

Plastic surgeon was seen within a week.
Biopsy showed basal carcinoma.
Plastic surgeon arranged for me to see Mohs surgeon within a few days.
Mohs surgeon did his thing and then shipped me back to plastic surgeon the SAME DAY to close the wound.

Seemed like a big deal that was going to generate some big bills. But I owed very little after Medicare and am very pleased with the cosmetic result 2 years later.

 

[becca]

I have to see the dermatologist every 6 months since I have a history of basal cell. I always make my future appointment when I finish my current visit. If something pops up in between visits that I want to have checked out they can usually get me in on a cancellation.

 

[Midpack]

I don't think long waits for any specialist are uncommon.

That’s been my experience as well with better practitioners. If there’s no wait it might tell you something? I’m happy with my PCP and dermatologist - and I know I need to make routine appointments well in advance but they work in anything serious.

I have and will wait for a specialist I trust. Quick is a much lower priority unless it’s an emergency.

 

[ShadowBloom]

I don't think long waits for any specialist are uncommon.

I don't have this issue with my dermatologist, but I do have it with my ophthalmologist. He books 6 months out and the other doctors in his practice book at least 3 months out. I once called to try to be seen for a non-urgent but non-routine visit and his staff couldn't schedule me for anything sooner than my next routine visit with any doc in the practice. I was surprised; I know a lot of PCPs keep some slots open for "sick" visits and I thought specialists would do the same. I like my doc but have tremendous concern about access and may look for another doctor elsewhere after the next visit.

 

[frayne]

I don't think long waits for any specialist are uncommon.

+1
Accessing specialized healthcare in Chattanooga can be quite the waiting game, with waits of two to three weeks for a urologist, three weeks for a spine specialist, and two weeks for a dermatologist. For urgent issues, it often means resorting to "doc in the box" clinics or the ER. Thankfully, getting in to see my regular PCP usually takes just a few days. One lifesaver in navigating this labyrinth of appointments and bureaucracy has been the online portals offered by healthcare providers, where I can usually get a response within a day. But then there's the added complexity of dealing with insurance approvals, tangled medical billing, and the frustration of navigating endless phone tree auto-responses just to speak to a human. Healthcare in the golden years has morphed into a real PIA.

 

[sengsational]

There's a factor, which probably plays a big role, that hasn't got much play, and that's if your insurance has a limited network. If my insurance has 20 dermatologists in network and 10,000 patients, and yours has 100 dermatologists in network and 10,000 patients, I'm gonna be waiting a much longer time.

Now that I've got traditional Medicare, I'll need to find a way to avoid these practices. The problem is that they somehow find a way to accept new patients and get them in right away, then when you call to come in the next time, it's a 6 month wait

 

[ShokWaveRider]

We have Medicare with a Part G Supplement. The longest we have ever had to wait is when the service was not anything critical.

A general Doctors appointment is usually the next week or the week after.
Dermatology for Mohs surgery, last time I did it was 3 days after biopsy received by the doc.
Cardiologist is about 2 weeks.
Eye doctor for laser surgery for glaucoma was 2 weeks for the first and another 2 weeks for the other eye.
Blood Work Follow Up with GP, 1 week.
Back Ablation schedule 1 week after diagnosis. General Appointment 1 to 2 weeks.

These are actual experiences for DW and me where we live. I do feel for those who have to live with substandard healthcare from a time to service perspective. We have never had an issue with our Medicare service ever since we have been on it.

 

[Teacher Terry]

Locally it takes 6 months to see a neurologist and my GP said even doctors can’t get patients in sooner. A dermatologist is much faster. We are growing so fast that we have a shortage of some specialists.

 

[CRLLS]

DW had the need for a dermatologist last year. She was scheduled out about 3+ months as the earliest appointment. She happened to see her regular doc for her annual about a month after making that appointment and casually mentioned the long delay to see her dermatologist. Doc made a call and got DW into the dermatologist within 1-1/2 weeks. Apparently, a cold call appointment puts you at the back of the line. Who you know (DW's doc) gets you in quicker. Sad situation for someone with a Plan G, who isn't required to have a referral. YMMV.