HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Are physicians being more picky about the patients they are taking on...

Support Forums
>
Fibromyalgia
✚ New Topic locked
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 12/3/2015 2:26 PM (GMT 0)
I'm hearing more and more about how there is a shortage of physicians.

For this reason, are doctors being more picky about the patients they take on as new patients?

I have a neighbor who is having a difficult time finding a physician in my city. She's being told, "We're not taking on new patients."

Could this be because my neighbor comes across as an angry, irrational person?

Could this be because she doesn't work with her doctors to try to help herself get better?

Could this be because all she wants is a lot of meds?

I would be interested to know what you think. Thanks.
Posted 12/3/2015 2:34 PM (GMT 0)
No. It's because as more doctors are leaving there is now a shortage of doctors. Besides, a doctor doesn't know a thing about a patient until they see them so they don't pick and choose.

My doctor's practice is full and he doesn't have the time for more patients.

Sherrine
Posted 12/3/2015 3:52 PM (GMT 0)
Sherrine, thanks for your reply but I'll have to disagree with you somewhat that there's a possibly that I'm right?

In the city where I live, I'm in the system and when I call a new doctor they're able to look me up. Maybe the information they look up contains a bit of a patient's behavior (whether they're easy to work with) with other physician's?

I know I might be totally wrong about this.
Posted 12/3/2015 4:16 PM (GMT 0)
I don't have any specific opinion on this, but just an observation.

From what I'm seeing, yes, there are fewer doctors now because of all the regulations they have to follow, high insurance they need, etc.. I'm sure it's a headache for them. My own doctor had to stop delivering babies several years ago because of this, which is sad. He even has a photo of the last baby he delivered.

This may be odd, but most of the doctors I know in the clinic I go to (probably about 25-30 total) are somewhat the same age, with just a few young ones.

The message I've gotten from comments my doctor has made seems to be that many doctors are anxious to retire because of all the hoops they now have to 'jump through,' so I guess it would make sense that they might not want to take on new patients. And most of the doctors at this particular clinic are all in their 50s and 60s.

Maybe this is just my area? I don't think so, though.

I have to wonder what things will be like in another 5 years or so with fewer doctors--eek! shocked
Posted 12/3/2015 5:18 PM (GMT 0)
My doctor isn't accepting new patients either. This is the standard reply anyone gets from the receptionist before she is even given a name.

There is a physician shortage in a lot of areas, and many doctors aren't accepting new patients at all. Some in my area refuse to accept anyone without private insurance, refusing new patients with Medicare. The first question they ask when called for an appointment is, "What insurance do you have?"
Posted 12/3/2015 5:23 PM (GMT 0)
I know I tried to get my Internist when I first moved here. I called the office and asked to make an appointment with him and was told right away that he was not accepting new patients. They didn't have time to look at a file on the computer. It was just a fact and it stayed that way until my second choice of a doctor in the same practice left. I got wind that he was leaving and asked if my doctor would be accepting patients to take up the slack and they said yes and that's how I got my wonderful doctor. He was "forced" to do that because he was in the process of building a new, state-of-the-art facility and didn't want to lose patients. He was swamped with work at first but after several years some of the older patients passed on and now he can take a breath again.

So, this is why I said what I said.

Sherrine
Posted 12/4/2015 11:26 AM (GMT 0)
Two of my doctors are "retiring" this year because of the ACA. One is going into research and the other is setting up practice in another country. I know this for a fact because they play tennis with my husband and have discussed it with him....They don't want to deal with the mandated computer system and all the extra required paperwork. When my internist retires next month, it will be difficult for me to find another one that even takes Medicare. My dermatologist only takes cash, credit card or check now...NO insurance at all.

Post Edited By Moderator (Sherrine) : 12/4/2015 5:27:20 AM (GMT-7)

Posted 12/4/2015 11:30 AM (GMT 0)
I very much appreciate all of the comments in here.

The reason I created this post is my husband and I have had no problem getting the various doctors we have found after our move south.

I mentioned my neighbor in my above post. She mentioned she's having a problem finding local doctors. She has to go a greater distance to find them.
Posted 12/4/2015 11:50 AM (GMT 0)
As I said in my first post on this thread, doctors are leaving and there are just so many patients the remaining doctors have time to see. As it is, most doctors only spend minutes with the patient.

I have also lost a terrific doctor for the same reason Donna lost hers. Doctors are retiring early to avoid the hassle so that doesn't help matters any.

Almost, I'm going to lock this thread because it has to potential of becoming too political. So far we have only told our experiences in finding doctors and I want to avoid problems.

Sherrine
✚ New Topic locked