I just came back from my family doctor first appointment :D
Last week I found the college of physicians and surgeons of Ontario web page where they have a huge database with all the doctors in Ontario and other characteristics like the languages they talk and if they are acepting new patients.
I read in forums that the database is not up to date and sometimes you would call doctors that say are acepting patients and wasn't true, so I was ready with an excel sheet with all the doctors close to home or work that speak spanish and were acepting patients, and also a few more that say wasn't acepting but I was going to try with them either way; at the end I had more than 20 doctors to call.
I'm at home, I'm going to start calling and choose for my first call a woman really close to home (less than one block from here!) and what do they tell me? The doctor is taking patients! When do I want my appointment?...hahaha... too easy... there must be a catch.
We went today, filled our medical history and waited to talked to the doctor. While we waited we heard another girl saying that the doctor told her she would receive a letter in 2 weeks saying if she was accepted but since she was living so far away it was probably that she wouldn't; we live close, what will happen to us? They call us to see the doctor in different rooms.
Igor's appointment: She asked where is he from, what does he have, talked about his history and told him about the letter in 2 weeks, that in the letter would say if he was accepted.
My appointment (after Igors): Asked about my history, why was I there (I needed an excuse besides finding a family doctor, and I actually need a doctor really soon so it was easy) and told me that new regulations demanded that I waited 2 weeks after filling out the history to make the second appointment (physical exam), but she didn't told me about the letter and she actually told me "don't make the appointment now because they are not going to let you, but please in 2 weeks call and make it, don't forget it".
So, now I'm waiting my 2 weeks, but I think I can be pretty sure I already found a family doctor ;) I hope the web page I'm giving you will help you too ^^
Last week I found the college of physicians and surgeons of Ontario web page where they have a huge database with all the doctors in Ontario and other characteristics like the languages they talk and if they are acepting new patients.
I read in forums that the database is not up to date and sometimes you would call doctors that say are acepting patients and wasn't true, so I was ready with an excel sheet with all the doctors close to home or work that speak spanish and were acepting patients, and also a few more that say wasn't acepting but I was going to try with them either way; at the end I had more than 20 doctors to call.
I'm at home, I'm going to start calling and choose for my first call a woman really close to home (less than one block from here!) and what do they tell me? The doctor is taking patients! When do I want my appointment?...hahaha... too easy... there must be a catch.
We went today, filled our medical history and waited to talked to the doctor. While we waited we heard another girl saying that the doctor told her she would receive a letter in 2 weeks saying if she was accepted but since she was living so far away it was probably that she wouldn't; we live close, what will happen to us? They call us to see the doctor in different rooms.
Igor's appointment: She asked where is he from, what does he have, talked about his history and told him about the letter in 2 weeks, that in the letter would say if he was accepted.
My appointment (after Igors): Asked about my history, why was I there (I needed an excuse besides finding a family doctor, and I actually need a doctor really soon so it was easy) and told me that new regulations demanded that I waited 2 weeks after filling out the history to make the second appointment (physical exam), but she didn't told me about the letter and she actually told me "don't make the appointment now because they are not going to let you, but please in 2 weeks call and make it, don't forget it".
So, now I'm waiting my 2 weeks, but I think I can be pretty sure I already found a family doctor ;) I hope the web page I'm giving you will help you too ^^
6 comments:
Glad to hear you got a doctor so fast. I think the difference is that you are willing to put in the time and effort, where as most people just like to complain. Good job!
Thanks :D
I'm glad for you and you definitely seem well organized.
Now excuse me for being French and for complaining but... I just find it crazy doctors have to "accept" you! What? Are you supposed to be 100% disease free? Just a bit sick to make it interesting? Totally sick for a challenge?? Weird indeed!
Thank you Zhu... Yes, I'm wondering the same... I think (and hope) that's just to make sure you live nearby, so everyone has a chance with every doctor and not that everyone wants to join the same doctor, so they are trying to make it by zones, but that's just me thinking, I haven't found an official reason ^^
Keeping in mind that's prob. not the case for you, but I had heard that some docs just didn't want to take care of "heavy cases". Same as some didn't want women as patients, I forgot the exact reason but I think it had to do with gyn. procedures they couldn't/ wouldn't perform (pap test...).
Now, I think it's not allowed to discriminate patients but in some regions, where docs are really really busy (Quebec), they do. Sad.
I think you are right Zhu, and it's really really sad as you said. I hope it's not like that but one thing is what we want and another one what we get.
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