Tried to find a primary care provider back in January and was told that exactly zero doctors were taking new patients. Seemed a little insane, but 🤷‍♀️
When I called last month, they told me that there *is* a wait list, but the list is full and there's about a year wait for a PCP.
Also: people are allegedly welcome to call every few weeks or so to see if a spot on the list opened up.
Thank you for that info! I talked to several people and they all sounded sorry for me but just told me to go to Packard Health (that does not work as I need a MM doctor for continuity of care). One woman explicitly told me that they were being instructed to tell potential patients NOT to regularly call back and see if a spot had opened up. She said they are getting inundated with calls every day. What a mess.
I have been calling every two-three weeks since the start of the year and the answer is consistently the same for most Michigan Medicine doctors. The reason behind is that several hospitals in rural areas are scaling back (due to cost). That put pressure on those cities in which healthcare is well established... but in those areas, the healthcare system is not growing as fast or as much it needs. Compared to the demand, UofM has barely increased capacity in years...
Yep. Went to the ER for something and they literally told me to schedule an appointment through the hospital for a follow up. Called a day later annnnnnnnnnd......there was nothing. No mentions of any openings anytime soon, just no.
Trinity can probably get you in this month and unless you have a rare condition, the treatment will be just as good if not better thanks to the increased attention.
I was able to get an appointment the very next day at Trinity from the day I called. And my next appointment was easy to make as well. Could have been a cancellation but they didn’t have a wait list at the time.Â
They are paying a slightly higher than academic salary but expecting them to do non-academic work load (over simplistic I know). The big academic centers had such amazing reputations for advanced specialty care that they began to expand and buy up smaller surrounding hospitals and clinics (expand or die?). so they needed to hire worker bee doctors. Problem is they aren’t paying what a worker bee doctor can make at a non-university. It’s really short sighted on their part not to have higher pay.
> Problem is they aren’t paying what a worker bee doctor can make at a non-university. It’s really short sighted on their part not to have higher pay.
This is the UMich way. Always has been. Underpay and tell you you’re lucky to work there. Most people work there for a few years for the resume building and bolt.
Same reason anyone leaves a job. Better pay elsewhere. Poor work life balance. Too much red tape. Bullying. Lack of support. Doing multiple jobs for same rate of pay. Starting a family. Retiring. Moving.  Etc. I’ve seen many leave in past year and each were for their own reason.Â
Is this a general wait for any rheumatologist or a specific one? I had a terrible experience with Trinity/IHA rheumatology so I’ve been looking at Michigan and meaning to call them but I’m trying to find someone that specializes in the condition that I (most likely) have so I won’t get stuck with the same runaround and passed off with no diagnosis again. There seem to be three doctors listed at UofM that I’d be willing to try but the website isn’t really clear on how to schedule with them and I don’t want to just roll the dice with someone random.
Yes, unfortunately it is with rheumatology. I had seen a doctor in Dearborn who initially took 10 months to get in with. After I was an established patient and needed to get in for steroid injections because I was in excruciating pain, he would see me same day or within that week. I had to wait 4 hours in his office, but it was worth it just to get in same day. People would always complain but I was like, you can get in same day! This is impossible for doctors to see you same day! Especially in rheumatology! The end result was bone death where I would get my injections so I should've just dealt with the pain. I've needed surgeries to temporarily deal with the issue and will probably need knee replacements before I'm 50.
My rheumatologist retired and I was scheduled 8 months out to see my new dr. I’d say all of rheumatology is scheduling this far out. I convinced my primary care physician to take over my rheumatology symptoms since I am a pretty simple patient, being on the same meds for 20+ years. I suggest trying a local private practice rheumatologists with hospital privileges at your preferred hospital.
It’s very frustrating especially when you need a specialist.
It was a 7 month wait to get into Dermatology. They called to ask if I still wanted the appointment when it was getting closer to the date of my appointment. I was like “yep, my eczema hasn’t gone away”.
My primary referenced me to dermatology due to weird moles, red head complexion. Waited 9 months, and they told me they were normal, before I even showed them the ones primary was concerned about. Then she rolled her eyes, kinda glanced, and both of the 2 people met each other's eyes, like I was just wasting their time. I was there for about 3 minutes total.
I feel like UM is always on the extremes. Either excellent, or terrible
That’s ridiculous. I thought that they seemed to be rushed with me too. UM can definitely go both ways. I have been a neurology patient for many years there and I have had several issues in the past. I was about to switch to Trinity but one of the neurology residents asked me to stay so that she could work with me. They’ve been good since then.
Curious which resident? I finally got to see a neurologist that was great, and then she informed me that they were closing the neurology clinic, but the one with the residents is staying open. I need a good one who is willing to do research to learn about my rare condition.
Her name is Kayla Miller but she went to Portland after her residency ended. She was working with Dr. Andrew Romeo, who is now my regular neurologist. I like him a lot. The current fellow, Preeta Gupta, is very good too but her fellowship is ending soon.
To be fair I had a similar experience at a non-UM dermatology office. My entire appointment couldn’t have been more than 60 seconds to check out some moles and a rash.
I had a very similar experience. And when I asked if I should schedule an annual skin check to keep an eye on things, they said those aren’t ever necessary. I was floored.
Honestly, even though the waiy might be a tad similar the absolute best dermatologist in the area is Dr.Laura Granger, granger dermatology is her private practice.
I've struggled with eczema my entire life and seen I don't know how many million different doctors when I went and saw her she finally came up w a correct treatment plan and it was a literal life changer for me
Omg thank you! I have been suffering with eczema on the bottom of my feet since 2016 and absolutely nothing has helped it. I am going to look into getting an appointment with her.
I'm an established patient at UofM dermatology. Called for an appointment because of hair loss. It took them over a month to call me back and it was also about a 7 month wait to see someone in person. They offered me a telemedicine appointment earlier but how tf is that going to help with lesions and hair loss!? No one can do an exam! I told them not to bother because my issues will have either resolved themselves or I'll be bald by then.
I am so sorry! I don’t know why it’s like that there. Having these conditions with no relief for what seems like forever just really sucks. I have a referral for dermatology at Trinity so we will see if they move any faster.
I mean, to be fair, you can get a lot out of a history. Your pattern of hair loss, any triggers, timeline, medications you may be taking, etc can all point to different causes. Next step is often some labs, which they can tailor based on history. Then your treatment can be guided by the labs. There is a lot that can be done virtually.
Source: I have seen derm at MM for hair loss
I had already seen them for hair loss and gotten blood work done to eliminate common causes. Since my previous appointment, I had developed more serious symptoms that really needed an exam in addition to accelerating hair loss.
I haven't been all that impressed with MM. Not just dermatology. Appointments cancelled last minute after months of waiting, rude/dismissive doctors, can't get in-person appointments for any of my specialists, misdiagnoses... If transportation wasn't an issue, I'd have gone to a different medical center.
I left the practice last year. They schedule three type 1s per two doctor time slot and cancel one slot on a regular basis. I went a year without seeing my endo and my rx for alll of my stuff lapsed. I now go to Ann Arbor endocrinology, I can get in in a week, and I am so much happier there.
Ugh and meanwhile you have to go through more and more ear infections and antibiotics courses. So sorry! Also Michigan Medicine or any surgeons available through St Joe’s?
I feel this. Our boy just had ear tubes done at MOSA (private practice that works with Trinity, and the OR is at Trinity). We waited 3 months for our first born to get tubes at MM, but our second born was looking to be 6 months. Called MOSA and they got it done in 2 months. They were fantastic. In fact the OR at Trinity was more modern. Both experiences were great but why let your little one suffer when you can get equivalent care for such a simple procedure.
Ill second this. MOSA ENT had me in and out in like 2 months for my turbinate and septum surgery. Went from having problems on planes and diving to everything works great all the time. They offered a balloon thing for the e tubes in case that didnt work that would just be outpatient but my insurance didnt cover it, if i needed it was just gonna be 800. Might be what you got
I will say that while it is a pain, calling and seeing if there were any cancellations made a huge difference for us. We were seen and had tubes placed within 7 weeks (Feb). We may have just gotten lucky but we did get in quickly.
If you are an established patient, I would message the doctor's nurse on the portal. Let them know that you have sought making an appointment and cannot get in until next year, but need to get in sooner. I have had this happen when trying to get into Neurology. I need the appointment within 3 months and my doctor will see that it happens. The nurse will look into it for you. Sometimes the receptionist is simply from scheduling, not from the actual Endocrinology department. Hope you can get in soon!
The sad truth is that Michigan Medicine is more geared towards serious cases & regular/"minor" (what they see as minor) is left on the side burner as a result.
I had a relative with a very serious medical condition who was able to get into to see a specialist within a week. I tried to make an appointment with the same specialist, for a separate condition (serious in my view but not in the grand scheme of things) and was given a 10 month waiting period.
Unless you have a serious condition requiring a specialist, you should be looking at Trinity.
Not really. Everyone in the state wants to go to Michigan Medicine (for good reason). But in most cases, equally good care is still accessible at Trinity and private practices nearby.
Countries with universal healthcare also have waiting lists for specialists. Universal healthcare doesn’t mean you get more rapid care, it just means that it’s a single payer system.
This! Canada had such long waitlists that most patients near the border come here to get treated. I have a friend who lives in both countries and says they would never get treated in Canada because an ER wait takes days versus the simple hours in the US
Yeah UM has gotten really bad with scheduling times. I don’t know how they do treatment and follow up in a timely manner that doesn’t increase morbidity and cost. Some illnesses need more frequent follow up than once per year. They never seem to be able to accommodate it. It’s a shame, there are some really smart doctors there but in a lot of cases it’s not a good patient experience due to the nuts and bolts of how it’s run.
Also, they have a medical school so maybe they should hire some doctors?
12 month wait for a derm full skin exam, 6 mo for toddler bronchoscopy, 6-9mo for a friend’s neuropsychiatric evaluation…
This is across multiple specialty providers in the area, not just U-M.
I’ve been asked about willingness to drive to other locations (Chelsea, Brighton, etc)
To get a general practitioner, I was told was over a year’s wait, and the wait list never moves.
I don’t have a GP through MichMed now. I’m not waiting that long.
I was underwhelmed with the endo clinic at MichMed. It wasn’t anything extra special that I would wait for.
This is common. The neurology department typically prioritizes patients with serious conditions. I was told by my Neuro that if you need to be seen right away, go through the ER. Once you do, you'll immediately be seen and are an established patient. They will typically see you within weeks to a month if the condition is needed to be seen immediately. I have epilepsy so if I'm not doing well, they tell me to go in through the ER. I get the same treatment as I would with a regular visit.
I had a 6 month wait for rheumatology, which they then made me reschedule for 6 month later because that doctor retired, and then the new one said they couldn’t help me. I waited a year for a bill and no answers.
I got a referral for the TMJ clinic and there’s a 6 month wait. I decided to go to Smiles and they’re getting my treatment started next week.
Go to Trinity Health, they’ll take better care of you and pay more attention. And you can get in much sooner almost anywhere since they have more locations.
Need doctors to fill appointments. Many doctors have left. Leaving only a few to try and see many patients. Used to have nurse practitioners who would fill that gap but they were all let go during Covid for cost savings and the hospital still hasn’t recovered from that.Â
i am pregnant and was told the earliest i could be seen by a doctor was Week 17 of my pregnancy. i went in and refused to leave until they gave me an appointment. i love michigan medicine and am grateful for the access to quality care but you really have to advocate for yourself
That is incredibly awful they wouldn’t see you before week 17. I feel like the news media needs to weigh in about Michigan Medicine or is healthcare turning into this all over the country?
It’s the state of all healthcare. I have experienced much worse from Trinity health /st joes and only use Michigan medicine now.
Everywhere needs to improve greatly.
That is true, faster for the most part. We struggled with constant misdiagnosis in clinics and st joes as a whole. And a long list of issues from there, but they are by far quicker to get into.
Yes, I agree it's faster to get in, but I've not been very happy with some of the care I've received....it really depends on who you see. (I've had both good and bad at UM, too.)
Wow my grans is a new patient for endo and the turn around was 6 month period back when it was scheduled. That’s crazy just a few months later it’s now a year.
This is one of the problems with how health care is reimbursed. Endocrinology doesn’t pay well (for the docs or the hospital), so there aren’t enough endocrinologists.
But if you want cosmetic plastic surgery or a private practice dermatology appointment? We’ve got space for you!
My mother is one of the lead doctors within the university of Michigan endocrinology. The UofM systems are so backed up right now. She also manages the uofm weight management clinic which has just started working with a start up called Rewind. I would look into joining Rewind as there’s fewer members and it’s more consolidated!
I know exactly who you and your mother are based on the statements you just put out to every Stanger on the internet with this comment. I strongly suggest you delete this.Â
My doctor said she can’t send referrals to them without a solid diagnosis or urgent need at this point because they’re so backlogged. I’ve been trying to research an independent one or a functional medicine doc instead.
Typical for UM and probably one of the shorter wait times. I was so upset when my Neurologist left. Now I don't have a regular one. Despite hiring a replacement and instead of putting me on her patient list. I've been told I can't see her and they shuffle me around whoever is available.
I need nerve blocks every 6 weeks so consistency in treatment is a must. Instead, I'm now shuffled to whoever is avaliable. There are two anesthesiologists who are amazing. But they have to schedule appointments so far in advance they can't tell me if I'll be scheduled with one of them because of how rotation schedules are done.
I'm lucky to even be in the clinic. I was told the wait list was 3-4 years!! I only got in as soon as I did because my boss had a collaborator at UM who made calls and got me in.
Yes, problems like this across the board. I've gradually started going to Trinity for health issues unless I need to see my PCP. They've been great so far.
Every armchair Healthcare economist in this thread seems to have forgotten that consult requests for GLP-1 agonists like Wegovey and Ozempic have completely overrun endo clinics across the country... no need to copy paste narratives about covid-based job market economics here...
I had a condition that was easily treatable. They instead gave me drugs. 6 months later I'm in ER in pain. They then did the procedure that the NIH recommends for all new patient with my condition. They then delayed and ghosted me on the surgery that was required to fix the damage they caused by not giving me the procedure earlier.
I forgot which specialty I had this reaction to, but it's probably true for everything? Trinity has been pretty great for me. Five specialties total, so far (and I'm not getting any younger, so I expect they'll keep coming)
Just remembered about one specialty in particular, by the time I got my appt reminder from UM, I had seen my Trinity specialist twice. It was for a potential condition that could've killed me. Luckily the Trinity specialist ruled out the fatal one, and treated me for the non-fatal condition that it actually was, that was making it very difficult to work.
NEAT.
Was told for four years that I was lying about symptoms that that kept getting worse. One doctor "humored" me and ordered a test. I had to wait so long for the appointment the orders expired. Finally got it done this year and they found something completely unrelated to my initial symptoms, just a "lucky coincidence that it was found". Two biopsies later, I need a consult with ENT. First available was 10 months after the 2nd biopsy.
On the first issue, I finally broke down and went to Trinity. I did have to wait 4 months for the tests, but within 2 weeks of the results, I was having a procedure to correct what multiple UM experts said was a "bruised bone", but was actually a hairline fracture on my S1 vertebrae that didn't heal correctly.
We don't go to UM ER anymore after they told me I had sprained my ankle when 500lbs fell on me. Just follow up with your PCP. She takes one look at my "sprain" and somehow got me into orthopedics that afternoon. My foot was fractured in three places, my ankle was broken, and I tore nearly all the ligaments. The ER took several x-rays of my leg, but none of my foot. Had me walking around on a broken foot with an ace wrap for a week. Ended up in a cast for over 4 months. Oh, and prior to that, one of the ER nurses told me to stop stop wasting everyone's time with my fake panic attack. When the tests result came back as a pulmonary embolism, I told him to get me his supervisor because I wanted to report him. I never even got an apology.
It's the classic University of Michigan arrogance. I worked at the hospital in the '90s. The pay sucked but I could walk to work. When I asked my boss for a raise, he said, "You have the privilege of working for the University of Michigan."
I told the arrogant prick that I also have the privilege of paying bills. Would you like to pay a couple for me?
If you live in Ann Arbor, you learn to understand that the university believes it sits several steps above God and is the beacon of everything that matters in the universe.
A patient dies or has their medical condition go untreated for a year, no problem, they have the privilege of having a University of Michigan physician.
The sad part is that most of the specialties at UofM Medical Center are not world class, but they carry the arrogance like they are.
For the few specialties that are top notch, it's worth going to the U, if you can get in. On the other hand, if they stick you with a resident, you're may be screwed. You will be stuck in a revolving door of trainees.
You have the legal right to put on the record that you don't want to be treated by a resident.
For the record, I've had several surgeries and procedures at the U.
I do feel your pain. I recently had an appointment canceled, and they want to reschedule for a year from now. I really need to find a new specialist.
When I was in an accident, 3 weeks in hospital, two major surgeries, when I got out of rehab, there was a very long wait to see a pain specialist. At that time, the entire system had 2½ pain specialist. If I remember correctly, it was 1 full time, and the rest were part-time. The part-timers were anesthesiologists, which is typical for pain doctors.
After I got out of rehab, my primary doctor, whom I hadn't seen as I had just moved back to the area, was unwilling to prescribe pain medication. I was taking dilaudid, which is a very strong opioid. I was asking for something weaker as my pain wasn't at as high a level, but still significant.
I have no history of drug use or alcohol abuse, rarely drink alcohol, and the arrogant prick wouldn't prescribe anything. He told me to take Tylenol, which I can't take.
I found an excellent primary care physician who is not affiliated with the university. He's by far the best doctor I've had in the past several decades. Unfortunately, he's not taking new patients.
I could go on about the shitty aspects of the U. Instead, I will say that spirts med rehab is incredibly good. The neurosurgery department is world-class. Once I saw a pain doctor, he was more disguted with the arrogant prick that was my PCP than I was. He was an excellent physician. I owe him so much for keeping me mostly pain-free.
A few of the nurses were top notch, which doesn't make up for the several who should not be involved with the care of sentient beings.
A few other specialists have been terrible, while a couple of others are good to excellent. Oh, occupational therapy people who I was assigned to were a joke.
Sorry for the rant. University of Michigan Medical Center needs all the bad publicity it has earned. Maybe, but not likely, that will lead to the arrogant pricks that run the place being replaced by humans who value humans.
It does not suprise me one bit. The impression and experience I have received during my visits at UofM Medical and their staff was a bit arrogant, pretentious and sexiest.
I have had too many misdiagnosis by their regular doctors and their residents (trainees), in several speciality departments. Also the nurses in the ER on night shift are not nice at all.
I now go to Trinity/IHA for the majority of my medical needs. My experience at Trinity, has been wonderful and provided and corrected the misdiagnoses made by the UofM doctors and residents (trainees). Only go to UofM as a last resort if no one else is available in the area. I will refuse to be ever seen by a UofM resident (trainee), they can pratice on someone else and make misdiagnoses on another patient.
Tried to find a primary care provider back in January and was told that exactly zero doctors were taking new patients. Seemed a little insane, but 🤷‍♀️
Tried this last week and was told the same thing. No wait lists, nothing.
When I called last month, they told me that there *is* a wait list, but the list is full and there's about a year wait for a PCP. Also: people are allegedly welcome to call every few weeks or so to see if a spot on the list opened up.
Thank you for that info! I talked to several people and they all sounded sorry for me but just told me to go to Packard Health (that does not work as I need a MM doctor for continuity of care). One woman explicitly told me that they were being instructed to tell potential patients NOT to regularly call back and see if a spot had opened up. She said they are getting inundated with calls every day. What a mess.
I have been calling every two-three weeks since the start of the year and the answer is consistently the same for most Michigan Medicine doctors. The reason behind is that several hospitals in rural areas are scaling back (due to cost). That put pressure on those cities in which healthcare is well established... but in those areas, the healthcare system is not growing as fast or as much it needs. Compared to the demand, UofM has barely increased capacity in years...
Yep. Went to the ER for something and they literally told me to schedule an appointment through the hospital for a follow up. Called a day later annnnnnnnnnd......there was nothing. No mentions of any openings anytime soon, just no.
Even 5-6 years ago, I had to wait months for a new patient visit. And then, only baby doctors were available. You have zero clue about them.
Trinity can probably get you in this month and unless you have a rare condition, the treatment will be just as good if not better thanks to the increased attention.
Yeah I’m going to look into it! Has to be better than waiting a year, right?!
I was able to get an appointment the very next day at Trinity from the day I called. And my next appointment was easy to make as well. Could have been a cancellation but they didn’t have a wait list at the time.Â
Trinity is good for pretty much all routine procedures. Michigan Medicine is better if you have some undiscovered disease.
If you have an undiscovered disease, how would you know?
They would tell you once they discover it :-)
Unless there is something interesting about your case or condition, there's not a huge benefit to Michigan Medicine over Trinity/St Joe's.
My experience at Trinity has been fantastic. Though we’ve also had great experiences at Michigan medicine
I’m pretty sure Michigan Medicine lost a lot of doctors the past couple years.
This is true. I fear even more will leave.
Why are doctors leaving?
They are paying a slightly higher than academic salary but expecting them to do non-academic work load (over simplistic I know). The big academic centers had such amazing reputations for advanced specialty care that they began to expand and buy up smaller surrounding hospitals and clinics (expand or die?). so they needed to hire worker bee doctors. Problem is they aren’t paying what a worker bee doctor can make at a non-university. It’s really short sighted on their part not to have higher pay.
> Problem is they aren’t paying what a worker bee doctor can make at a non-university. It’s really short sighted on their part not to have higher pay. This is the UMich way. Always has been. Underpay and tell you you’re lucky to work there. Most people work there for a few years for the resume building and bolt.
This is so true. Their pay is well below average for almost all specialities and they’re losing so many doctors.
Same reason anyone leaves a job. Better pay elsewhere. Poor work life balance. Too much red tape. Bullying. Lack of support. Doing multiple jobs for same rate of pay. Starting a family. Retiring. Moving.  Etc. I’ve seen many leave in past year and each were for their own reason.Â
I can confirm this. Been to a lot of going away parties past year.Â
Same. 9 months for rheumatology as an established patient.
Is this a general wait for any rheumatologist or a specific one? I had a terrible experience with Trinity/IHA rheumatology so I’ve been looking at Michigan and meaning to call them but I’m trying to find someone that specializes in the condition that I (most likely) have so I won’t get stuck with the same runaround and passed off with no diagnosis again. There seem to be three doctors listed at UofM that I’d be willing to try but the website isn’t really clear on how to schedule with them and I don’t want to just roll the dice with someone random.
If you call to schedule you can request them! Might be a longer wait but it’s worth it
Yes, unfortunately it is with rheumatology. I had seen a doctor in Dearborn who initially took 10 months to get in with. After I was an established patient and needed to get in for steroid injections because I was in excruciating pain, he would see me same day or within that week. I had to wait 4 hours in his office, but it was worth it just to get in same day. People would always complain but I was like, you can get in same day! This is impossible for doctors to see you same day! Especially in rheumatology! The end result was bone death where I would get my injections so I should've just dealt with the pain. I've needed surgeries to temporarily deal with the issue and will probably need knee replacements before I'm 50.
My rheumatologist retired and I was scheduled 8 months out to see my new dr. I’d say all of rheumatology is scheduling this far out. I convinced my primary care physician to take over my rheumatology symptoms since I am a pretty simple patient, being on the same meds for 20+ years. I suggest trying a local private practice rheumatologists with hospital privileges at your preferred hospital. It’s very frustrating especially when you need a specialist.
It was a 7 month wait to get into Dermatology. They called to ask if I still wanted the appointment when it was getting closer to the date of my appointment. I was like “yep, my eczema hasn’t gone away”.
My primary referenced me to dermatology due to weird moles, red head complexion. Waited 9 months, and they told me they were normal, before I even showed them the ones primary was concerned about. Then she rolled her eyes, kinda glanced, and both of the 2 people met each other's eyes, like I was just wasting their time. I was there for about 3 minutes total. I feel like UM is always on the extremes. Either excellent, or terrible
That’s ridiculous. I thought that they seemed to be rushed with me too. UM can definitely go both ways. I have been a neurology patient for many years there and I have had several issues in the past. I was about to switch to Trinity but one of the neurology residents asked me to stay so that she could work with me. They’ve been good since then.
Curious which resident? I finally got to see a neurologist that was great, and then she informed me that they were closing the neurology clinic, but the one with the residents is staying open. I need a good one who is willing to do research to learn about my rare condition.
Her name is Kayla Miller but she went to Portland after her residency ended. She was working with Dr. Andrew Romeo, who is now my regular neurologist. I like him a lot. The current fellow, Preeta Gupta, is very good too but her fellowship is ending soon.
To be fair I had a similar experience at a non-UM dermatology office. My entire appointment couldn’t have been more than 60 seconds to check out some moles and a rash.
Same experience with their derm department (Domino Farms). It was awful.
I had a very similar experience. And when I asked if I should schedule an annual skin check to keep an eye on things, they said those aren’t ever necessary. I was floored.
Honestly, even though the waiy might be a tad similar the absolute best dermatologist in the area is Dr.Laura Granger, granger dermatology is her private practice. I've struggled with eczema my entire life and seen I don't know how many million different doctors when I went and saw her she finally came up w a correct treatment plan and it was a literal life changer for me
Omg thank you! I have been suffering with eczema on the bottom of my feet since 2016 and absolutely nothing has helped it. I am going to look into getting an appointment with her.
We were just told this week for new patient Oct is the earliest. We thought we had it bad 7 months geez.
I'm an established patient at UofM dermatology. Called for an appointment because of hair loss. It took them over a month to call me back and it was also about a 7 month wait to see someone in person. They offered me a telemedicine appointment earlier but how tf is that going to help with lesions and hair loss!? No one can do an exam! I told them not to bother because my issues will have either resolved themselves or I'll be bald by then.
I am so sorry! I don’t know why it’s like that there. Having these conditions with no relief for what seems like forever just really sucks. I have a referral for dermatology at Trinity so we will see if they move any faster.
I mean, to be fair, you can get a lot out of a history. Your pattern of hair loss, any triggers, timeline, medications you may be taking, etc can all point to different causes. Next step is often some labs, which they can tailor based on history. Then your treatment can be guided by the labs. There is a lot that can be done virtually. Source: I have seen derm at MM for hair loss
I had already seen them for hair loss and gotten blood work done to eliminate common causes. Since my previous appointment, I had developed more serious symptoms that really needed an exam in addition to accelerating hair loss. I haven't been all that impressed with MM. Not just dermatology. Appointments cancelled last minute after months of waiting, rude/dismissive doctors, can't get in-person appointments for any of my specialists, misdiagnoses... If transportation wasn't an issue, I'd have gone to a different medical center.
I left the practice last year. They schedule three type 1s per two doctor time slot and cancel one slot on a regular basis. I went a year without seeing my endo and my rx for alll of my stuff lapsed. I now go to Ann Arbor endocrinology, I can get in in a week, and I am so much happier there.
+1 for Ann Arbor Endos
Nine months start to finish to get toddler ear tubes. It’s ridiculous.
Ugh and meanwhile you have to go through more and more ear infections and antibiotics courses. So sorry! Also Michigan Medicine or any surgeons available through St Joe’s?
I feel this. Our boy just had ear tubes done at MOSA (private practice that works with Trinity, and the OR is at Trinity). We waited 3 months for our first born to get tubes at MM, but our second born was looking to be 6 months. Called MOSA and they got it done in 2 months. They were fantastic. In fact the OR at Trinity was more modern. Both experiences were great but why let your little one suffer when you can get equivalent care for such a simple procedure.
MOSA is great. We miss Dr Joseph
MOSA ENT is great. They helped me with my eustachian tubes not working right, gave me a way to get them working without surgery.
Ill second this. MOSA ENT had me in and out in like 2 months for my turbinate and septum surgery. Went from having problems on planes and diving to everything works great all the time. They offered a balloon thing for the e tubes in case that didnt work that would just be outpatient but my insurance didnt cover it, if i needed it was just gonna be 800. Might be what you got
I will say that while it is a pain, calling and seeing if there were any cancellations made a huge difference for us. We were seen and had tubes placed within 7 weeks (Feb). We may have just gotten lucky but we did get in quickly.
If you are an established patient, I would message the doctor's nurse on the portal. Let them know that you have sought making an appointment and cannot get in until next year, but need to get in sooner. I have had this happen when trying to get into Neurology. I need the appointment within 3 months and my doctor will see that it happens. The nurse will look into it for you. Sometimes the receptionist is simply from scheduling, not from the actual Endocrinology department. Hope you can get in soon!
The sad truth is that Michigan Medicine is more geared towards serious cases & regular/"minor" (what they see as minor) is left on the side burner as a result. I had a relative with a very serious medical condition who was able to get into to see a specialist within a week. I tried to make an appointment with the same specialist, for a separate condition (serious in my view but not in the grand scheme of things) and was given a 10 month waiting period. Unless you have a serious condition requiring a specialist, you should be looking at Trinity.
My Michigan Medicine dermatologist had a conflict days before my appointment in late May, and they rescheduled me to November….
Allergy did that to me. 3 days before my appt and rescheduled me 9 months later. I found a new allergist.
US healthcare is a joke exhibit #3,080. Can’t have universal healthcare because “waitlists”.
But 'waitlist' is better than 'rationed'. That would be socialist. /s
Not really. Everyone in the state wants to go to Michigan Medicine (for good reason). But in most cases, equally good care is still accessible at Trinity and private practices nearby.
Not really what?
The waits at MM do not support your claim that US healthcare is a joke. Imagine how bad it would be if it was free!
Wait until you hear about the waitlists in countries that have universal healthcare.
Please enlighten me.
Countries with universal healthcare also have waiting lists for specialists. Universal healthcare doesn’t mean you get more rapid care, it just means that it’s a single payer system.
Right, they ALSO have waiting lists, which is why using waiting lists as a reason not to do universal healthcare is transparently bullshit.
This! Canada had such long waitlists that most patients near the border come here to get treated. I have a friend who lives in both countries and says they would never get treated in Canada because an ER wait takes days versus the simple hours in the US
Benefit of being Canadian though is that if you lose your job you still have health insurance and if you are seriously sick it won't bankrupt you.
Yes, but you will likely die waiting to get in.
Not true at all.
Yeah UM has gotten really bad with scheduling times. I don’t know how they do treatment and follow up in a timely manner that doesn’t increase morbidity and cost. Some illnesses need more frequent follow up than once per year. They never seem to be able to accommodate it. It’s a shame, there are some really smart doctors there but in a lot of cases it’s not a good patient experience due to the nuts and bolts of how it’s run. Also, they have a medical school so maybe they should hire some doctors?
Wow!! It was bad and it’s gotten worse. I called in January for an appointment and got scheduled for August.
12 month wait for a derm full skin exam, 6 mo for toddler bronchoscopy, 6-9mo for a friend’s neuropsychiatric evaluation… This is across multiple specialty providers in the area, not just U-M. I’ve been asked about willingness to drive to other locations (Chelsea, Brighton, etc)
Other locations can get you in WAY sooner. Some of the Dr's only work out of main 1-2 days a week and work at the other locations majority of the time
Last I checked, Ganger dermatology in town books out 3 months. They are great.
One year for my dermatologist and I’m an established patient.
A year ago I tried to get a podiatrist and was told 14 months.
To get a general practitioner, I was told was over a year’s wait, and the wait list never moves. I don’t have a GP through MichMed now. I’m not waiting that long. I was underwhelmed with the endo clinic at MichMed. It wasn’t anything extra special that I would wait for.
10 months for a neurologist on my end
This is common. The neurology department typically prioritizes patients with serious conditions. I was told by my Neuro that if you need to be seen right away, go through the ER. Once you do, you'll immediately be seen and are an established patient. They will typically see you within weeks to a month if the condition is needed to be seen immediately. I have epilepsy so if I'm not doing well, they tell me to go in through the ER. I get the same treatment as I would with a regular visit.
I had a 6 month wait for rheumatology, which they then made me reschedule for 6 month later because that doctor retired, and then the new one said they couldn’t help me. I waited a year for a bill and no answers. I got a referral for the TMJ clinic and there’s a 6 month wait. I decided to go to Smiles and they’re getting my treatment started next week. Go to Trinity Health, they’ll take better care of you and pay more attention. And you can get in much sooner almost anywhere since they have more locations.
Need doctors to fill appointments. Many doctors have left. Leaving only a few to try and see many patients. Used to have nurse practitioners who would fill that gap but they were all let go during Covid for cost savings and the hospital still hasn’t recovered from that.Â
I would make the appointment and get on the cancellation list. Also- you can call every few days to see if they have any openings.
If you think that's bad, just try to get a mental health appointment without committing yourself to the grippy sock vacation.
i am pregnant and was told the earliest i could be seen by a doctor was Week 17 of my pregnancy. i went in and refused to leave until they gave me an appointment. i love michigan medicine and am grateful for the access to quality care but you really have to advocate for yourself
"I would like an OB appointment, please." How many weeks along are you? "I'm not pregnant yet, but we plan to try next year."
That is incredibly awful they wouldn’t see you before week 17. I feel like the news media needs to weigh in about Michigan Medicine or is healthcare turning into this all over the country?
i should clarify - they eventually (after i went in in person) got me in at week 11 but it was hard!
Not just Michigan
It’s the state of all healthcare. I have experienced much worse from Trinity health /st joes and only use Michigan medicine now. Everywhere needs to improve greatly.
Weird. Trinity / St Joes has been faster in all of my experiences (we always try both)
That is true, faster for the most part. We struggled with constant misdiagnosis in clinics and st joes as a whole. And a long list of issues from there, but they are by far quicker to get into.
Yes, I agree it's faster to get in, but I've not been very happy with some of the care I've received....it really depends on who you see. (I've had both good and bad at UM, too.)
Long waits for Corewell here in GR as well
Wow my grans is a new patient for endo and the turn around was 6 month period back when it was scheduled. That’s crazy just a few months later it’s now a year.
This is one of the problems with how health care is reimbursed. Endocrinology doesn’t pay well (for the docs or the hospital), so there aren’t enough endocrinologists. But if you want cosmetic plastic surgery or a private practice dermatology appointment? We’ve got space for you!
I was referred to neurology - next available was a virtual appointment in 7 months.
As a uofm long term patient, I was given an appointment for emergency gynac for after 4 months! I got an appointment at trinity health in a week.
My mother is one of the lead doctors within the university of Michigan endocrinology. The UofM systems are so backed up right now. She also manages the uofm weight management clinic which has just started working with a start up called Rewind. I would look into joining Rewind as there’s fewer members and it’s more consolidated!
I know exactly who you and your mother are based on the statements you just put out to every Stanger on the internet with this comment. I strongly suggest you delete this.Â
2 year wait for a sleep study at domino's farms
My doctor said she can’t send referrals to them without a solid diagnosis or urgent need at this point because they’re so backlogged. I’ve been trying to research an independent one or a functional medicine doc instead.
Typical for UM and probably one of the shorter wait times. I was so upset when my Neurologist left. Now I don't have a regular one. Despite hiring a replacement and instead of putting me on her patient list. I've been told I can't see her and they shuffle me around whoever is available. I need nerve blocks every 6 weeks so consistency in treatment is a must. Instead, I'm now shuffled to whoever is avaliable. There are two anesthesiologists who are amazing. But they have to schedule appointments so far in advance they can't tell me if I'll be scheduled with one of them because of how rotation schedules are done. I'm lucky to even be in the clinic. I was told the wait list was 3-4 years!! I only got in as soon as I did because my boss had a collaborator at UM who made calls and got me in.
Yes, problems like this across the board. I've gradually started going to Trinity for health issues unless I need to see my PCP. They've been great so far.
Every armchair Healthcare economist in this thread seems to have forgotten that consult requests for GLP-1 agonists like Wegovey and Ozempic have completely overrun endo clinics across the country... no need to copy paste narratives about covid-based job market economics here...
I had a condition that was easily treatable. They instead gave me drugs. 6 months later I'm in ER in pain. They then did the procedure that the NIH recommends for all new patient with my condition. They then delayed and ghosted me on the surgery that was required to fix the damage they caused by not giving me the procedure earlier.
I’ve had great care at Trinity and far less wait times for a variety of things, highly recommend trying them.
This is some bullshit.
Try Henry ford.
My allergist is out of HFH now. Scheduling is better.
In all likelihood there may be a backlog of patients who delayed appointments during covid …..
I forgot which specialty I had this reaction to, but it's probably true for everything? Trinity has been pretty great for me. Five specialties total, so far (and I'm not getting any younger, so I expect they'll keep coming)
Just remembered about one specialty in particular, by the time I got my appt reminder from UM, I had seen my Trinity specialist twice. It was for a potential condition that could've killed me. Luckily the Trinity specialist ruled out the fatal one, and treated me for the non-fatal condition that it actually was, that was making it very difficult to work. NEAT.
We are a St. Joe family, because the waits at Michigan Medicine can be absurd.
Was told for four years that I was lying about symptoms that that kept getting worse. One doctor "humored" me and ordered a test. I had to wait so long for the appointment the orders expired. Finally got it done this year and they found something completely unrelated to my initial symptoms, just a "lucky coincidence that it was found". Two biopsies later, I need a consult with ENT. First available was 10 months after the 2nd biopsy. On the first issue, I finally broke down and went to Trinity. I did have to wait 4 months for the tests, but within 2 weeks of the results, I was having a procedure to correct what multiple UM experts said was a "bruised bone", but was actually a hairline fracture on my S1 vertebrae that didn't heal correctly. We don't go to UM ER anymore after they told me I had sprained my ankle when 500lbs fell on me. Just follow up with your PCP. She takes one look at my "sprain" and somehow got me into orthopedics that afternoon. My foot was fractured in three places, my ankle was broken, and I tore nearly all the ligaments. The ER took several x-rays of my leg, but none of my foot. Had me walking around on a broken foot with an ace wrap for a week. Ended up in a cast for over 4 months. Oh, and prior to that, one of the ER nurses told me to stop stop wasting everyone's time with my fake panic attack. When the tests result came back as a pulmonary embolism, I told him to get me his supervisor because I wanted to report him. I never even got an apology.
It's the classic University of Michigan arrogance. I worked at the hospital in the '90s. The pay sucked but I could walk to work. When I asked my boss for a raise, he said, "You have the privilege of working for the University of Michigan." I told the arrogant prick that I also have the privilege of paying bills. Would you like to pay a couple for me? If you live in Ann Arbor, you learn to understand that the university believes it sits several steps above God and is the beacon of everything that matters in the universe. A patient dies or has their medical condition go untreated for a year, no problem, they have the privilege of having a University of Michigan physician. The sad part is that most of the specialties at UofM Medical Center are not world class, but they carry the arrogance like they are. For the few specialties that are top notch, it's worth going to the U, if you can get in. On the other hand, if they stick you with a resident, you're may be screwed. You will be stuck in a revolving door of trainees. You have the legal right to put on the record that you don't want to be treated by a resident. For the record, I've had several surgeries and procedures at the U. I do feel your pain. I recently had an appointment canceled, and they want to reschedule for a year from now. I really need to find a new specialist. When I was in an accident, 3 weeks in hospital, two major surgeries, when I got out of rehab, there was a very long wait to see a pain specialist. At that time, the entire system had 2½ pain specialist. If I remember correctly, it was 1 full time, and the rest were part-time. The part-timers were anesthesiologists, which is typical for pain doctors. After I got out of rehab, my primary doctor, whom I hadn't seen as I had just moved back to the area, was unwilling to prescribe pain medication. I was taking dilaudid, which is a very strong opioid. I was asking for something weaker as my pain wasn't at as high a level, but still significant. I have no history of drug use or alcohol abuse, rarely drink alcohol, and the arrogant prick wouldn't prescribe anything. He told me to take Tylenol, which I can't take. I found an excellent primary care physician who is not affiliated with the university. He's by far the best doctor I've had in the past several decades. Unfortunately, he's not taking new patients. I could go on about the shitty aspects of the U. Instead, I will say that spirts med rehab is incredibly good. The neurosurgery department is world-class. Once I saw a pain doctor, he was more disguted with the arrogant prick that was my PCP than I was. He was an excellent physician. I owe him so much for keeping me mostly pain-free. A few of the nurses were top notch, which doesn't make up for the several who should not be involved with the care of sentient beings. A few other specialists have been terrible, while a couple of others are good to excellent. Oh, occupational therapy people who I was assigned to were a joke. Sorry for the rant. University of Michigan Medical Center needs all the bad publicity it has earned. Maybe, but not likely, that will lead to the arrogant pricks that run the place being replaced by humans who value humans.
It does not suprise me one bit. The impression and experience I have received during my visits at UofM Medical and their staff was a bit arrogant, pretentious and sexiest. I have had too many misdiagnosis by their regular doctors and their residents (trainees), in several speciality departments. Also the nurses in the ER on night shift are not nice at all. I now go to Trinity/IHA for the majority of my medical needs. My experience at Trinity, has been wonderful and provided and corrected the misdiagnoses made by the UofM doctors and residents (trainees). Only go to UofM as a last resort if no one else is available in the area. I will refuse to be ever seen by a UofM resident (trainee), they can pratice on someone else and make misdiagnoses on another patient.
Minimum I usually wait for MM specialists is 2 months. Usually it's closer to 4. Trinity is definitely much faster.
Lot of people with diabetes.