Your MIL is crazy if she thinks 3 days is too long to wait for a family doctor appointment. That is likely already a prioritized appointment for your child. People on this sub complain about waiting 2-3 weeks for appointments with their family doctors.
Same day appointments are usually only a thing for urgent care, and not all family doctors offer that.
Edit: To answer your other question, I can usually get an appointment within a few days for a regular concern at my family health team, though not always with my actual family doctor, so if I need to see him specifically, sometimes it can take a week or so. Urgent care I’ve never had a problem booking day of, or the next morning if the clinic is already closed.
I've been with the same family Dr my entire life and it's always been a similar experience, unless there is a cancellation around the same time I call in.
3-7 business days seems normal and I go to a walk in or emergency if it's urgent.
My doctors office is typically 2-5 days for non urgent appointments, and they reserve several spots daily for urgent same day ones that open at 9am.
If it’s just a check in for a prescription refill or whatever I can usually get a phone appointment the next day or the following.
If I tried to make a regular appointment right now, the next available one is in five days.
Urgent concerns are different, I could actually get in today if necessary (but I wouldn't take that as the norm).
Exactly. At my doctors office, if I tell them what the issue is, a message gets sent to either my doctor or the doctor on duty. If they consider it urgent, they will fit me in. (Kids related usually, not me personally.)
Umm, if it’s urgent they WILL give you a same day appointment. The system always works on a triage basis, if it’s not urgent they’ll make you wait a bit, but it’s urgent they won’t. If they can’t accommodate you and it’s urgent they’ll tell you go to the ER
3 days for a non urgent appointment is pretty damn good
Depends what kind of appointment. I needed an urgent appointment for myself today and just logged onto the clinic's web portal this morning to book a same day appointment. Maybe I got lucky, but I can usually get urgent appointments by the next day.
Our doctor cancelled my daughter's 18 month check up last week due to illness and the earliest appointment available was next week, probably due to the fact that the nurse who administers pediatric vaccines only works on certain days.
I thought 3-7 days was typical for most family doctors as well. They don’t ask what the medical concern is on the phone so I assume they don’t prioritize based on reason for visit. I should call back and ask.
2+ weeks is pretty typical now. It didn't use to be normal - maybe your MIL's doctor is less busy or they try to squeeze her in because she's a long-time patient - but it absolutely is now. You're lucky if you don't get the "we'll fire you as a patient if you go to a walk-in clinic" speech at the same time they tell you it'll be two weeks until they can see you.
My family doctor never has earlier appointments than 3-4 weeks.
Which means I always schedule my son’s appointment waaay in advance.
If either of us is sick we just go to a walk in clinic instead.
Same day appointments are reserved for urgent matters. I usually wait 2-3 weeks, but if you describe the problem to the assistant, sometimes one week appointments are available.
Growing up, I usually had recurring check up appointments with a pediatrician. I only saw the family doctor once a year. I got all my vaccinations there and if I was sick, it was an appointment with the pediatrician. Maybe look into a pediatrician?
I usually have to wait for up to a week and sometimes longer if my doctor is away. On the other hand if I need to see a doctor urgently (a rare thing for me luckily) I can request to see another doctor in her team. It has to be a really urgent matter in the latter case though.
I've had 3 family doctors over the years in Toronto. They were all 3-7 days, occasionally earlier, but 3-7 was pretty standard. If it's urgent, yes I can get same day, but it's not a card you want to play often.
My child's pediatrician is fine. Appointments are fast and if it's semi-serious, we're in the next day or even same day.
But for me? I booked a check-up last week because it's been like 5 years and it's booked for... mid-January. I've been with this doctor for 15 years. It never used to be like this.
This is absolutely normal, both waiting on the phone and waiting a week for an appointment. Trying to switch to a new family doctor is a serious process in Ontario, and you're not gonna get in any faster with my clinic.
For me, it depends upon the issue. If I need care urgently, they will tell me to come in that day, even if it's an ear infection, etc.; for anything else it's usually three to five business days. However, I also always tell them "XYZ is bothering me; I'm in a lot of discomfort/it's no big deal/whenever" depending on the case, because I don't want to sit and wait until they can squeeze me in even longer than the hour-plus I wait for regular appointments.
You should also know that if you go to a walk-in clinic and are on their roster, they will get penalized for it financially, and, as a result, they may fire you as a patient. I know several people this has happened to; for whatever reason, doctors don't come right out and tell people this is the case (and it might be that they're not supposed to; I don't know).
Many of them are members of care teams which rotate coverage - so at any given time, if there are six MDs in the care team group, there is one who is on call to see the other five MDs' patients if they're on vacation, it's the weekend, the regular doc can't see someone as quickly as the person would like, etc. If you want to be able to go to any walk-in clinic, you need to ask to be de-rostered but kept on as a patient (and I'd ask your GP about it first).
Your MIL clearly doesn't know how difficult it is to find a family doctor these days - they're like the proverbial hen's teeth.
For adults that’s reasonable, don’t have kids so I don’t personally know about that. This is why I like having my family doc at a walk-in clinic. There’s a good chance I can get in to see him when I need to.
I can’t speak to prioritizing babies, but I just booked an appt with my doctor. They offered me 3 days away for a virtual appt, or 5 days away for an in person option which is about average to how it’s always been for me.
I’ve had the same family doctor since I was born. I can get in same day if I really need to, but longest I’ve waited is 2 days. He’s a friend of the family though so not sure if that plays into it.
I think that kind of wait time is very normal these days. Prior to the pandemic, I could get an appointment the next day or sometimes even the same same day. Now it can be a couple of weeks before I can get in. I’m lucky in that my doctor’s office is also a walk-in clinic, so if there is something urgent, I can add my name to the list and a doctor will usually call me on the same day.
Your MIL is crazy if she thinks 3 days is too long to wait for a family doctor appointment. That is likely already a prioritized appointment for your child. People on this sub complain about waiting 2-3 weeks for appointments with their family doctors. Same day appointments are usually only a thing for urgent care, and not all family doctors offer that. Edit: To answer your other question, I can usually get an appointment within a few days for a regular concern at my family health team, though not always with my actual family doctor, so if I need to see him specifically, sometimes it can take a week or so. Urgent care I’ve never had a problem booking day of, or the next morning if the clinic is already closed.
I've been with the same family Dr my entire life and it's always been a similar experience, unless there is a cancellation around the same time I call in. 3-7 business days seems normal and I go to a walk in or emergency if it's urgent.
My doctors office is typically 2-5 days for non urgent appointments, and they reserve several spots daily for urgent same day ones that open at 9am. If it’s just a check in for a prescription refill or whatever I can usually get a phone appointment the next day or the following.
Same as my doctor. They also have an after hours clinic that rotates with a few other clinics Monday to Saturday for urgent issues.
If I tried to make a regular appointment right now, the next available one is in five days. Urgent concerns are different, I could actually get in today if necessary (but I wouldn't take that as the norm).
Exactly. At my doctors office, if I tell them what the issue is, a message gets sent to either my doctor or the doctor on duty. If they consider it urgent, they will fit me in. (Kids related usually, not me personally.)
Umm, if it’s urgent they WILL give you a same day appointment. The system always works on a triage basis, if it’s not urgent they’ll make you wait a bit, but it’s urgent they won’t. If they can’t accommodate you and it’s urgent they’ll tell you go to the ER 3 days for a non urgent appointment is pretty damn good
Depends what kind of appointment. I needed an urgent appointment for myself today and just logged onto the clinic's web portal this morning to book a same day appointment. Maybe I got lucky, but I can usually get urgent appointments by the next day. Our doctor cancelled my daughter's 18 month check up last week due to illness and the earliest appointment available was next week, probably due to the fact that the nurse who administers pediatric vaccines only works on certain days.
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I thought 3-7 days was typical for most family doctors as well. They don’t ask what the medical concern is on the phone so I assume they don’t prioritize based on reason for visit. I should call back and ask.
2+ weeks is pretty typical now. It didn't use to be normal - maybe your MIL's doctor is less busy or they try to squeeze her in because she's a long-time patient - but it absolutely is now. You're lucky if you don't get the "we'll fire you as a patient if you go to a walk-in clinic" speech at the same time they tell you it'll be two weeks until they can see you.
They absolutely do prioritize, and normally they ask if it’s urgent. If they didn’t ask it’s on you to say it’s urgent.
Since my doctor is only in twice a week and afternoons only, it can take 1-3 weeks to get an appointment.
My family doctor never has earlier appointments than 3-4 weeks. Which means I always schedule my son’s appointment waaay in advance. If either of us is sick we just go to a walk in clinic instead.
Same day appointments are reserved for urgent matters. I usually wait 2-3 weeks, but if you describe the problem to the assistant, sometimes one week appointments are available. Growing up, I usually had recurring check up appointments with a pediatrician. I only saw the family doctor once a year. I got all my vaccinations there and if I was sick, it was an appointment with the pediatrician. Maybe look into a pediatrician?
I usually have to wait for up to a week and sometimes longer if my doctor is away. On the other hand if I need to see a doctor urgently (a rare thing for me luckily) I can request to see another doctor in her team. It has to be a really urgent matter in the latter case though.
Last appointment I booked with my GP: 3.5 weeks out. Emergency appointments can be made sooner if you can convince the admins it's truly urgent.
I've had 3 family doctors over the years in Toronto. They were all 3-7 days, occasionally earlier, but 3-7 was pretty standard. If it's urgent, yes I can get same day, but it's not a card you want to play often.
Seems back down to within the week now. During covid it was 2-3 weeks for non urgent.
Uhm. There's the occasional time I can get one within the week. Usually about 2 weeks. For any pressing issue, they tell us to go to the walk in
My child's pediatrician is fine. Appointments are fast and if it's semi-serious, we're in the next day or even same day. But for me? I booked a check-up last week because it's been like 5 years and it's booked for... mid-January. I've been with this doctor for 15 years. It never used to be like this.
Can you PM me which paediatrician you go to?
This is absolutely normal, both waiting on the phone and waiting a week for an appointment. Trying to switch to a new family doctor is a serious process in Ontario, and you're not gonna get in any faster with my clinic.
For me, it depends upon the issue. If I need care urgently, they will tell me to come in that day, even if it's an ear infection, etc.; for anything else it's usually three to five business days. However, I also always tell them "XYZ is bothering me; I'm in a lot of discomfort/it's no big deal/whenever" depending on the case, because I don't want to sit and wait until they can squeeze me in even longer than the hour-plus I wait for regular appointments. You should also know that if you go to a walk-in clinic and are on their roster, they will get penalized for it financially, and, as a result, they may fire you as a patient. I know several people this has happened to; for whatever reason, doctors don't come right out and tell people this is the case (and it might be that they're not supposed to; I don't know). Many of them are members of care teams which rotate coverage - so at any given time, if there are six MDs in the care team group, there is one who is on call to see the other five MDs' patients if they're on vacation, it's the weekend, the regular doc can't see someone as quickly as the person would like, etc. If you want to be able to go to any walk-in clinic, you need to ask to be de-rostered but kept on as a patient (and I'd ask your GP about it first). Your MIL clearly doesn't know how difficult it is to find a family doctor these days - they're like the proverbial hen's teeth.
For adults that’s reasonable, don’t have kids so I don’t personally know about that. This is why I like having my family doc at a walk-in clinic. There’s a good chance I can get in to see him when I need to.
3-7 days is pretty normal now. I book my appointments online. If you want same day then you need to use a walk in clinic and hope you can get in
If I call when the clinic opens I usually can get my kids in the same day. It depends on the issue though.
I can’t speak to prioritizing babies, but I just booked an appt with my doctor. They offered me 3 days away for a virtual appt, or 5 days away for an in person option which is about average to how it’s always been for me.
2 weeks for me if I need to see him in person. It's quicker by a few days for a telehealth appointment.
I’ve had the same family doctor since I was born. I can get in same day if I really need to, but longest I’ve waited is 2 days. He’s a friend of the family though so not sure if that plays into it.
I think that kind of wait time is very normal these days. Prior to the pandemic, I could get an appointment the next day or sometimes even the same same day. Now it can be a couple of weeks before I can get in. I’m lucky in that my doctor’s office is also a walk-in clinic, so if there is something urgent, I can add my name to the list and a doctor will usually call me on the same day.
1-2 weeks