I Need Some Advice - Wait Time For Colonoscopy

[Rootman 1,101]

I need some advice. I don't know if I'm imagining things or not. Sorry this is so long.

I've been having a weird problem leading back some time. I just went to the doctor (my PCP) and had stellar reports. Part of the follow up was to schedule a colonoscopy. The doctors office did the referral call and within a few days I got a call telling me to expect a packet in the mail with the schedule and other information in it I would need. Well I got it yesterday and my colonoscopy is scheduled for 1/4/2013 - 8 FREAKIN' MONTHS OUT! I could see a month or two, maybe even 3 - but 8 MONTHS OUT? When I called THE gastroenterologist's office asking about it the woman in charge of scheduling hemmed and hawed and never gave me an answer as to why so long a wait. I directly asked her if ALL patients are asked to wait 8 months and she would NOT answer me.

This is not the first referral I have had to wait and wait for either. I had kidney stones a few months back and my PCP recommend I go to a urologist to get to the bottom of this third stone attack. I waited and waited and a MONTH later the urologists office called and asked if I still wanted to see the doctor. I was told it would be a 1 to 2 month wait to get in. This seems a little absurd to me. Since the symptoms went away I just skipped it.

A while back I had a bit of cancer removed from my chest skin, it was squamous cell carcinoma. I asked to see an oncologist as this is the cancer that killed my Dad (albeit lung cancer). The referred doctor NEVER called back.

Is this just dumb luck?

We are in NW Arkansas, believe it or not an area of the country that is prosperous and has remained pretty well off in the recent economic downturn and is literally PACKED full of medical professionals. Two fairly large hospitals are within 10 miles of my house and others just 20 or so miles.

I mean, really, 8 months for a colonoscopy? Am I being "targeted"? I can't imagine why. I have great insurance and have always paid all my bills. It makes the 6 month wait some have had for the VSG like a walk in the park. This year I switched to a high deductible insurance with a medical savings plan. is that an issue? I DO have the money for the entire deductible all ready and we are already almost half way through our $4500 deductible..

My PCP DID have some legal problems with the largest medical group in the area, he ended up being sued and counter suing them and WON. Would they be low enough to put his patients at the BOTTOM of a "list" - or is it the TOP of a sh*t list?

Who can help me figure this out? The PCP's office just sort of brushed me off. I wonder if the doctor actually knows this is going on. Short of setting up another appointment to speak to him what else can I do?

Am I just impatient or do you all think something else is going on?

[JennJ.RN 10]

8 months is unacceptable. I would be talking to the doctor directly. (PCP) He may not know this is going on and needs to hear it from a patient. If that GI doc cannot get you in, someone else can... Good luck. Jenn

[CathyT59 2]

I would go directly to the source. Call your hospital's endoscopy center and ask if the wait time is really that long. Most hospitals have a response time that they have to try and make. ( I'm a CT tech and we are directed to get pt's in within one week and often within two days!) And, also schedules are made deliberately with some flex time so that there is space for emergencies. If the doctor that your PCP referred you to really is that busy, the staff at the endoscopy center should be able to recommend someone that is both good and easier to schedule with!

[cookies 56]

That seems like a very long time to me. My PCP is in a "Network of Care" at a local hospital, granted, but I still get appointments within a week or two, max.

Anything longer than six weeks or so would make my eyebrows go up. Eight months seems outrageous.