I’m a doctor, and I have also struggled to get an appointment

I was recently trying to make an appointment for a pressing medical need and could not find a time that worked.

The only openings were on Friday mornings, which conflicted with my work. Ultimately, I decided I had to take a day off if I wanted to get an appointment. I was grateful my schedule was slower that day and I was able to miss work without getting behind or letting down one of my own patients. But I was deeply frustrated.

I wanted to tell the scheduling office how busy my schedule as a resident is, and that there should be more flexible options for people like me.

Suddenly, I was on the other side of a conversation I’ve had many times with patients.

For many years as a provider I have said to patients that getting the surgery they need should be their first priority. I approached the conversation as if medical decision-making should be based exclusively on clinical factors. I’d been taught that considering other variables, such as time and cost, clouded the decision-making process.

My patients have often expressed hesitation about a surgery because it conflicted with their work or family’s needs. And I firmly told them that their health — and scheduling their needed procedure — was more important.

“I’m sorry, we can only offer this date,” I’ve said to countless patients, “and you really shouldn’t wait any longer.”

After my own scheduling conflict, I realize now that patient decision-making doesn’t happen in a vacuum. For years, I’ve asked patients to put their care above all else, but when it came time for me to do so, I understood how challenging that can be.

Now I feel differently about the nonclinical factors, like time and money. Instead of dismissing them outright as being unimportant, I will recognize and consider these factors, which I hope will lead to a less stressful experience for our patients.

And while the time slots may still be few and narrow, I hope I’ll be the kind of provider who can spend the extra time to at least acknowledge patients’ circumstances and to at least see if there’s anything we can do to lessen the burden.