Achieving timely access to your team of healthcare professionals should never feel like pulling teeth. However, for some, access remains the biggest barrier to effective health management. Want to ask a quick question? Good luck waiting long enough to find an opening. Need a follow-up appointment? Hope the team isn’t backed up by patients needing immediate care. Need results before making other decisions? Well, you might as well wait longer for someone to read them through to you.
Fortunately, by knowing how medical practices function and utilizing a few tips, the gap between requesting help and receiving it can become substantially reduced.
Know When It’s Best to Call
Medical practices follow cyclical patterns, and calling at the right time can save you a lot of frustration when the hold time gets too long to manage.
Early morning and mid-afternoon (right when they open from lunch) are typically slower. Avoid calling first thing on Mondays as everyone has a full weekend’s worth of requests, and don’t call just after lunch as everyone else might be trying to connect at the same time.
These times are acceptable for everyday inquiries (i.e., refills, rescheduling follow-ups, etc.) At the same time, if your need is urgent, call first thing in the morning so that someone can get back to you sooner rather than later.
Inquire About All Access Options
Many practices host an array of additional ways to connect with someone outside of typical operating hours from standard business calls.
Some have nurse advice lines; others have secure patient portal messaging systems that a remote medical assistant solution employs to maintain availability on weeknights or weekends. Some practices have on-call solutions for urgent issues rendered after hours.
Ask your practice if they have any additional options before needing one. That way, when it’s Wednesday night at 7 PM and you’re unsure whether you need a visit, you’ll know whether you’ll get anyone on the line (or just a call back at 7 AM on Thursday with someone who might be able to help.) These extended points of access generally have less wait time associated because they spread patient needs over more hours instead of the standard 9-5 rush.
Differentiate Between What’s An Appointment/What Isn’t
Sometimes you might benefit from an immediate answer that doesn’t require an appointment. Other times, you’ll be wasting valuable time by not asking for an appointment sooner.
Many practices offer phone consultations or portal messaging for quick inquiries into medications, minor symptoms that may not be trivial or specific enough for a visit, or questions regarding test results. They may be quicker than an anticipated slot for booking.
Consider sending an email/message first to see if your issue could be answered outside of an appointment. When in doubt, ask the front desk. The staff may be able to discern what would be more appropriate.
However, don’t hesitate to push for an appointment if you feel one is necessary regardless of someone’s input; only you know your body best.
Leverage Patient Portals
Most medical practices utilize patient portals wherein various inquiries can be made without any holds or cross-communication through phone calls.
These portals are best for non-urgent questions and administrative needs as they give staff and your care team ample time during typical working hours (24-48 hours for most responses) to assess and answer your question properly.
When utilizing a patient portal, be as specific as possible rather than general. The clearer you are about your inquiry, the clearer – and faster – response you’ll get. For example, instead of stating that you “have a question about your blood pressure medication,” say “I’m experiencing dizziness since starting the new blood pressure medication – should I continue taking it?” This facilitates informed decision-making as responses are often more medically beneficial if they’re precise.
Know The Front Desk Staff
Those answering phones and attending to the schedule have more power over your access than you’d think.
Therefore, always be nice and respectful. Front desk staff remembers patients who are pleasant people to work with, and they sometimes have slight discretion with how their schedules go. If you’re trying to get squeezed in because something else came up, that rapport will go a long way.
Get to know their names. A simple “Hi Sarah, it’s [your name]” makes the connection stronger; otherwise, you’re just another voice on the line.
Be Transparent About Urgency
While medical offices do triage by assessing urgency on their ends, they’re only working on the information given.
If you have something urgent – severe bleeding, chest pain, sudden worrying symptoms – let them know ASAP. Resist politeness when it comes to genuinely concerning symptoms.
For non-urgent matters, being honest about your timelines helps; for example, saying “I’d like to get this in by Tuesday” is better than a vague “sooner than later” request.
Be Prepared Prior to The Call
Less is not more when it comes to these inquiries; having all the needed information at hand makes everything easier – and shorter, which is helpful for everyone involved.
Before calling:
- Have your insurance card handy
- Know what pharmacy you use
- Write down symptoms or messages you need to convey;
- If you’re calling about results, know what tests were ordered/when they were taken
If you can provide the person who’s helping you with information immediately as opposed to putting them on hold 100 times since they’re trying to look things up without any background info, this meets everyone in the middle most effectively.
Understand Refill Expectations
One of the biggest reasons refill requests go unanswered is that patients wait until they’re out of their medications before seeking more.
Most practices need 24-48 hours for refills – especially if they need a review of your chart first – but this applies when there’s enough in someone’s supply that a week or so’s notice is given when someone’s down to their last pill (or even their last one).
If you are on routine prescriptions, inquire about 90-day scrips instead; this avoids how long it takes to get one sooner rather than later and saves time for future renewals.
Know When To Push For Answers
Sometimes access requires some tenacity and no is not enough.
If someone tells you that the next available appointment is three months away but something you’re experiencing is dramatically affecting your quality of life day-to-day basis, explain this relative concern. Ask if they have a cancellation list or if another provider can squeeze you in sooner.
The same goes for results that haven’t been communicated; unless your provider warned you no news would mean no news. Don’t assume that they haven’t gotten back to you simply because they’re too busy; things fall through the cracks often enough with how busy practices are.
Think Beyond Your Doctor
Not every situation needs your physician’s immediate attention; consider all team members involved in your care.
Nurse practitioners and physician assistants often have more availability for same-day concerns relating to anything routine and task-based versus specific appointments where your doctor should be involved.
Ask your practice who else can see you for what matters – many people don’t realize how capable their care teams are.
The Long Game For Easier Access
Setting yourself up as an engaged patient who knows what’s going on improves your access over time.
When the practice sees that you’ve kept a scheduled appointment (or canceled with reasonable time), followed up on your recommendation for testing which led you to this new point of contact, they’ll be quicker to accommodate when something urgent comes up.
Additionally, preventative care and routine exams should always be booked sooner rather than later so that at least you’ve established some rapport with your provider instead of waiting until something’s wrong. This also makes immediate access easier when you’ve proven you’ve established care – recently with another provider elsewhere or with someone in-house.
What Actually Helps
Access relies on understanding how these systems function within a practice and who needs what at what times while being respectful to each party – including yourself.
It’s not about playing the system; it’s about finding the most valuable leverage inside how people’s systems work every day naturally. Those who secure the best access aren’t typically those who yell or demand – they’re the ones who’ve invested time in learning how things work and maintained positive relationships over time with their teams.
