I changed insurance providers and it required me to choose a PCP. This was new to me, but sometimes…read moreyou have to do things you'd rather not and insurance coverage is still good so this change was a necessary evil. I looked through the list and found this place that was a mere 5 minute drive from where I live - plus, Dr. Do had pretty good reviews! We have a winner!
I made an appointment for 10:30 am on Friday for my annual physical check up and arrived about 20 minutes ahead of the appointed time. I thought I would be finished and home by 11:30 so I had the entire day planned with that in mind, since I had a flight out of Houston that evening. The parking lot was pretty full and though the entire strip was located on a small road, the spots in front of the clinic side of the strip were full so I parked further down. Once in, over half of the seats in the waiting area were full. I know that the place had several doctors, so I didn't think too much of it.
You go straight to the receptionist(s) at the counter. They don't really look at you until you say something. I'm hoping it's because they were busy and were not rude in general. However, once you have their attention, they're fairly nice in an all-business manner. It's their job to make sure you fill out all the forms.
I filled out the forms and then returned them. It was close to my appointment time now. More people came in and I ended up sitting next to a nice Hispanic guy and we spoke for a while. I wasn't called in until 40 minutes after my appointment. Turns out my physical also included a female wellness check up. Fun stuff, but why not? Plus, it was all covered by my insurance. Might as well see what my body has been up to.
The nurse that brought me in was really nice. When I told her that my appointment was actually at 10:30 when she said they weren't too far behind (when she came to get me, another patient on the waiting floor asked her how much longer she had to wait), she said that it wasn't too bad since it didn't hit the 1 hour mark. I found that wait time ridiculous. Even if there were delays, there are no excuses for that kind of delay (more than 15 minutes) unless you double booked. Apparently, they get really busy and the day before, they had a total of 30 patients just in the morning and they're off for an hour and a half for lunch.
She asked me the usual questions and I felt pretty comfortable, despite the amount of time I spent waiting. I was then brought to a different room (turns out their other rooms were full so in order to not delay too much, they brought me in anyway) before my vital signs were taken. I blame my slightly higher than normal BP reading on that walk, haha. Then I was brought to an examination room for the actual consultation and procedures with Dr. Do. Dr. Do was really nice, asking things pertaining to my health but also about myself in general. I'm sure she was busy but I didn't feel rushed much. She also has an English accent. Finally, I was lead to a final room for the blood drawing and then given directions for the urine sample.
The entire process was thoroughly explained and I was told the lab results would be ready in 3 days and could be accessed online. I would also be contacted by phone. I then "checked out" and that was that. I was starving by the time I got home by around 12:10 since I had a hunch that I would need my blood drawn, and they recommend you not eat.
Overall, once inside, the experience was good. Outside, the wait is unreasonable and the receptionists could be a little more helpful. I feel like they're used to more regulars so some of the things aren't explained too much. Plus, I'm not sure if they know much about what the procedures include because I had called before the appointment to see if I needed to fast before the appointment. The person I spoke to wasn't sure but said that I should, "just in case." I thought about how wonderful it would be if I fasted for no reason. Good thing a couple of my friends had their check ups recently and they told me not to eat beforehand.
One important thing since it seems like you're bound to wait: if you're on a time crunch, schedule your appointment as the first one of the morning or the afternoon so you're the first one in. Otherwise, bring entertainment or sit next to someone talkative.
I don't mind my new PCP and location, but the wait time can definitely be shortened and the receptionists can be a little more knowledgeable. Or at least acknowledge you when you peer into their cube instead of stare at you before you tell them what you're there for.