[ahlecat]

My appt. With gastro Dr 11/18. Received call they need to reschedule April 30… shands is a joke !!

[75090BAR]

Mayo in Jacksonville is not taking ANY new patients or even put them on a waiting list for all departments. I have been trying for a year to get in to see a neurologist.

[Jazzman]

Originally Posted by mrf0151

Sounds like you must be on one of those Medicare Dis-Advantage plans. Sorry to hear it is taking so long. Almost like living in Canada it would seem.

Has nothing to do with the type of plan you’re on.

[Robnlaura]

Originally Posted by ahlecat

My appt. With gastro Dr 11/18. Received call they need to reschedule April 30… shands is a joke !!

Shands is a joke?? Really ?? Because you fill your diapers and need a consult ?? I have only thanks for shands they saved my life. I was flown in spent 4 hours getting resuscitated by the neurologists so no they not a “joke” never mind the 2 months in a coma at shands. So your comment that they are a “joke” is the real joke..

[G.R.I.T.S.]

We waited more than 6 months many years ago. Not unusual. Once you're in, it's much easier to make regular appointments. The UF neurologist also recommended we keep our local doctor. Make the appointment. You won't regret it.

[Justputt]

I've been working in a hospital oncology department for most of the past 40 plus years. Things are far worse post-COVID than they have ever been before. Many people got COVID burnout and left the profession. Long appointment times are the result of insufficient staff, and I don't see that changing for a while. We (hospital) gross more than ever before but lose $2M/month largely because of the cost of travelers (contract nurse, etc.). It's not just physician availability, but the staff needed to support them that limits access. Ever walk into a restaurant, wait for a table, and when being seated see lots of empty tables? Same thing, too little staff to handle table vacancies. Rest assured that we ALWAYS take emergent cases as a priority, but non-emergent cases can take a while. No one is trying to do anything other than the best they can do under the circumstances. Be kind. Feel free to look towards other areas, states, etc. to get care if the worry you feel is too much.

[Marine1974]

Originally Posted by asianthree

Well if you were in the VA system that wait could be 8 months or longer in some states. Consider 7 months a bonus.

Private practice oncologist 3 month first available initial appointment, that was because we worked at the facility, and received perks with office. If just off the street, 6 month first available appointment.

If the VA can’t see you for over 30 days , my VA , James Lovell federal hospital, , will provide community care , you can see a private doctor or hospital of your choosing, in your community. and the VA will pay .

[FredJacobs]

The very best way to get an appointment at Shands is to have your doctor send a referral to a doctor at Shands. Almost instant reply.

[Joe C.]

United Healthcare in the Villages, for me, is the best. I never have had a problem seeing my doctor or his PA. When I needed a Urologist, one was booked for me within a week or two. When I needed a prostate biopsy, one was scheduled within a week. Same for a bladder biopsy. Finding a Radiologist or Oncologist? Done within days. Radiation therapy? Scheduled in less than a month. Getting a total knee replacement? Mine was done within 6 weeks. My routine appointments with any of the doctors never was more than a ten minute wait. I can't say enough good things about the healthcare either in Santa Barbara, Sharon Morse, or Brownwood Advanced Care. If anyone is having problems with their medical care, then maybe they should consider changing doctors or changing medical coverage.

[IndianaJones]

I worked in healthcare for over 40 years, including in Gainesville at UF. Neurology, in particular, is a specialty with severe physician shortages.
Plus, consider where you live. There are nearly (according to the last figures in 2022) 80,000+ people in TV. Considering that current Alzheimer's Foundation data says 10.9% of people over 65 have some degree of dementia (thus are probably seeing/going to see a neurologist), that means 8,720 people (just in this area, not including the surrounding areas served by Shands/UF) need appointments. Consider a solid exam takes an hour (initial visit, at the least) plus testing, etc. as a Neurologist you will most likely see 8-10 patients per day. Let's set it at the max - 10. That means to serve 8,720 people (with a 210-day working year - 4.5 days per week, 48 weeks - that's a "high figure" but we'll use it), you would need (8720/2100) 4 to 5 neurologists just to see these patients - that doesn't take into account tumor/cancer patients, Parkinson's, head injuries, nerve/spinal issues, headaches/migraines - and on and on.
It's a supply/demand situation, frankly, a 6-month wait in this area is not uncommon. Put yourself on the "call if someone cancels" list and keep the appointment. Good luck and I hope they give you a call, but understand UF Health Neurology is top shelf.

[Albany]

Well this might make people laugh or cry. Albany Medical Center, yes a big teaching hospital like Shands, called me in March of 2018 to offer my husband an appointment. He had been referred to neurology at Albany Med in December of 2017 by St. Peter's Hospital in Albany. I informed the neurology department at Albany Med that he had been dead for 3 months at that point. The very nice woman on the phone was very very sorry. Well, me too. I think there just aren't enough neurologists out there.

[Robnlaura]

The self entitled crying is the real joke every Nuero is booked these days.. and it’s going to get worse with open borders

[LG999]

6 months is a very long time and if you are in need of a neurologist its just too long. I hope you can get a sooner appointment at shands.
I moved to TV a month ago & wanted to get set up with a PCP. Every one that I inquired about was either several months out or not accepting new patients. My appointment is mid January — but I don’t have an urgent issue.

[Brynnie]

Originally Posted by 75090BAR

Mayo in Jacksonville is not taking ANY new patients or even put them on a waiting list for all departments. I have been trying for a year to get in to see a neurologist.

Same here. I had been trying for two years at Mayo. I finally gave up and flew to my native Ohio to the Cleveland Clinic. I had to wait a few months for an appointment, but I ended up with a great neurologist, who was recommended by my previous Cleveland Clinic neurologist, now retired.

[asianthree]

Originally Posted by Marine1974

If the VA can’t see you for over 30 days , my VA , James Lovell federal hospital, , will provide community care , you can see a private doctor or hospital of your choosing, in your community. and the VA will pay .

Community care is hit or miss as far as treatment. Not all facilities or private physicians will do community care, so not really your choosing.

Our personal physicians, or both of our hospitals that we both worked at, didn’t accept VA community care.
Both of us have over 45 years in OR, we can spot a community care office that is just out for the money.

Multiple time’s private office CC booked billed, Medicare instead of VA community care. When Medicare bounces back you get a $2,000 bill. Then Community care offices have to make multiple calls and letters to that office to tell them they can’t double dip Medicare instead of VA…Most importantly they can bill the patient.