Have you ever felt so sick and under the weather that you couldn’t do anything? In some cases, staying focused or even getting out of bed can be a huge problem. The only thing you can think about is to take whatever over-the-counter medication you already have, or you can think of calling your doctor to book an appointment if the situation seems quite complex. Imagine the shock when you call and discover there are no appointments available.
Waking up feeling blue or sick is something nobody wishes to experience. However, the sad reality is that it happens sometimes. There is nothing we can do about it except call our doctor and book an appointment for a check-up or treatment. What happens when you call, and you discover that is no appointment available.
It can be frustrating and scary to call for medical help, only to discover that you cannot be seen by the doctor at the moment or as soon as possible. Although you have no control over the doctor’s appointment, there are alternatives to seeing your primary health care provider. Contact London GP Clinic if you need a same day doctor appointment. Meanwhile, below are four things you can do if you cannot get an appointment with your doctor.
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Be sure to express urgency when you call
When you make the call to a medical clinic or hospital to book an appointment, be sure to convey the urgency of the situation. Provide all the details of the situation and thoroughly explain why you need to see a doctor. Suppose your efforts are successful, and the staff is convinced that the situation requires emergency treatment. In that case, you may be able to get an appointment that day or the day after. You can take it a step further by detailing the gravity of the situation, including the history of the sickness and the symptoms you are experiencing, and then forward it to the doctor via email. When you call, you can inform them that you have already forwarded the email with all the details they need. You may be asked to come in sooner or later when it is viewed.
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Ask to be referred or go see another doctor
If you have contacted your doctor and they confirm that they cannot see you at the moment, ask them to refer you to another physician who might be open. You are more likely to be seen by a doctor if you are referred to them by another doctor. You will get an appointment much faster if your physician has an established relationship with the referred doctor. Suppose the doctor you are being referred to is a specialist. In that case, they will be better suited to handle your case if their area of specialisation is the area you are having issues in. You can rest assured that your physician will provide all the information required to the referred doctor or specialist and justify your appointment.
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Visit an urgent care clinic or a walk-in-clinic
Visiting an emergency clinic can be very expensive. It is even more expensive if you do not have a prior appointment because you would have to pay more than twice to see a physician. On the other hand, if you want to wait until your appointment, your condition may worsen.
To resolve the situation and prevent a case where you could get worse, visit an urgent care clinic or a walk-inclinic the next time you cannot get an appointment with your doctor or any other doctor. Urgent care clinics attend to medical situations midway between life-threatening situations and issues that cannot wait for a normal appointment. The services you get from urgent care clinics are less expensive than ER. However,you will still get the same kind of medical attention you would in an emergency situation.
If your doctor has a walk-inclinic, you can visit there, as they operate on a “first-come, first-serve basis”. This means that you can be attended to even if you do not have an appointment. You may only have to wait for a while so that the people before you can be attended to.
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See a telehealth provider
Telehealth providers are fast becoming very popular as alternatives to physical doctor appointments. When you contact a telehealth provider, you get access to certified and experienced physicians at any time. You schedule appointments with them virtually through calls or video chats from any location, whether your home or office. This is a very affordable option in terms of cost and time as you do not have to spend much money or waste a lot of time to be attended to by a physician.
Seeing a doctor is the most important thing you can do whenever you are sick. Sadly, your physician may not always be available to attend to you. You can still get adequate medical attention and treatment even without seeing your physician. Contact us at London GP Clinic if you want a private GP clinic in London.
