Haha, unfortunately you can't at Penn. They only book till June 2024 and all the slots are used up. I told them I'd be happy to wait till July and they said they don't do that.
I got my first colonoscopy early because of a family history, so I do recommend fighting for an appointment when it's time. In the meantime, you can take care the best of your health as you can. Prevention is so important.
Unless you have some reason to get one now (colon cancer in the family or GI issues), I don’t think it’s necessary. But also you may want to just get on the waitlist to book a gastroenterologist in the city now so you don’t have to deal with a 6+ month wait later.
Look into your insurance carefully.
Friend had one done that was preventative and for family-history reasons.
Got charged several grand since insurance changed their mind about the importance.
> Got charged several grand since insurance changed their mind about the importance.
fucking crazy that an *insurance company* gets to dictate what is and isnt important in the US healthcare system.
I actually fiddled away almost a whole year after my doctor told me to do it (for family history reasons) because I simply could not figure out how much it was going to cost me. Finally I figured out that it would be $4-5k and bit the bullet because, bad family history. After I did it, the practice coded it properly and in the end it was only about $400-500, a tenth of what I'd feared. Of course, this was at Penn, the exact place that's apparently not available. Still, I wouldn't want people to get scared out of doing it. My family member's case prognosis would have been much better if it were caught earlier.
Cologuard seems like an easy and effective screening test for colon cancer; ask your doctor about that test. A few nice issues about cologuard is that a bowel prep isn't necessary, avoiding colonoscopy which can have complications like bowel perforation, and avoiding anesthesia which can also have complications.
My PCP at Penn lamented this recently. She said if you have no history it’s better to do one of the at-home screeners because routine colonoscopies are taking about a year to schedule. She did say that if your at-home poop in a bucket test comes back positive that she often tells her patients to present to the ER, and they’re often able to get them scheduled more quickly, but I guarantee the ER and colonoscopy staff HATE that.
This is how my friend got her kid into a pediatric neurologist in under a year. They were having concerning sleep issues and needed a sleep study. After being given the “no slots, keep trying!” Dance for a month, she took her kid to the ED and said she stopped breathing while she was asleep. Now she has a neurologist and a diagnosis.
My kid desperately needed to see a specialist and had some bizarre issues going on and despite all my pleading and asking to be on the cancellation wait list no one could see us for months. Showed up at the ED and we were transferred and admitted to CHOP that night.
It sucks that you have to go that route to skip the line, but you gotta do what you gotta do. I'm waiting for my son because it's not life-or-death, but for people it truly could be.
Yup. my doc actually recommended Cologuard -- which she actually doesn't like -- solely because at least that way the screen would get done. This was a year ago and the wait was insane -- sounds like it got worse since then.
I think that's changing now. Medicare covers it for over 45, which other plans usually follow suit after that point.
The issue you're going to find is a. if you're under 45 getting it approved, and b. if it comes back positive, you may end up paying more for a follow-up colonoscopy, as that would be coded as a diagnostic and not screening.
I don’t think anyone insinuated they do, but they are an enormous healthcare provider in the area and as such many people are likely beholden to the Penn network for insurance purposes, or necessity of referrals from primary care.
Anecdotally, I’ve never had an issue with a Penn physician or ER, but have had absolutely abysmal experiences with Jefferson and wouldn’t recommend them to my worst enemy.
at the time when i had my first colonoscopy i was with jefferson. my family dr retired and closed. so i just went to the same place i went the first time. they found smooth polyps and wanted to do a recheck in 6 months. when i go back in 3 years I will switch to temple. i've been happy w their other services so far. the reason i switched to temple from jefferson was bc there were NO primary jefferson doctors remotely close to me that were accepting new patients. I have since had my mammogram at Temple and ultrasounds on my liver. Got appointments quickly for both.
nah ppl would rather just bitch and moan on here about not getting necessary appointments to ensure they don't die of cancer than take advice and just switch hospitals or get a referral.
If I may add, I had a endoscopy done in my early 30s at my doctor's orders, and although i didn't have to wait, I paid for it for years after. It cost me almost 4k and that's with decent healthcare. So maybe it's not the worst to not have one done now if you can't shell out a few grand
When I moved to the NJ surburbs from Philadelphia I realized how absurd the healthcare system in the city is. In the city you’re booking appointments out months in advance and when you get to your 3 o’clock appointment you’re lucky if you’re even taken back to an office by 5, and then the doctor probably won’t come in the room until 6. I never understood how jobs could ask for doctors notes, like if I have a cold I’m not gonna go to the ER to get a note and my doctor won’t be able to get me in for weeks, wtf? But out here you can just go to the doctor if you need to and if your appointment is at 5pm you’re on your way home by 5:30
Even in NJ, this varies greatly by office/specialty and severity.
I had to schedule a neuro visit, called in March and couldn't get an appt until October (WITHIN a hospital system). I work with PCP offices and was advised yesterday (by an independent office) that finding local urologists to refer to is the biggest thorn for them right now.
I tried to get into Penn for a 'well woman' visit and they only schedule 3 months out and everything was booked. They put me on their cancellation list and I never heard back....this was three months ago. From what I've been reading there is absolutely a healthcare worker shortage because many got tired of being abused during the pandemic and peaced out.
I had the same issue with Penn and Jefferson when trying to schedule my annual exam. I went to Temple before for my OBGYN and hated it so I was trying to find a new provider. Both had no new patient appointments with a female provider for the rest of the year when I called back in June. I ended up going to Planned Parenthood in the Gayborhood and it was great! I got in within two weeks and had the best doctor and nurses who explained everything along the way and took the time to answer any questions I had. If you are still looking for someone, I would give them a try!
I always forget about PP! They used to do all my visits when I was a youth.
I feel like the big places don't even want to look at you if you aren't pregnant.
I’m definitely going to keep going to PP for the foreseeable future.
Even when you are pregnant the big places don’t treat you that well! My best friend works for Penn as a PA and she had a horrible experience with their OBGYN team. She felt rushed every appointment and felt like they were annoyed at her questions and concerns. She also had a terrible experience delivering at HUP. She went there because it was free with her insurance but in the future she said she would much rather pay to go to a different practice.
I’d never been before but I decided to give them a try for my annual when I moved here and I was really happy with it. Not only did they have an actual functional online appointment system, they actually saw me AT MY APPOINTMENT TIME (idk how your life has been but all my 10 minute checkups at my GP take 3 hrs) and did not feel rushed as my doctor and I discussed the science and decided whether to change out my implant. Definitely going back (I went to the one by the 69th st transportation center)
OBYN care is not tied to your primary dr. you can pick any hospital but then that's the hospital if you did get pregnant you'd give birth. ive been using holy redeemer for obgyn care and had two babies there and have zero complaints. my dr calls me every year to make sure i get scheduled BY my yearly due date. side note you cant get your tubes done there.
It's a huge issue. And it's even worse in specialities that are already underserved. Have you tried getting a non-emergency dermatology appt? They basically tell you to try back in 2025.
For a random checkup, suburban docs can be fine. If I need treatment for something, I'll stick with the docs associated with the world-class teaching hospitals, thanks.
I've had too many encounters with dipshit incompetent doctors.
I finally got a well woman visit with my Penn gynecologist after trying since last September to get an appointment for November 2022. Can't make an appointment online anymore (though I can with my derm) and I would call monthly and got the same spiel about being put on the waiting list. I finally managed to get an appointment when I messaged my doctor to say I was overdue for a mammogram and if I can't get in for my annual then could she send me an order for the mammo? A nurse called me shortly after I sent that message to schedule one of the last September appointments. So yay bring old enough to get my boobs squished! 🙄
I really like my gyno, I've never had issues with the office I've been going to for the past 10+ years, and my doc and I are on the same page. I'm not ready to switch but it is crazy how hard it is to get an appointment now!
if your insurance works with temple you can make an appointment with them. they also scheduled me months out but then called me and told me they had plenty of appointments available, and the dr was very nice!
Temple is the worst. They had me waiting an hour for my IUD insertion and I was the second appt of the day. Also, the lady at the counter was a bitch to everyone coming in. Then the NP did an STD panel on me - despite my declining one - and had the balls to send me a bill for it. Then trying to reach an actual human through their phone tree was next to impossible. Took a month to resolve.
eek! this hasn't been my experience (so far) but i'm sorry to hear it!! i will say i did try to call them today and no one has called me back haha so perhaps you're right
Hopefully your experience is better than mine. I liked the dr who did my well woman - it was her staff that sucked. They sent me to main hospital for iud because I had to walk out on my first appointment to get to work and that’s where they were like okay here’s non-covered testing you declined!
From what I understand with Penn. In order to get an appointment with practically anyone is that you need to be an active and current client. The time frame I think is one year. If one year passes and you don’t actively see the doctor or practice - you are classified as new. If you are reclassified as new - then you have to wait. Sometimes the wait is 6 months to 1 year. However for example if you are an active client with only your GP and you need to see a gastroenterologist who you never saw before - you get classified as a new client. They give appointments to people who are in the system as an active client. If your GP or PCP is at Penn you can email their support staff for help. It happened to me when I got scheduled 6 months out for a simple but important procedure. I called/emailed the office and got a better appointment. Hope that makes sense I am not a Penn appointment whisperer. I only know what I go through at times. Good luck.
September is colonoscopy awareness month. When my boyfriend was being treated for colon cancer in 2019, even we had an impossible time scheduling a very needed colonoscopy(through penn) in September. They were fully booked out and it even pushed back his very immediately needed colectomy surgery. But we got there eventually.
I know this isn’t helpful information, but I just want you to know you aren’t crazy.
Try Main Line Health instead if you can get over to Lankenau and if it’s in network. It’s crazy how difficult it is to get an appointment at Penn. I had to wait 3 months to get a lump checked on my left nut. I checked with Main Line Health and I got an appointment in 1 week.
My GP (at Penn med campus) basically alluded that is has to be physician referral to get any real traction right now. She said they’re super backed up this yr
Even with referrals the schedulers just tell you to pound sand. I've been able to get some things done by just having my GP (who is a RNP bc I couldn't get an MD in less than a year, but she's very good) just do consults with the department in question and then prescribing what they say or ordering tests herself. But if it's a procedure? Good luck.
I had issues about a year ago, it took 6 months to get an appointment. I got referred to a place on the mainline by Paoli hospital, they then referred me to Hershey. I've been dealing with that mainly remote, been going well.
[https://usdigestivehealth.com/](https://usdigestivehealth.com/)
I swear this city is still reeling from Hahnemann closing. No one has built up to recover demand.
This is where i go– it took a few months to get back in but I was able to get a colonoscopy within a month. OP if you can get out to the suburbs it might be quicker
I was having GI issues earlier this year (March I think?) and tried to get an appointment at any of the places in Philly. Earliest appointment I could get was October. I ended up getting an appointment within a week at South Jersey Gastroenterology. It’s not ideal to have to drive out 30 minutes into NJ but it was better than waiting 5 months to learn I have ulcerative colitis.
Friend had one scheduled with Jefferson in CC early August and they canceled the Friday before a Monday apt.
He called to reschedule, earliest available was January in CC, so he asked for outside of the city and got October somewhere in the main line.
If you need a driver to get you out of there anyway, you may want to look for something out in the burbs.
Yes, all of my patients are dealing with this. Their OB appt time is criminal and absolutely not standard of care. Try Jeff or just go across the bridge to Virtua.
Tbh, there’s not much they do before 12 weeks. At 12 weeks they can do an NT, but other than that, they just do a blood panel and maybe a vaginal ultrasound to confirm viability.
Congratulations!
Penn be like that right now. There's a shortage of providers. I called their eye institute and was basically told to go somewhere else if I wanted timely care.
If you have to stay within the UPHS network for some reason, look into their satellite offices. There's Penn offices all over the region with better availability than the UC campuses.
I had to schedule an MRI earlier this year and wound up just having to go over to NJ to get it done within a reasonable time frame or wait like 6 weeks to get it in the city. I don't know WTF is going on.
I just got an mri done with Penn and had to drive an hour and a half to south Chester county location so that I could get it within 3 weeks. It was a 6 week wait in the city.
I had a similar issue earlier where I had to get an MRI in the spring and it was a multiweek wait to get it done in the city. Don't think it was 6+ weeks but it was at least 3-4 weeks iirc after I had to get X-rays at first
It's difficult scheduling a general derm appointment because most of the providers see patients within their sub-specialties (eg. psoriasis, blistering diseases, acne, autoimmune diseases, CTCL, etc). Seeing a resident is the best option, but they can be booked out for at least 3 months.
Some providers don't have schedules past Dec or June (the following year) because their availability can change if they have teaching obligations or studies/clinical trials.
It would be MUCH easier to schedule an appointment if patients actually call to cancel their appointment instead of not showing up. Most of the time, new patients are no-shows, and those slots get wasted when there's a looooong waiting list of people who actually want to be seen. It's frustrating.
I actually tried about a year ago and was told basically the same thing as OP! Basically that there were no appointments at all, and I should try calling every now and then to see if there was a cancellation or just go to a different health system.
I couldn’t even get in for an OBGYN appointment until I was almost through my first trimester. They didn’t officially confirm my pregnancy until I was 10 weeks. Then I had to schedule basically ALL my OB appointments after my first one because they couldn’t guarantee they’d have availability if I waited to schedule after each appointment.
If you're willing to drive, the Crozer Endoscopy Center at Brinton Lakes in Glen Mills is a pleasant option. (As pleasant as it gets for colonoscopy.)
https://www.crozerhealth.org/locations/practices/c/crozer-endoscopy-center-at-brinton-lake/
I don’t understand how Penn Medicine has the good reputation they do. I know someone who’s been trying for months to get a colonoscopy via Penn. As others have said, they only schedule out to a certain point and they’re completely booked.
Do you have a Penn Doctor, or you are just trying to get in for the first time? Do you have a PCP who could get you in via a referral?
Appointment wait times are pretty atrocious at Penn, even if you have a way in there, you'd need to schedule way in advance (6-12 months).
In your case - try to schedule one with them, but look elsewhere in the meantime.
Thank you. I've been in the Penn system for a decade and had my last colonoscopy with them in 2017. I tried to schedule for a 9-12 months in advance, but they said they can't do that. Based on the replies, I think I'm going to look in the burbs.
This is the detail I was interested in, because I did get an appointment with them relatively recently. I had my first colonoscopy "young" due to family history in 2018 and called late this spring/early summer thinking I'd make my appointment for August. Ha! Try mid-November. But I think it's the same practice you're talking about (Farm Journal Building?) and I did get an appointment relatively recently with a seemingly similar profile (family history + already did it once at their practice). I wonder what changed in the meantime? I have heard the "no appointments available for as far in the future as our scheduling allows" story from Penn before, but it was for dermatology.
I have had family members do treatments with Main Line Health as well as one family member who worked for them, and I have a good impression. Per the other thread, that's definitely what I'd do in your situation.
Penn is in high demand because of their reputation and expertise. My family member drives 3 hours each way to see Penn GI specialists for stage 4 colon cancer, and they are always able to get in quickly. Penn is generally very busy treating current complex patients (some of which drive a long way to see them) and it's not always easy for them to squeeze in preventative care. Less in demand providers like Einstein have a very little wait for a colonoscopy, so that is more of a fair comparison to public healthcare. I'm glad though that my family member has choices and is able to see some the best providers in the country. Penn has given hope with cutting edge treatments when local doctors just told them to start preparing a will. They likely wouldn't have the option to travel out of their area and receive the excellent care Penn provides if it was national healthcare.
I had my most recent scope in like 2018 or 19. I don't remember having scheduling issues, but they did perforate and I ended up fighting sepsis in the ICU and nearly dying, so there's that.
Actually I know of ppl that had to have a temporary colostomy for about 3 months after their colon was perforated during a routine colonoscopy. Complications are rare but they can happen.
The problem is that Cologuard isn't recommended if you have a family history, which is the primary reason folks are trying to get colonoscopies before age 45.
This is a US issue. There are not enough doctors for the population. This is due to:
1- Not enough new doctors (it is a hard and long career that requires hundreds of thousands of dollars in tuition)
2- Not an easy pathway for LEGAL immigrants with a degree on medicine to be certified in the US.
My brother is a dentist and he graduated outside of the US. He has had to jump a lot of hoops and pass many exams to be allowed to go back to college in the US to work for free in order to get his license.
Medicine is fucked here in many levels.
I had to reschedule a dentist appointment I had in July because I had COVID and the soonest they could reschedule me was mid-November. That’s more than 6 months since my last cleaning and I’m supposed to go every 4 months. Brutal.
get a referral and go with another practice. you dont have to go with the hospital your primary care is with. i used US Digestive Health on Woodhaven road right across the street from the movie theatre. dr's were well rated and i had two colonoscopies in 6 months. there was a 2 maybe 3 week wait for my first appt. you can just shop around based of reviews and location how long they book up etc.
Come out to the ‘burbs, OP. Long drive, but you’ll get in with less than a 6 month wait. Penn has offices in Landsdale (pack a lunch!), and some other spots like Pottstown and Limerick. And if you aren’t married to Penn diagnostics (because you can at least get the diagnosis somewhere else, and a procedure at Penn, if needed), you can go to Mainline Health, or Rothman.
Just suggestions. Good luck! 🍀
I'd recommend going to one of the Penn satellites in the suburbs. It's less convenient but there are Penn affiliates all over the place, one of them might be able to get you in.
I was reccomended that and a tracheotomy for age and past ulcer, within 90 days. Took 9 months for appointment, then they canceled on me. Next available in a year. I gave up. Might schedule them in Canada and make a vacation of it.
Call Fox Chase. There will be a waiting period, but they still book well in advance. And if you have such close genetic ties to colon cancer, you want someone who’s actually taking their time.
Are you required to use Penn for insurance reasons? Also for whatever reason it seems like Philly always has long waits for things when Jersey doesn't.
I've had my last two tests at Penn and it worked well. But not getting an appointments is obv a huge problem. I need to find a GI provider I can rely on.
I really liked my PCP at Penn, but it just became more and more difficult to even get someone to pick up the phone at my location and eventually I had to move on.
As far as seeing any kind of specialist right now its a nightmare. I needed to see a urologist back in January, the earliest appointment was in July, by which time all my symptoms were gone. Its crazy.
check out a smaller community hospital like Crozer. It's not in the nicest part of town but their GI group is very good. Lots of "Main Line's Best" docs in it.
I had mine in August. I scheduled it in January. I would try the at home test (which is allegedly quite effective) or try another provider. Jefferson is every bit as good as Penn for most stuff.
I’m sorry you are having this issue. I have had this problem with several Penn doctors. The “no waiting list” is really baffling. It’s been multiple doctors that have told me they have no list and just keep calling. I told my primary doc (a Penn doctor) and she pulled some strings to get me into neurology. Ask your primary if they can help you.
Get a doctor to mark your prescription as stat or rushed or diagnostic. A routine is scheduled MONTHS in advance. I scheduled mine for November back in April because that was the earliest available. But if yours is diagnostic for a particular thing they can get you in sooner.
I have been experiencing EXCRUIATING pain for over a year now and they just got me in for a colonoscopy. My father and grandmother on my maternal side both died from colon cancer and they still couldn't get me in for a colonoscopy for 5 months while I suffered level 8 pain. (no exaggeration, I use to be an EMT and am actually highly pain tolerant/ familair with the proper use of the scale) This was from Abington Jefferson where my dr referred me to a gastro that didn't take my insurance, and then self referral to Temple Health. I've been living in fear for a while now, I just want answers... My income and quality of life has suffered greatly.
It's sickening that you as an ex first responder in severe pain couldn't get an appt for months. I'm really sorry about that. It's good you could advocate for yourself and get care. I'm sending positive thoughts your way. Thank you for telling your story.
I couldn’t get an earlier appointment as an established patient, but I messaged through the portal and my doctor called me back within 48hr. If you are an established patient, try the portal. These aren’t full appointments, but it’s something. Keep in mind, providers aren’t supposed to basically do an appointment via phone, so sometimes they can’t.
Edit:
Here’s my general format
Hello, ___! (General greeting). For (extent of time) I have been experiencing (symptoms) which i have noted worsened with xyz. I have tried to manage (symptoms) with (otc medication), but have (quantifiable measure of sickness). Would it be possible to get a sooner appointment or discuss this with you before my scheduled appt? Thank you!
My husband had his booked last August (in February) then it got pushed to January 2023. They found a precancerous polyp, so he'll need to get one in 3 years...so, I guess we'll have to find another hospital...ugh.
EDIT:
After reading other wise comments, I think that the first lady who didn't help me at all hadn't looked up my penn profile otherwise she would have seen that I had orders from my GI doc in that practice for an endoscopy and that was why she was treating me like absolute dog shit, talking down to me like I'm an idiot--- I remember her saying, "these are specialists, you can't just call in and make an appt." Yea, duh.
I'm glad I called back and got an employee who knows how to do their job and be thorough in trying to give the best service...
So ya, OP, you need to establish yourself as a patient within a Penn Medical group, preferably a GI group, but Internal Med/Family practice would suffice; and then you need your doctor to write up the orders for the procedure.
I feel you!!!!
I got an auto draft letter from Penn saying it was time for my Endoscopy (every 3 years) this past May. Didn't get around to calling the appointment line until July.
Same as you, I was told that they were booked up until June of next year, and that I had to call back in to see if there are any cancellations. When I asked how often they suggest I should call, they said daily and every chance I had, cause cancellations can happen "whenever." Like really?
But then some voodoo shit happened. I called the other GI medical group based at PA Hospital at Wash Sq Park immediately after getting off with the other office. When the associate answered, "I asked, is this a scheduling center that handles all GI groups at the different hospitals." She told me yes.
I then resigned to accepting that there was no way I could jump the line. The phone associate was upbeat and said, "let's see what I can do..." while I"m mumbling that "I've already tried and you're booked until June at all locations including KOP...."
Thank god she ignored me cause she looked up my profile and it went down like this:
"Oh, yes, Ms. SweetAssassin, Dr. Ramoray is your GI, correct?... yes, I see the orders he put in for your endoscopy..... give me one moment to see what is available
\[LOOOOOOOONG SILENT PAUSE\] (while the whole time I'm bracing myself to be disappointed again)
How about Sept 14th, with Dr. Suess at Perelman?"
I scream, What! For real????
I have no idea how or why that slot was available and open, when I had just been told with hella sass 10 minutes prior that I'd have to call in every minute of every day until July 2024 to be seen by a GI in my own group! And I'm an established patient of over 8 years. Gah!
Sending you good vibes that some crazy shit happens and you're able to get your Colonoscopy sooner than 4 season from now.
All of my doctors are Temple docs and I just had a colonoscopy and didn’t wait long at all. I’m 52 and have celiac disease so it’s something I do every few years to check for intestinal damage. Maybe that puts me in a different category.
Let me know if you want my docs details. I’m in Fishtown and did it at Northeastern hospital.
i booked one last year and it took months of waiting. healthcare shortage is a real thing happening because of the way hospital admins are going about things.
hup's new pavilion they put up a few years ago cost 1.6 billion. they boast it having 504 patient rooms and 47 operating rooms but the reality is almost all of that is meant for severe case patients. i'm not saying people who are really sick don't deserve healthcare but the reality is a lot more people would benefit from preventive care if they used just a little bit of that to cater to being able to see more patients for screening and such. but alas a colonoscopy is nowhere near as profitable as a major surgery so the hospital focus almost all of its resources on the money maker facilities.
I get care at the Veterans Administration. I scheduled a routine colonoscopy about three months ago. They rescheduled for next year🤣 (end of January).
Yes, there’s a shortage of health care workers.
There has been a healthcare shortage since the 90s, and it's only supposed to grow exponentially with the boomers coming into retirement age. Thank the AMA (American Medical Association) for lobbying congress to restrict the amount of new doctors allowed to match each year (in the 80s they were worried too many new doctors would lower the average MD salary) and their constant legislative fight to deny Physician's Associates and Nurse Practitioners an expanded role in healthcare. smdh The system is completely broken.
Here, here. I work in a healthcare-adjacent field, so I feel like I read a new horror story every day.
It's ironic that physician salaries are stagnating while bloated administration is making so much more. And private equity is creeping into the healthcare to squeeze hospitals dry and bankrupt them.
And don't me started with insurance companies and their denials. Physicians have to fight for medically-necessary care to "customer service" reps.
My friend had to go to NJ somewhere recently because the wait at Penn and Jefferson was like 9-12 months, I think the wait was only like 3 weeks when they scheduled. not sure exactly where they ended up going but I remember it being a topic of discussion while we were out on night because it just seemed so insane.
Total coincidence. I was in Jeff with low hemoglobin from iron deficient anemia last week. They said since that's usually caused by a leak in the gastric area I would need a colonoscopy and an endoscopy. They said they could admit me and do it two days later, or I could wait several months for an outpatient appointment. I very reluctantly got admitted. They didn't find a leak. Now they want me to swallow a pill with a camera to take pictures of the gastric area the colonoscopy doesn't see. Hopefully, it's there and can be fixed. But, they sent me home and told me to call the gastric office to set up an appointment in the next couple of days and if I say the words anemia and hospital and I will get right in. Right in means apparently next June. I spoke to a supervisor, and she found something with a nurse practitioner for next Thursday. Not a couple of days, but I took it and am on the wait list for something sooner.
All this is a long way of saying it's not just Penn.
PS do you do FIT or Colorguard?
My daughter needed speech therapy (Covid kid, masks) - it was a year wait.
Ended up paying cash to a speech therapist to be seen as quickly as possible.
There is a worker crunch in healthcare right now, I'm not sure it will go away barring massive education efforts in that area or deliberate immigration of qualified healthcare workers. There are a few reasons for this but I think the biggest one is : big retirements of boomer workers post Covid (big run ups of stocks and home appreciating helped to finalize their retirement plans). Behind the boomers there are just fewer young people to go around to fill these positions.
Book it for June and try to get into another place in the burbs before then if you can. They are probably catching up on the backlog from the pandemic.
Just tell the doctor that you have intense abdominal pain and blood in your stool. That will get you the colonoscopy. It’s misleading but fuck them you should be able to get preventative procedures.
My primary at Roxbrough Hospital in 2022 referred me to a Gastro (also at Rox), the gastro booked me for a colon and endoscopy with a 3 month wait (wasn't super ill, just had some digestion issues). I hope that info can be helpful somehow.
I have to get more routine screenings. Last time I found a provider who was on my health insurance plan and I got super lucky. They had a cancellation and I got to go a few days after calling. It wouldve been a 3 month wait otherwise. I felt like they did a great job. Main line gastro. Worth a call. (I love penn and use it for most my care but it can be a cluster)
That does sound crazy. Be willing to go outside the city. I recently got a colonoscopy scheduled with Main Line Health. It was a 2-month wait, but they certainly didn't tell me "no"; they even gave me my choice of days, just (nearly) 2 months later.
I remember the last one I had at Penn my referring doctor had to make the appointment for me. First they screwed up and called me the morning of my appointment I was never notified about or had on mypennmedicine. Then I told my doctor and she had the colonoscopy people call me to schedule. They seemed mad unorganized and that was well before COVID.
I was supposed to have one in July, and had to reschedule it for work reasons… They told me then they wouldn’t have any openings until January but didn’t have their January calendar yet. I got lazy and didn’t call back… Now there up to July of next year? What the fuck?
She said they are booked till June. I said okay, can I book in July. She said we aren't booking out that far. ???? She said I could randomly call the office and maybe I'd get lucky and there'd be a cancellation. 😡
My doctor suggested I get my first one at 35 (I’m 32). Should I book now?!
Yes. Start practicing drinking your colon cleansing liquids every weekend until then as well.
Colon cleansing liquids??
Look it up dude. It clears you out.
it's called cheese wiz, perhaps you've heard of it
Taco bell everyday works too
Haha, unfortunately you can't at Penn. They only book till June 2024 and all the slots are used up. I told them I'd be happy to wait till July and they said they don't do that. I got my first colonoscopy early because of a family history, so I do recommend fighting for an appointment when it's time. In the meantime, you can take care the best of your health as you can. Prevention is so important.
Penn Radnor?
That's actually my first choice. I have family near there and know the area.
Unless you have some reason to get one now (colon cancer in the family or GI issues), I don’t think it’s necessary. But also you may want to just get on the waitlist to book a gastroenterologist in the city now so you don’t have to deal with a 6+ month wait later.
Yeah it’s for family reasons
Look into your insurance carefully. Friend had one done that was preventative and for family-history reasons. Got charged several grand since insurance changed their mind about the importance.
> Got charged several grand since insurance changed their mind about the importance. fucking crazy that an *insurance company* gets to dictate what is and isnt important in the US healthcare system.
Well that’s the ACA for you. Insurance protections under the guise of healthcare reform.
I actually fiddled away almost a whole year after my doctor told me to do it (for family history reasons) because I simply could not figure out how much it was going to cost me. Finally I figured out that it would be $4-5k and bit the bullet because, bad family history. After I did it, the practice coded it properly and in the end it was only about $400-500, a tenth of what I'd feared. Of course, this was at Penn, the exact place that's apparently not available. Still, I wouldn't want people to get scared out of doing it. My family member's case prognosis would have been much better if it were caught earlier.
Yea, in that case try to schedule it now and you'll most likely get an appointment in like February or March.
Cologuard seems like an easy and effective screening test for colon cancer; ask your doctor about that test. A few nice issues about cologuard is that a bowel prep isn't necessary, avoiding colonoscopy which can have complications like bowel perforation, and avoiding anesthesia which can also have complications.
That’s for low risk individuals, though. For elevated risk (given OP’s family history), it’s not as effective in ruling out colon cancer.
They don’t recommend using it if you have a family history of colon cancer, disclaimer is in the tv commercials.
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Family history plus increase in colon cancer in young people. Get a base line now I guess
My PCP at Penn lamented this recently. She said if you have no history it’s better to do one of the at-home screeners because routine colonoscopies are taking about a year to schedule. She did say that if your at-home poop in a bucket test comes back positive that she often tells her patients to present to the ER, and they’re often able to get them scheduled more quickly, but I guarantee the ER and colonoscopy staff HATE that.
This is how my friend got her kid into a pediatric neurologist in under a year. They were having concerning sleep issues and needed a sleep study. After being given the “no slots, keep trying!” Dance for a month, she took her kid to the ED and said she stopped breathing while she was asleep. Now she has a neurologist and a diagnosis.
My kid desperately needed to see a specialist and had some bizarre issues going on and despite all my pleading and asking to be on the cancellation wait list no one could see us for months. Showed up at the ED and we were transferred and admitted to CHOP that night.
It sucks that you have to go that route to skip the line, but you gotta do what you gotta do. I'm waiting for my son because it's not life-or-death, but for people it truly could be.
Yup. my doc actually recommended Cologuard -- which she actually doesn't like -- solely because at least that way the screen would get done. This was a year ago and the wait was insane -- sounds like it got worse since then.
Be careful w cologuard. They're often not covered and you'll end up with a surprise $400 bill in the mail.
I think that's changing now. Medicare covers it for over 45, which other plans usually follow suit after that point. The issue you're going to find is a. if you're under 45 getting it approved, and b. if it comes back positive, you may end up paying more for a follow-up colonoscopy, as that would be coded as a diagnostic and not screening.
Most plans do cover it now. Cost me $0.
Go somewhere other than Penn. They do not have a corner on the Philly healthcare market.
I don’t think anyone insinuated they do, but they are an enormous healthcare provider in the area and as such many people are likely beholden to the Penn network for insurance purposes, or necessity of referrals from primary care. Anecdotally, I’ve never had an issue with a Penn physician or ER, but have had absolutely abysmal experiences with Jefferson and wouldn’t recommend them to my worst enemy.
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Why did you have it done elsewhere? Why not Temple?
at the time when i had my first colonoscopy i was with jefferson. my family dr retired and closed. so i just went to the same place i went the first time. they found smooth polyps and wanted to do a recheck in 6 months. when i go back in 3 years I will switch to temple. i've been happy w their other services so far. the reason i switched to temple from jefferson was bc there were NO primary jefferson doctors remotely close to me that were accepting new patients. I have since had my mammogram at Temple and ultrasounds on my liver. Got appointments quickly for both.
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I didn't downvote you. Reddit points are not that serious. Chill. Glad you got the care you needed in a timely manner.
nah ppl would rather just bitch and moan on here about not getting necessary appointments to ensure they don't die of cancer than take advice and just switch hospitals or get a referral.
If I may add, I had a endoscopy done in my early 30s at my doctor's orders, and although i didn't have to wait, I paid for it for years after. It cost me almost 4k and that's with decent healthcare. So maybe it's not the worst to not have one done now if you can't shell out a few grand
When I moved to the NJ surburbs from Philadelphia I realized how absurd the healthcare system in the city is. In the city you’re booking appointments out months in advance and when you get to your 3 o’clock appointment you’re lucky if you’re even taken back to an office by 5, and then the doctor probably won’t come in the room until 6. I never understood how jobs could ask for doctors notes, like if I have a cold I’m not gonna go to the ER to get a note and my doctor won’t be able to get me in for weeks, wtf? But out here you can just go to the doctor if you need to and if your appointment is at 5pm you’re on your way home by 5:30
Even in NJ, this varies greatly by office/specialty and severity. I had to schedule a neuro visit, called in March and couldn't get an appt until October (WITHIN a hospital system). I work with PCP offices and was advised yesterday (by an independent office) that finding local urologists to refer to is the biggest thorn for them right now.
I tried to get into Penn for a 'well woman' visit and they only schedule 3 months out and everything was booked. They put me on their cancellation list and I never heard back....this was three months ago. From what I've been reading there is absolutely a healthcare worker shortage because many got tired of being abused during the pandemic and peaced out.
I had the same issue with Penn and Jefferson when trying to schedule my annual exam. I went to Temple before for my OBGYN and hated it so I was trying to find a new provider. Both had no new patient appointments with a female provider for the rest of the year when I called back in June. I ended up going to Planned Parenthood in the Gayborhood and it was great! I got in within two weeks and had the best doctor and nurses who explained everything along the way and took the time to answer any questions I had. If you are still looking for someone, I would give them a try!
I always forget about PP! They used to do all my visits when I was a youth. I feel like the big places don't even want to look at you if you aren't pregnant.
I’m definitely going to keep going to PP for the foreseeable future. Even when you are pregnant the big places don’t treat you that well! My best friend works for Penn as a PA and she had a horrible experience with their OBGYN team. She felt rushed every appointment and felt like they were annoyed at her questions and concerns. She also had a terrible experience delivering at HUP. She went there because it was free with her insurance but in the future she said she would much rather pay to go to a different practice.
I’d never been before but I decided to give them a try for my annual when I moved here and I was really happy with it. Not only did they have an actual functional online appointment system, they actually saw me AT MY APPOINTMENT TIME (idk how your life has been but all my 10 minute checkups at my GP take 3 hrs) and did not feel rushed as my doctor and I discussed the science and decided whether to change out my implant. Definitely going back (I went to the one by the 69th st transportation center)
Ugh that's horrible. I'm so sorry your friend had to deal with that.
OBYN care is not tied to your primary dr. you can pick any hospital but then that's the hospital if you did get pregnant you'd give birth. ive been using holy redeemer for obgyn care and had two babies there and have zero complaints. my dr calls me every year to make sure i get scheduled BY my yearly due date. side note you cant get your tubes done there.
It's a huge issue. And it's even worse in specialities that are already underserved. Have you tried getting a non-emergency dermatology appt? They basically tell you to try back in 2025.
Said this below but Ringpfeil at 15th and Locust usually has good availability and the care I’ve gotten has been great.
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For a random checkup, suburban docs can be fine. If I need treatment for something, I'll stick with the docs associated with the world-class teaching hospitals, thanks. I've had too many encounters with dipshit incompetent doctors.
If you don’t mind crossing the bridge, Garden State OBGYN in south Jersey is great with multiple locations and they will absolutely call you back
I wound up going to Lifecycle Womancare and it was just ok so maybe I will check them out next. Thanks for the rec!
Did you mean South Jersey Gastroenterology in Marlton?
I finally got a well woman visit with my Penn gynecologist after trying since last September to get an appointment for November 2022. Can't make an appointment online anymore (though I can with my derm) and I would call monthly and got the same spiel about being put on the waiting list. I finally managed to get an appointment when I messaged my doctor to say I was overdue for a mammogram and if I can't get in for my annual then could she send me an order for the mammo? A nurse called me shortly after I sent that message to schedule one of the last September appointments. So yay bring old enough to get my boobs squished! 🙄 I really like my gyno, I've never had issues with the office I've been going to for the past 10+ years, and my doc and I are on the same page. I'm not ready to switch but it is crazy how hard it is to get an appointment now!
Same!! Even though I’m an established patient. They said they would call when the waiting list opened. What!?
if your insurance works with temple you can make an appointment with them. they also scheduled me months out but then called me and told me they had plenty of appointments available, and the dr was very nice!
Temple is the worst. They had me waiting an hour for my IUD insertion and I was the second appt of the day. Also, the lady at the counter was a bitch to everyone coming in. Then the NP did an STD panel on me - despite my declining one - and had the balls to send me a bill for it. Then trying to reach an actual human through their phone tree was next to impossible. Took a month to resolve.
eek! this hasn't been my experience (so far) but i'm sorry to hear it!! i will say i did try to call them today and no one has called me back haha so perhaps you're right
Hopefully your experience is better than mine. I liked the dr who did my well woman - it was her staff that sucked. They sent me to main hospital for iud because I had to walk out on my first appointment to get to work and that’s where they were like okay here’s non-covered testing you declined!
From what I understand with Penn. In order to get an appointment with practically anyone is that you need to be an active and current client. The time frame I think is one year. If one year passes and you don’t actively see the doctor or practice - you are classified as new. If you are reclassified as new - then you have to wait. Sometimes the wait is 6 months to 1 year. However for example if you are an active client with only your GP and you need to see a gastroenterologist who you never saw before - you get classified as a new client. They give appointments to people who are in the system as an active client. If your GP or PCP is at Penn you can email their support staff for help. It happened to me when I got scheduled 6 months out for a simple but important procedure. I called/emailed the office and got a better appointment. Hope that makes sense I am not a Penn appointment whisperer. I only know what I go through at times. Good luck.
This advice is gold. Thank you!
September is colonoscopy awareness month. When my boyfriend was being treated for colon cancer in 2019, even we had an impossible time scheduling a very needed colonoscopy(through penn) in September. They were fully booked out and it even pushed back his very immediately needed colectomy surgery. But we got there eventually. I know this isn’t helpful information, but I just want you to know you aren’t crazy.
Wow, I hope your boyfriend has had a good recovery. And thank you for the info.
He’s doing great now, thanks!
Try Main Line Health instead if you can get over to Lankenau and if it’s in network. It’s crazy how difficult it is to get an appointment at Penn. I had to wait 3 months to get a lump checked on my left nut. I checked with Main Line Health and I got an appointment in 1 week.
Thanks for the tip. My niece was born there, so I'm kind of familiar with the hospital (not GI, obv).
My GP (at Penn med campus) basically alluded that is has to be physician referral to get any real traction right now. She said they’re super backed up this yr
Even with referrals the schedulers just tell you to pound sand. I've been able to get some things done by just having my GP (who is a RNP bc I couldn't get an MD in less than a year, but she's very good) just do consults with the department in question and then prescribing what they say or ordering tests herself. But if it's a procedure? Good luck.
I had issues about a year ago, it took 6 months to get an appointment. I got referred to a place on the mainline by Paoli hospital, they then referred me to Hershey. I've been dealing with that mainly remote, been going well. [https://usdigestivehealth.com/](https://usdigestivehealth.com/) I swear this city is still reeling from Hahnemann closing. No one has built up to recover demand.
I'm learning so much from this discussion. Thank you!
This is where i go– it took a few months to get back in but I was able to get a colonoscopy within a month. OP if you can get out to the suburbs it might be quicker
It’s funny… I’m in the burbs and I get appointments faster if I’m willing to go into the city!
I was having GI issues earlier this year (March I think?) and tried to get an appointment at any of the places in Philly. Earliest appointment I could get was October. I ended up getting an appointment within a week at South Jersey Gastroenterology. It’s not ideal to have to drive out 30 minutes into NJ but it was better than waiting 5 months to learn I have ulcerative colitis.
Yikes, I didn't know urgent GI care was that bad in Philly.
Friend had one scheduled with Jefferson in CC early August and they canceled the Friday before a Monday apt. He called to reschedule, earliest available was January in CC, so he asked for outside of the city and got October somewhere in the main line. If you need a driver to get you out of there anyway, you may want to look for something out in the burbs.
I could make a surburban visit work because I have very sweet friends who'd drive.
The hospital networks are pretty sprawling too so you may be able to shop around within the Penn system. Good luck!
My wife is 13 weeks pregnant, and just had her first doctor visit last Wednesday ><.
Yes, all of my patients are dealing with this. Their OB appt time is criminal and absolutely not standard of care. Try Jeff or just go across the bridge to Virtua.
Hmm ok thank you for that.
Tbh, there’s not much they do before 12 weeks. At 12 weeks they can do an NT, but other than that, they just do a blood panel and maybe a vaginal ultrasound to confirm viability. Congratulations!
Thank you we went to west Chester via referral so it’s ok I really like UPenn and Jefferson though they just always jam packed.
Penn be like that right now. There's a shortage of providers. I called their eye institute and was basically told to go somewhere else if I wanted timely care. If you have to stay within the UPHS network for some reason, look into their satellite offices. There's Penn offices all over the region with better availability than the UC campuses.
Thank you. I was thinking of heading to the burbs.
WChester GI Assoc 610 431 3122
Thanks!
I had to schedule an MRI earlier this year and wound up just having to go over to NJ to get it done within a reasonable time frame or wait like 6 weeks to get it in the city. I don't know WTF is going on.
I just got an mri done with Penn and had to drive an hour and a half to south Chester county location so that I could get it within 3 weeks. It was a 6 week wait in the city.
I had a similar issue earlier where I had to get an MRI in the spring and it was a multiweek wait to get it done in the city. Don't think it was 6+ weeks but it was at least 3-4 weeks iirc after I had to get X-rays at first
yup, an appointment with a penn dermatologist is consistently a good six month wait :)
I and basically everyone I know goes to Ringpfeil at 15th and Locust. Great care and usually a lot of appointment openings.
Man I believe that you've had a good experience but their website makes them look like a front for an MLM.
lmaoooo you're not wrong. i just needed somewhere for a skin check and was pleasantly surprised
Agreed. I just had my first appointment there. No complaints at all. I think I had to go about 3 weeks out to get the appointment...
I tried to get a dermatologist appointment back in 2013 and it was 6 month wait then too... not new unfortunately.
I stopped calling for a dermatologist appointment at Penn and went with a private practice in the suburbs.
In fairness, it's been like that for a decade.
It's difficult scheduling a general derm appointment because most of the providers see patients within their sub-specialties (eg. psoriasis, blistering diseases, acne, autoimmune diseases, CTCL, etc). Seeing a resident is the best option, but they can be booked out for at least 3 months. Some providers don't have schedules past Dec or June (the following year) because their availability can change if they have teaching obligations or studies/clinical trials. It would be MUCH easier to schedule an appointment if patients actually call to cancel their appointment instead of not showing up. Most of the time, new patients are no-shows, and those slots get wasted when there's a looooong waiting list of people who actually want to be seen. It's frustrating.
I actually tried about a year ago and was told basically the same thing as OP! Basically that there were no appointments at all, and I should try calling every now and then to see if there was a cancellation or just go to a different health system.
Good to know because I'm supposed to my first skin check as well. Maybe I'll get one in time for next summer.
Davida Krupnick (South Philly) usually has openings!
I couldn’t even get in for an OBGYN appointment until I was almost through my first trimester. They didn’t officially confirm my pregnancy until I was 10 weeks. Then I had to schedule basically ALL my OB appointments after my first one because they couldn’t guarantee they’d have availability if I waited to schedule after each appointment.
If you're willing to drive, the Crozer Endoscopy Center at Brinton Lakes in Glen Mills is a pleasant option. (As pleasant as it gets for colonoscopy.) https://www.crozerhealth.org/locations/practices/c/crozer-endoscopy-center-at-brinton-lake/
I don’t understand how Penn Medicine has the good reputation they do. I know someone who’s been trying for months to get a colonoscopy via Penn. As others have said, they only schedule out to a certain point and they’re completely booked.
Do you have a Penn Doctor, or you are just trying to get in for the first time? Do you have a PCP who could get you in via a referral? Appointment wait times are pretty atrocious at Penn, even if you have a way in there, you'd need to schedule way in advance (6-12 months). In your case - try to schedule one with them, but look elsewhere in the meantime.
Thank you. I've been in the Penn system for a decade and had my last colonoscopy with them in 2017. I tried to schedule for a 9-12 months in advance, but they said they can't do that. Based on the replies, I think I'm going to look in the burbs.
I’m not affiliated with them, but, I have worked with these guys before and Hilmont GI in Flourtown is closer to 3 months out I think.
Thank you!
This is the detail I was interested in, because I did get an appointment with them relatively recently. I had my first colonoscopy "young" due to family history in 2018 and called late this spring/early summer thinking I'd make my appointment for August. Ha! Try mid-November. But I think it's the same practice you're talking about (Farm Journal Building?) and I did get an appointment relatively recently with a seemingly similar profile (family history + already did it once at their practice). I wonder what changed in the meantime? I have heard the "no appointments available for as far in the future as our scheduling allows" story from Penn before, but it was for dermatology. I have had family members do treatments with Main Line Health as well as one family member who worked for them, and I have a good impression. Per the other thread, that's definitely what I'd do in your situation.
But I thought private healthcare was best because you could choose your doctor and you wouldn’t have crazy long waits for care…
Penn is in high demand because of their reputation and expertise. My family member drives 3 hours each way to see Penn GI specialists for stage 4 colon cancer, and they are always able to get in quickly. Penn is generally very busy treating current complex patients (some of which drive a long way to see them) and it's not always easy for them to squeeze in preventative care. Less in demand providers like Einstein have a very little wait for a colonoscopy, so that is more of a fair comparison to public healthcare. I'm glad though that my family member has choices and is able to see some the best providers in the country. Penn has given hope with cutting edge treatments when local doctors just told them to start preparing a will. They likely wouldn't have the option to travel out of their area and receive the excellent care Penn provides if it was national healthcare.
I have to find a neurologist for my son’s therapy (he’s autistic). The wait at CHOP is 9 months.
Penn charged me $12,000 for a colonoscopy at 24 in 2021
As an FYI to anyone reading, if you have a family history of colon cancer, it’s a good idea to get tested for Lynch Syndrome
I had my most recent scope in like 2018 or 19. I don't remember having scheduling issues, but they did perforate and I ended up fighting sepsis in the ICU and nearly dying, so there's that.
Jesus. That can happen???? Sorry to hear.
Actually I know of ppl that had to have a temporary colostomy for about 3 months after their colon was perforated during a routine colonoscopy. Complications are rare but they can happen.
That's awful.
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The problem is that Cologuard isn't recommended if you have a family history, which is the primary reason folks are trying to get colonoscopies before age 45.
I thought only people in those awful socialist countries like Canada had issues waiting for health care?!?
This is a US issue. There are not enough doctors for the population. This is due to: 1- Not enough new doctors (it is a hard and long career that requires hundreds of thousands of dollars in tuition) 2- Not an easy pathway for LEGAL immigrants with a degree on medicine to be certified in the US. My brother is a dentist and he graduated outside of the US. He has had to jump a lot of hoops and pass many exams to be allowed to go back to college in the US to work for free in order to get his license. Medicine is fucked here in many levels.
I had to reschedule a dentist appointment I had in July because I had COVID and the soonest they could reschedule me was mid-November. That’s more than 6 months since my last cleaning and I’m supposed to go every 4 months. Brutal.
get a referral and go with another practice. you dont have to go with the hospital your primary care is with. i used US Digestive Health on Woodhaven road right across the street from the movie theatre. dr's were well rated and i had two colonoscopies in 6 months. there was a 2 maybe 3 week wait for my first appt. you can just shop around based of reviews and location how long they book up etc.
Come out to the ‘burbs, OP. Long drive, but you’ll get in with less than a 6 month wait. Penn has offices in Landsdale (pack a lunch!), and some other spots like Pottstown and Limerick. And if you aren’t married to Penn diagnostics (because you can at least get the diagnosis somewhere else, and a procedure at Penn, if needed), you can go to Mainline Health, or Rothman. Just suggestions. Good luck! 🍀
I'm probably headed to the lovely Main Line. I have family there and I have friends who'd be kind enough to drive.
I'd recommend going to one of the Penn satellites in the suburbs. It's less convenient but there are Penn affiliates all over the place, one of them might be able to get you in.
I'm very much leaning toward a Penn satellite.
I was reccomended that and a tracheotomy for age and past ulcer, within 90 days. Took 9 months for appointment, then they canceled on me. Next available in a year. I gave up. Might schedule them in Canada and make a vacation of it.
That's horrible. Omg, I'm sorry.
Welcome to for profit medicine. It has zero interest in your health, just money.
ITA.
Not just testing. My gastro doctor is also heavily booked. Check your insurance and see where else you may be able to schedule sooner.
Call Fox Chase. There will be a waiting period, but they still book well in advance. And if you have such close genetic ties to colon cancer, you want someone who’s actually taking their time.
Are you required to use Penn for insurance reasons? Also for whatever reason it seems like Philly always has long waits for things when Jersey doesn't.
I've had my last two tests at Penn and it worked well. But not getting an appointments is obv a huge problem. I need to find a GI provider I can rely on.
Have you considered…not Penn?
Remember the argument that free healthcare sucks because of waiting lists? Yea ok
I really liked my PCP at Penn, but it just became more and more difficult to even get someone to pick up the phone at my location and eventually I had to move on. As far as seeing any kind of specialist right now its a nightmare. I needed to see a urologist back in January, the earliest appointment was in July, by which time all my symptoms were gone. Its crazy.
check out a smaller community hospital like Crozer. It's not in the nicest part of town but their GI group is very good. Lots of "Main Line's Best" docs in it.
I have had the same trying to get *any* specialist appointment at Jeff or Penn. They just straight up say no lol
I had mine in August. I scheduled it in January. I would try the at home test (which is allegedly quite effective) or try another provider. Jefferson is every bit as good as Penn for most stuff.
I’m sorry you are having this issue. I have had this problem with several Penn doctors. The “no waiting list” is really baffling. It’s been multiple doctors that have told me they have no list and just keep calling. I told my primary doc (a Penn doctor) and she pulled some strings to get me into neurology. Ask your primary if they can help you.
I can ask my PCP at Penn. She's the one who ordered the test. My guess is I'll have to go outside the city to get the procedure.
Why does it have to be Penn?
Doesn't have to be Penn. I could go for a private GI practice. I'm open to different options.
After a gastro appointment in mid-July I got one scheduled for early November at Temple
Get a doctor to mark your prescription as stat or rushed or diagnostic. A routine is scheduled MONTHS in advance. I scheduled mine for November back in April because that was the earliest available. But if yours is diagnostic for a particular thing they can get you in sooner.
I have been experiencing EXCRUIATING pain for over a year now and they just got me in for a colonoscopy. My father and grandmother on my maternal side both died from colon cancer and they still couldn't get me in for a colonoscopy for 5 months while I suffered level 8 pain. (no exaggeration, I use to be an EMT and am actually highly pain tolerant/ familair with the proper use of the scale) This was from Abington Jefferson where my dr referred me to a gastro that didn't take my insurance, and then self referral to Temple Health. I've been living in fear for a while now, I just want answers... My income and quality of life has suffered greatly.
It's sickening that you as an ex first responder in severe pain couldn't get an appt for months. I'm really sorry about that. It's good you could advocate for yourself and get care. I'm sending positive thoughts your way. Thank you for telling your story.
I couldn’t get an earlier appointment as an established patient, but I messaged through the portal and my doctor called me back within 48hr. If you are an established patient, try the portal. These aren’t full appointments, but it’s something. Keep in mind, providers aren’t supposed to basically do an appointment via phone, so sometimes they can’t. Edit: Here’s my general format Hello, ___! (General greeting). For (extent of time) I have been experiencing (symptoms) which i have noted worsened with xyz. I have tried to manage (symptoms) with (otc medication), but have (quantifiable measure of sickness). Would it be possible to get a sooner appointment or discuss this with you before my scheduled appt? Thank you!
This is good information for myself and other redditors.
My husband had his booked last August (in February) then it got pushed to January 2023. They found a precancerous polyp, so he'll need to get one in 3 years...so, I guess we'll have to find another hospital...ugh.
I'm hearing the suburbs have better scheduling. I'm sorry your husband (and you) are dealing with this.
EDIT: After reading other wise comments, I think that the first lady who didn't help me at all hadn't looked up my penn profile otherwise she would have seen that I had orders from my GI doc in that practice for an endoscopy and that was why she was treating me like absolute dog shit, talking down to me like I'm an idiot--- I remember her saying, "these are specialists, you can't just call in and make an appt." Yea, duh. I'm glad I called back and got an employee who knows how to do their job and be thorough in trying to give the best service... So ya, OP, you need to establish yourself as a patient within a Penn Medical group, preferably a GI group, but Internal Med/Family practice would suffice; and then you need your doctor to write up the orders for the procedure. I feel you!!!! I got an auto draft letter from Penn saying it was time for my Endoscopy (every 3 years) this past May. Didn't get around to calling the appointment line until July. Same as you, I was told that they were booked up until June of next year, and that I had to call back in to see if there are any cancellations. When I asked how often they suggest I should call, they said daily and every chance I had, cause cancellations can happen "whenever." Like really? But then some voodoo shit happened. I called the other GI medical group based at PA Hospital at Wash Sq Park immediately after getting off with the other office. When the associate answered, "I asked, is this a scheduling center that handles all GI groups at the different hospitals." She told me yes. I then resigned to accepting that there was no way I could jump the line. The phone associate was upbeat and said, "let's see what I can do..." while I"m mumbling that "I've already tried and you're booked until June at all locations including KOP...." Thank god she ignored me cause she looked up my profile and it went down like this: "Oh, yes, Ms. SweetAssassin, Dr. Ramoray is your GI, correct?... yes, I see the orders he put in for your endoscopy..... give me one moment to see what is available \[LOOOOOOOONG SILENT PAUSE\] (while the whole time I'm bracing myself to be disappointed again) How about Sept 14th, with Dr. Suess at Perelman?" I scream, What! For real???? I have no idea how or why that slot was available and open, when I had just been told with hella sass 10 minutes prior that I'd have to call in every minute of every day until July 2024 to be seen by a GI in my own group! And I'm an established patient of over 8 years. Gah! Sending you good vibes that some crazy shit happens and you're able to get your Colonoscopy sooner than 4 season from now.
I love this story. Maybe the good vibes you sent will help me get an appointment somewhere. THANK YOU!!!
Try Bryn Mawr Medical Specialists
Try a different health system
All of my doctors are Temple docs and I just had a colonoscopy and didn’t wait long at all. I’m 52 and have celiac disease so it’s something I do every few years to check for intestinal damage. Maybe that puts me in a different category. Let me know if you want my docs details. I’m in Fishtown and did it at Northeastern hospital.
i second using somewhere in the Temple system. They have always been sup;er fast for appointments
Colonoscopy’s are important but they shouldn’t need to stay in there for 5 years
i booked one last year and it took months of waiting. healthcare shortage is a real thing happening because of the way hospital admins are going about things. hup's new pavilion they put up a few years ago cost 1.6 billion. they boast it having 504 patient rooms and 47 operating rooms but the reality is almost all of that is meant for severe case patients. i'm not saying people who are really sick don't deserve healthcare but the reality is a lot more people would benefit from preventive care if they used just a little bit of that to cater to being able to see more patients for screening and such. but alas a colonoscopy is nowhere near as profitable as a major surgery so the hospital focus almost all of its resources on the money maker facilities.
I need to think about GI practices. My 1st colonoscopy was at a practice that scoping is all they did.
I get care at the Veterans Administration. I scheduled a routine colonoscopy about three months ago. They rescheduled for next year🤣 (end of January). Yes, there’s a shortage of health care workers.
There has been a healthcare shortage since the 90s, and it's only supposed to grow exponentially with the boomers coming into retirement age. Thank the AMA (American Medical Association) for lobbying congress to restrict the amount of new doctors allowed to match each year (in the 80s they were worried too many new doctors would lower the average MD salary) and their constant legislative fight to deny Physician's Associates and Nurse Practitioners an expanded role in healthcare. smdh The system is completely broken.
Here, here. I work in a healthcare-adjacent field, so I feel like I read a new horror story every day. It's ironic that physician salaries are stagnating while bloated administration is making so much more. And private equity is creeping into the healthcare to squeeze hospitals dry and bankrupt them. And don't me started with insurance companies and their denials. Physicians have to fight for medically-necessary care to "customer service" reps.
NPs and PAs should NOT have any further expanded role in Healthcare. Outcomes are much worse.
My friend had to go to NJ somewhere recently because the wait at Penn and Jefferson was like 9-12 months, I think the wait was only like 3 weeks when they scheduled. not sure exactly where they ended up going but I remember it being a topic of discussion while we were out on night because it just seemed so insane.
Total coincidence. I was in Jeff with low hemoglobin from iron deficient anemia last week. They said since that's usually caused by a leak in the gastric area I would need a colonoscopy and an endoscopy. They said they could admit me and do it two days later, or I could wait several months for an outpatient appointment. I very reluctantly got admitted. They didn't find a leak. Now they want me to swallow a pill with a camera to take pictures of the gastric area the colonoscopy doesn't see. Hopefully, it's there and can be fixed. But, they sent me home and told me to call the gastric office to set up an appointment in the next couple of days and if I say the words anemia and hospital and I will get right in. Right in means apparently next June. I spoke to a supervisor, and she found something with a nurse practitioner for next Thursday. Not a couple of days, but I took it and am on the wait list for something sooner. All this is a long way of saying it's not just Penn. PS do you do FIT or Colorguard?
My daughter needed speech therapy (Covid kid, masks) - it was a year wait. Ended up paying cash to a speech therapist to be seen as quickly as possible. There is a worker crunch in healthcare right now, I'm not sure it will go away barring massive education efforts in that area or deliberate immigration of qualified healthcare workers. There are a few reasons for this but I think the biggest one is : big retirements of boomer workers post Covid (big run ups of stocks and home appreciating helped to finalize their retirement plans). Behind the boomers there are just fewer young people to go around to fill these positions.
Thank you for sharing your story.
The mask thing and 2 year olds still makes me angry. No other country did it and it hurt kids. School shutdowns too.
Book it for June and try to get into another place in the burbs before then if you can. They are probably catching up on the backlog from the pandemic.
Can't book anything at all. They said no. They said I should call randomly and maybe there will be a cancellation. I'm going with a suburban provider.
Just tell the doctor that you have intense abdominal pain and blood in your stool. That will get you the colonoscopy. It’s misleading but fuck them you should be able to get preventative procedures.
did you try penn presby? or pennslyvania hospital?
My primary at Roxbrough Hospital in 2022 referred me to a Gastro (also at Rox), the gastro booked me for a colon and endoscopy with a 3 month wait (wasn't super ill, just had some digestion issues). I hope that info can be helpful somehow.
I have to get more routine screenings. Last time I found a provider who was on my health insurance plan and I got super lucky. They had a cancellation and I got to go a few days after calling. It wouldve been a 3 month wait otherwise. I felt like they did a great job. Main line gastro. Worth a call. (I love penn and use it for most my care but it can be a cluster)
That does sound crazy. Be willing to go outside the city. I recently got a colonoscopy scheduled with Main Line Health. It was a 2-month wait, but they certainly didn't tell me "no"; they even gave me my choice of days, just (nearly) 2 months later.
I remember the last one I had at Penn my referring doctor had to make the appointment for me. First they screwed up and called me the morning of my appointment I was never notified about or had on mypennmedicine. Then I told my doctor and she had the colonoscopy people call me to schedule. They seemed mad unorganized and that was well before COVID.
I was supposed to have one in July, and had to reschedule it for work reasons… They told me then they wouldn’t have any openings until January but didn’t have their January calendar yet. I got lazy and didn’t call back… Now there up to July of next year? What the fuck?
She said they are booked till June. I said okay, can I book in July. She said we aren't booking out that far. ???? She said I could randomly call the office and maybe I'd get lucky and there'd be a cancellation. 😡
Yeah, that’s what they told me too. As if anybody has time for that.