Weingold David Howard, Lack Michael Dweight, Yanowitz Karen Leslie
private practice, Jonesboro, Arkansas, USA.
J Am Acad Dermatol. 2009 Jun;60(6):944-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2009.01.022.
Recent reports have indicated long wait times for dermatologic appointments even for changing moles.
Our objective was to determine the wait time for a person willing to make multiple calls and accept an appointment from any dermatologist at any satellite location for a changing mole from a dermatologist who advertised in a Boston, MA, telephone book.
We telephoned each practice listed in a Boston, MA, telephone book.
Patients making one call to each dermatologic practice on average obtained an appointment in 18 days. Patients calling two practices were offered an appointment on average in 7 days. Patients calling 3 practices were also offered an appointment in 1 week.
We only telephoned practices listed in a Boston, MA, telephone book and we only surveyed one urban area.
These results suggest that a reasonable concerned patient who was willing to make multiple calls to different providers in Boston, MA, can be seen in a timely fashion.
