This is a question that would apply to anyone and is not intended to request medical advice but rather consumer advice about what provider type offers the best value for routine care, given the need to balance qualifications with the difficulty of scheduling appointments. For routine annual skin exams, what kind of provider credentials should one seek?
The providers at my practice who do routine skin exams are called MD, DO, PA-C, or FNP-BC and those credentials seem to align in that order from least available to soonest available. Even the soonest available appointments with an FNP-BC are months out. The appointments with the MDs are over six months out. The practice is not taking any new patients for routine care as they are in high demand (which I hear is the situation with Dermatology in general).
All these various letters are very confusing to the healthcare consumer and I do not understand the difference as it would apply to routine annual exams.
I used to see an MD there but she left the practice and at my last appointment I was seen by an FNP-BC instead. I just called to schedule my appointment for next year and requested an MD but now I see on the appointment confirmation the provider is actually a DO. The receptionist did mention that some of the MDs weren't taking appointments yet that far out so maybe I was trying too early to schedule. Should I cancel the appointment with the DO and keep calling until I can book one with an MD? And if I end up having to reschedule (inevitably a kid gets sick the day I have some kind of appointment), is it fine to see another provider type for routine care since they are easier to schedule with?
The copay difference under my insurance is $30 MD vs $20 FNP-BC (not sure about the other provider types) and that $10 is irrelevant to my decision. The higher "cost" of the MD to me is the extreme scheduling difficulty.
The providers at my practice who do routine skin exams are called MD, DO, PA-C, or FNP-BC and those credentials seem to align in that order from least available to soonest available. Even the soonest available appointments with an FNP-BC are months out. The appointments with the MDs are over six months out. The practice is not taking any new patients for routine care as they are in high demand (which I hear is the situation with Dermatology in general).
All these various letters are very confusing to the healthcare consumer and I do not understand the difference as it would apply to routine annual exams.
I used to see an MD there but she left the practice and at my last appointment I was seen by an FNP-BC instead. I just called to schedule my appointment for next year and requested an MD but now I see on the appointment confirmation the provider is actually a DO. The receptionist did mention that some of the MDs weren't taking appointments yet that far out so maybe I was trying too early to schedule. Should I cancel the appointment with the DO and keep calling until I can book one with an MD? And if I end up having to reschedule (inevitably a kid gets sick the day I have some kind of appointment), is it fine to see another provider type for routine care since they are easier to schedule with?
The copay difference under my insurance is $30 MD vs $20 FNP-BC (not sure about the other provider types) and that $10 is irrelevant to my decision. The higher "cost" of the MD to me is the extreme scheduling difficulty.
Statistics: Posted by leeks — Mon May 20, 2024 12:42 pm — Replies 6 — Views 367