Advanced Access Booking

Most of our doctors are booking appointments by ‘Advanced Access’ ..

‘Advanced Access’ allows appointments to be scheduled within 1-2 working days and makes pre-booked appointment spots limited. The idea behind this method is to make physicians more available on the day you call for an appointment. Appropriate appointments include routine follow-ups, preventative care (i.e. Annual physicals, well-baby visits, prenatal visits, etc.), non-urgent issues (i.e. Health education, immunizations, etc.), and urgent care (i.e. Sore throats, ear aches, fever, etc.). We encourage all patients to call in for ‘same day’ or ‘next day’ appointments whenever possible, including physicals and check-ups.

About 60-70% of appointments each day open for booking either that day, or the day before. As a result, the number of ‘pre-booked’ appointments (appointments that can be booked well in advance) will be limited to about 30-40% of that day’s appointment slots. Of course, some people have schedules around work, childcare or transportation that require a more predictable, pre-booked appointment time. For these situations, there will still be a few appointment slots each day that can be booked in advance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: I depend on others to bring me to appointments. Can I pre-book my appointments in advance around their schedule?

A: Yes. Please indicate to your doctor or one of the staff if you require this kind of booking. However, if there have been times where you pre-booked an appointment and did not show without calling to cancel, we may not be able to pre-book further appointments for you.

Q: Will the ‘same day’ system work like a walk-in clinic?

A: No. When you call and are given a ‘same day’ appointment, it will be for a specific time during the day. If you come to the office without an appointment, you will be scheduled like you were on the phone.

Q: Will your doctor be available every day for a ‘same day’ appointment?

A: No. Our Doctor’s schedules include many other duties, such as hospital emergency room coverage, home visits, and Coroner calls. Each doctor is usually in the office 3-4 days per week.

Q: What will happen if schedule is completely full on the day I call in?

A: If so many of my patients call in for a ‘same day’ booking that the schedule is full, you will be given an appointment time for the next day that your doctor is in the office.