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j_allosaurus t1_ja4t7u5 wrote

CHA’s primary care has been really overstressed lately. My partner and I haven’t been able to get appointments to see our existing providers any sooner than 6-8 weeks out, and I imagine it would be way worse for new patients.

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georgporg OP t1_ja4trdr wrote

This has been my experience with them. I tried calling back in November and they said they were booked till Mar and weren’t taking in anymore appointments. They asked me to call every week to see if there was an opening or if they’d open up past Mar. I tried for a good 2 weeks then gave up. Pretty rough…

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j_allosaurus t1_ja4wk9n wrote

Yeah, it sucks. They shut down one location and are really struggling to keep primary care doctors on. I had a pulmonary embolism diagnosed in the CHA ED. The doctor there released me with a week’s prescription for medication and said that I needed to see my primary care doc immediately to get a treatment plan and the right medication. I called CHA (where I was already a patient) and the front desk receptionists were like “sorry, how about in a month?” When I explained the situation, they were like “what do you want us to do about it?” I had to raise a huge stink just so I could talk to a nurse so I wasn’t being triaged by a receptionist and then an even bigger stink so I could be seen within a week and get the prescription and referrals I needed. I was a big fan of CHA’s primary care before the pandemic, but they are struggling right now in a way that means I cannot recommend them.

When I was looking for new doctors, Mt Auburn Primary Care said they could get me in that week if I didn’t mind being seen by a younger doctor (maybe a resident?) and didn’t mind that the doctors would rotate. That might be an option for you if you’re not set on having one specific doctor?

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