Your primary care physician can only do so much, but a specialist is well-acquainted with a particular part of the body to provide you with effective solutions and focused care.
Specialized doctors are critical for improving care outcomes, but finding the right one can take time. Handling the research process independently can take weeks, even months, with packed medical specialists’ schedules, personal doctor preferences and the need for a second opinion.
Finding the best medical specialist takes time, but concierge medicine is the solution to accessing the best doctors without the lengthy process of searching for one yourself.
How Long Do People Typically Wait to See a Specialist?
When you’re trying to find access to a medical specialist, it may be challenging to find the perfect match. If you have a medical condition affecting your quality of life, you want care as soon as possible. Once you find a specialist, it can take more time than you expect to get an appointment. Here are a few examples of the length of time it takes to be seen by a specific type of specialist:
- Orthopedist: 11 days
- Cardiologist: 21 days
- Gynecologist: 23 days
- Internal medicine: 29 days
- Dermatology: 32 days
If you find a specialist, book an appointment with them and then decide they’re not the right fit, you might feel disappointed that you have to start the process over again and wait up to an entire month to see another doctor. Waiting all that time can also put you in a difficult position since you’re dealing with a medical condition that you’re seeking care for.
While these wait times account for the average time it may take to see a specialist, they don’t account for the time spent on the phone with various offices and being turned away due to overbooked schedules. You might find a specialist that’s right for you, only to be denied an appointment entirely.
When it comes to your health, you want the care you need, the moment you need it. Gaining immediate access to a specialist offers you peace of mind and greater convenience. With less time spent on hold or waiting for a call back, you can focus on other important tasks.
Accessing the Best Medical Specialist: Your Options
You have two potential routes to take when searching for a medical specialist.
1. Do It Yourself
When you’re searching for a medical specialist yourself, you have to work through several steps to find a trusted professional to provide your care. Doing it yourself can involve:
- Finding the best doctor for your symptoms: Some symptoms may have a clear specialist choice. For example, frequent migraines require a neurologist. However, other symptoms can be more complex. For instance, endometriosis may point to a gynecologist to start, only to reveal that an endocrinologist is the best option. Your primary care doctor can point you in the right direction.
- Determining your preferences: When entrusting your health to someone, you want a professional that fits your preferences. You may prefer a doctor with several years of experience or someone with the same gender or racial background as you.
- Researching backgrounds: Researching doctors can be a time-consuming process. You want to uncover information like credentials and past experience to determine whether a professional is the best fit for you and if you trust them with your health.
- Reading reviews and getting referrals: Patient reviews can give you a sense of whether a specialist is a good choice. You can also talk to your insurance provider about getting a referral in-network based on your preferences.
- Getting a second opinion: You may find a specialist that seems to check all the boxes and still want a second opinion from another professional. While this step can offer peace of mind, it will add a significant amount of time to your specialist search.
Even with an assistant or someone else to delegate this process to, it’s still a lengthy process that requires extensive effort. When you’re facing a health concern, this may not be time you’re willing to waste.
2. Become a Sollis Member
Sollis Health where medicine meets hospitality. From our carefully curated network of top providers, we can help find the right specialist who can cater to your specific needs. We leverage our connections to bypass the waitlist – getting you an appointment in days instead of weeks. We treat your medical care needs with the attention, reliability and thoughtfulness they deserve.
Rather than trying to find the right specialist for your condition and waiting for their schedule to open up, Sollis Health handles all of the legwork for you. When you become a Sollis member, you gain expedited access to a network of over 500 specialists. Instead of waiting months for an appointment, you can see one of these specialists within days. In some cases, you may even be able to see a specialist the same day.
Sollis can help you select a specialist based on your medical needs and preferences. We take medicine personally — our physicians can only see a certain number of members at a time, giving you more time to discuss your medical concerns. Our facilities include luxurious amenities and privacy, so you can truly connect with your healthcare provider and feel at ease during every appointment.
Sollis Health is where the doctor waits for you. You can go from diagnosis to surgery in as little as 72 hours. We’ll coordinate your care and find a specialist for you, so you can rest easy knowing we’ve got you covered.
Our Care Navigation services extend beyond support from our network. We can provide care for you during emergencies and the smallest health concerns — anytime, anywhere. If you need medical care outside of our network services, we navigate the administrative hurdles so you don’t have to. We even provide these services while you’re traveling, so you can trust your health is in good hands wherever you go.
“After being diagnosed with prostate cancer, I have had a string of doctors with poor results, leaving me desperate and disheartened. When I contacted Sollis, they scheduled me a next-day appointment with the leading authority in Urology, Mt Sinai’s Chairman, and have continued to follow up and monitor my care.” – Phillip M.
Get Access to Expedited Specialist Care
You deserve a streamlined approach to specialist access. Sollis can help you bypass the waitlist by utilizing our carefully vetted network of connections, giving you access to appointments in a matter of days. We always put the needs of our members first and provide you with ultimate peace of mind.
As a Sollis member, you’ll gain access to our concierge medicine services — including 24/7 access to care, virtual visits, advanced imaging, same-day results or treatment and emergency care. We can handle 90% of what a traditional emergency room can, and we’re even here to answer your smallest health questions.
With Sollis, we take care of the job of taking care of yourself. Contact us today to learn how we provide access to the nation’s leading specialists and comprehensive medical services.
