Doctor Appointments with PA or NP

[JasonGraham]

Does anyone else get annoyed when you make a dr appointment with a specific doctor and then you wind up seeing a Physician Assistant or Nurse Practitioner?

My dad wound up in the hospital over the last two weeks and was found to have a tick borne disease called Babesiosis. It caused his heart to go into Afib which has never happened before. Long story short, we are supposed to see “cardiologist” next week as part of follow up care. Just found out appt is not with cardiologist but a PA. To see the actual doctor would be months.

Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against PA’s or NP’s. We have about six NP’s in my family. But for something where you are told by an actual cardiologist to see an actual cardiologist and then they pass you off to someone who is clearly not a cardiologist is very frustrating and annoying. Yet I am sure they will bill it as a “dr visit.”

Anyone else get annoyed by this?

[MikeBrooklyn]

I see it's been a while since this was discussed, but I'm curious—has anyone noticed a difference in how appointments are scheduled between seeing a PA/NP versus a doctor? I feel like I can get in much sooner with a PA or NP, but I wonder if that's the case everywhere. Also, for those who see both, do you prefer scheduling with one over the other for certain issues?

[Kalisspera]

I’ve had appointments with both PAs and NPs, and honestly, the experience has been just as thorough as seeing a doctor. They take the time to listen and explain things well. If I ever need a quick consultation or a refill on medication, telehealth prescription services have been a huge help, especially for routine issues. It’s been a game changer when I don’t feel like sitting in a waiting room forever.