Planning Doctor Visits
The following guidelines will help you know when you can expect to be seen by a doctor. It’s important to recognize what symptoms require immediate attention, and when a non-urgent visit may be more appropriate. If you are not sure, please call your doctor to find out what type of visit is best to treat your condition:
| Situation
|
Time Frame
|
| Emergency care
|
Immediately upon presentation at a service delivery site
|
| Urgent care
|
Within 24 hours
|
| Non-urgent sick visits
|
Within 48-72 hours as clinically indicated
|
| Routine, non-urgent, or preventive appointments
|
Within 4 weeks
|
| Specialist referrals (non-urgent)
|
Within 4 weeks
|
| Well child care
|
Within 4 weeks
|
| Initial prenatal visit
|
Within 2 weeks for the initial visit, every 2 weeks during the second trimester, and every week thereafter
|
| Initial PCP office visit for newborns
|
Within 2 weeks of hospital discharge
|
| Non-life threatening emergency mental health or substance abuse visit
|
Emergency appointment within 6 hours
|
| Urgent mental health or substance abuse visit
|
Within 48 hours
|
| In-plan mental health or substance abuse, initial routine
|
Within 10 business days
|
| Follow-up visit mental health or substance abuse visit, routine
|
Within 30 days
|
| Follow-up visits (pursuant to an emergency or hospital discharge)
|
Within 1 week
|
| Adult baseline and routine physicals
|
Within 12 weeks from enrollment (adults > 21 years)
|
| Non-urgent mental or substance abuse visits with a PCP
|
Within 2 weeks
|