Urgent Care Facilities
- Related page: Pediatric Urgent Care & Emergency Rooms
Parent Q&A
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We moved here a couple years ago and I've been consistently horrified by the health care system(s) here. Our experience has been primarily with Sutter, with a few out of network exceptions (equally bad). After going through a pregnancy and dealing with other family health issues, I'm wondering if we're just not dialed in, because I can't imagine that what we've experienced is broadly accepted as normal (but maybe it is?). For context, we have a Blueshield of CA PPO plan paid for out-of-pocket (we're self-employed) and sometimes wonder why we have insurance at all because we can rarely access health care when we need it. Example - for a fairly routine but potentially serious postpartum health issue, I was told by both my Sutter gyn and PCP that the next available appointment is in Sept (it's May) and to go to Urgent Care. Urgent Care told me to just go to the ER. The issue was urgent but did not rise to the level of requiring an ER visit and I imagine the ER is clogged with relatively minor issues because more often than not, that's where I've been directed for pretty much anything that requires same-day but not emergency care. We've also needed urgent assistance on the weekends that could be easily resolved with an on-call nurse able to assess and write a prescription if needed. But of course, Sutter will just refer me to the ER for this. I don't think we have the option of switching to Kaiser until Oct (and not sure that's the best option) and have been referred to OneMedical, but reviews aren't stellar. We take our kids to Berkeley Pediatrics and we're in LOVE with their practice and in an ideal world, would be able to find the same thing for adults.
Questions are: Does anyone know of/have a great family practice that offers an after-hours number to call for urgent but non ER issues AND who takes Blue Shield of CA?
Any recommendations for a ob-gyn practice where appointments aren't booked months out and that also offers after-hours assistance (and takes BSofCA)?
Thanks for reading.
May 5, 2022