Scheduling Specialist/Dr Appointments?

[chenderson]

How do you schedule in doctor appointments for doctors that do not have office hours on weekends? I have two specialists that I need to see every 6 months. I opened in March and saw them both before that and am now due to see them again but have yet to make the appointments as I have no idea what to do. Do I make the appointment as early as I can and open late for that day? Make the appt late and close early? Close for the day altogether? Ack! I'm so lost and want to be there for my families (of which I have 3) but also need to ensure I'm healthy.

Suggestions??

[torontokids]

This is something I have struggled with as well. I haven't had to close as of yet. My one specialist has office hours once a month at a clinic across the city that I see him at. I have not seen my family Dr. since I opened. We are going to plan another pregnancy so I need to figure something out. I have been high risk for my other pregnancies because of a preexisting condition so that typically means more Dr. appts.

I have been thinking about hiring someone to cover me while I am gone. The staff at my daughter's before and after care program have split shifts (they come in for the hour in the morning and then have to find something to do until 3 when their shift starts again and the school is across the road) and I have thought about hiring one of them but then this may make things difficult if things don't work out.

Most people I think open later or close early as you have suggested

[33 Daiseys]

i make my appointments as early as possible and take the kids with me

[Rachael]

Don't get me started! My GP finishes at 4pm so I can never see him since he doesn't start until 8.30am either.

I always have to go to the walk-in at the weekend or book a day off. I will not take day care children on personal appointments. For one thing, I do not want 6 children with ears wiggling as I speak to my doctor. We all know what tales we hear about home but if I wanted all my clients knowing all my business, I'd e-mail them.

Plus, IMO, I am being paid to care for children. Not run personal errands.

I have recently had to take three days off for specialist appointments and now I've just booked off a date in December where he wants to see me.

What do your contracts say about appointments?
Do you give a certain amount of notice of closing?
Do you have a max number of days unavailable a year?
Did you detail if personal days were paid or not?
Does your contact state you might arrange cover and parents are given enough notice for them to decide if their child is attended on that date?

I know I say this a lot but much of what your options are, will come down to what your contract states about your availability.

I know my day care parents wouldn't be happy if I opened late and/or closed early. That would mean them needing to take at least a part day off so my own client base would prefer me to close and take it as a personal day if their leave is being affected anyway.

[ttremble88]

I take the latest appointment of the day and close early. I was preggers when I opened and I many appointments, especially near the end. But I had to do what I had to do. I felt bad. I usually gave them at least a months notice.

[5 Little Monkeys]

I see a back specialist and have had to close approx 3-4x to see him because he's in a city 2 hours from me. I always give over a months notice and have never had a parent complain about it. For the most part I think they all understand that I'm not super woman and I need days off too lol. It's annoying but not much we can do.

I now will be seeing a fertility doctor and I don't know how well it's going to go. She is also 2 hours from us so it will be full day closures. We have already had 2 different appointments lined up though and they have gotten rescheduled. I felt really bad for the parents as some of them took the day off. I assume we will have to see her often and if this is the norm for her I will not be happy!!

For normal doctor and chiropractor appointments though, I am able to schedule them during the day as my husband works evenings so he stays home with the kids. It works great and I love it!!

The odd time I have taken them with me if it's only 1 or 2 and than went and did other things after the appt's. Parents have never had an issue with this either.

If I were you I would schedule for later in the day and close early. If a dr is running behind that will put you late at getting back home if you do the appt first and could cause issues. Closing early allows you to get to the appt and if dr is running behind it won't matter as much.

[chenderson]

Taking the children with me is definitely never going to be an option. Mainly because I just don't want to take 4 small kids to an appointment where I need to pay attention and discuss my health and focus on my needs and also because I do not have a vehicle that will fit everyone. Let alone my specialists are 45 min away and typically never run on time.

My contract notes "Whenever possible medical and personal appointments will be made after child care hours however, if I must use child care hours to secure appointments, I will have to close my child care home or open later in the day."

I think I'll ask the parents and see what they'd prefer after calling the doctor's office to see what my appointment options are. If I can't get late in the day then I'll just have to close and give as much notice as possible.

[Rachael]

I think you have to but be prepared that just because your contracts say you might have to open late/close early, that doesn't mean they will have agreed to pay full day rate, of course. :-)

[mickyc]

Personally I book appointments for as late in the day as I can and just close early. I would never take a child with me other than my own. If the appointment is out of my city then I just book the full day off. I would never open late because I never know how long I will be so hard to tell parents to come at a certain time when you never know when you will be back. At least if you close early it doesn't matter how late you will be at the appointment.

My contract states that if I close at noon I only charge half day's rate. If I close 3 or later I charge full rate. I would never close during nap time.

[AmandaKDT]

I have an early closure policy for just such situations. If I close less than 3 hours from my usual closing time parents pay full fees, if it is more than 3 hours they pay a half day rate. If they choose to keep their child home from daycare that day they still have to pay. I give atleast 1 week notice.

[chenderson]

Thanks everyone!! I made the appt for Dec 22 at 3 so school is out then anyways and one of my families are teachers and one is away on vacation so the closure will only affect one family.