Medical Specialist Waiting List

How long is the waiting period to see an endocrinologist in Taipei? Please and thanks in advance.

Eh…the time it takes you to make an appointment, either online, by phone or in person? I really do not understand the question. Taiwan NHI booking system is not like the West. You are the customer and can pick any hospital. Where do you reside? City or countryside? Maybe someone can suggest a doctor or hospital? If urgent, you can go to the hospital and ask the desk to be seen promptly.

Famous doctors slots fill up fast…for that week. But there is always room for more.

Choose a hospital near you. Make the appointment. Morning, afternoon or evening slots. Once you do, they give you a number. You sit down and wait. Worse case scenario is a couple of hours.

Now, doctors here see too many patients at a time, so the doc may not devote much time to you. If you do not like what he says or he did not pay good attention, do as Taiwanese: seek a second opinion.

Ps
If you are in Taipei, you can access the fancy English only service say at Priority Care Adventist Hospital. One hour with the doctor of your choice. 10 thousand NTD vs. 300 to 700 NTD at normal NHI hospital rates.

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Just go to the TMUH website (or another major hospital if you prefer), choose the correct department, and see when they’re available.

At TMUH you can usually get appointments within a day or two - occasionally doctors are booked up a week or so ahead, and I think there’s a cutoff of the previous day or so, but it shouldn’t take long.

At the moment you can book an appointment with who I believe is the head of the endocrinology department there (he’s the first guy on the list) as early as tomorrow (Thursday).

That doesn’t seem a great deal, or necessary unless the person is trying to spend a large amount of extra money.

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Thank you for your response. Basically losing trust in US Healthcare. 5 months to see one here.

2400 US$ plane ticket may be worthwhile.

:beers:

You do need NHI to access those prices, but even as a tourist, your cost will probably be less than your typical US co-pay (I can guarantee it’d be less than your US co-pay if you have high deductible insurance!)

US$2400 for a round trip flight between the US and Taiwan? That’s a lot more than I’ll be paying in this post COVID travel world…

The plane ticket prices are about 2 weeks ago quoted. EWR to TPE. Round trip.

I remember some years ago having to see a pulmonologist because some months earlier a spot had been detected on one of my lungs. I had no idea who to see or how long it would take. I recall thinking I would have to wait a long time to get an appointment. I walked into a major hospital, showed the lady at one of the desks the piece of paper I’d been given and my NHI card, she rattled away on her keyboard, and then told me 11th floor. I said “what”? And she responded, “Hurry up, your appointment is in 10 minutes.” Went up, nurse took my card, I’d barely sat down and was called up to see the doctor. Walked in, he had my records on his screen, we looked at the x-ray, he agreed that there was a spot and that I should get another x-ray. I assumed I would have to make another appointment and come back in a couple of weeks but no. He said to get it right now. “Just go to the x-ray department, have it taken and come back”. I walked over there, they took, walked back to his office, waited about 10 minutes and was called in again. He had my new x-ray on his screen and we both looked at it. The spot was no longer there. Easy peasy. The whole thing cost (I think) $1200 NTD.

I recall having to get a physical in the US years ago. It took over a month to get an appointment, I waited over an hour and then had to fill out paperwork, pay $400, wait again for the nurse to do her things, then she a doctor, then I was told to come back next week because the person who takes blood wasn’t there. Came back the following week and then had to wait another month to get the report.

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That is what Taiwanese compatriots do.

It used to be they didn’t have to pay extra nor update their NHI, but now they must update their “,quota”, so to speak. Still a lot cheaper more reliable and accessible than many places around the world. Plus they have the extra benefits of having family to help out.

Bit of a detail: if you get to stay in the hospital, you must know that nurses here are to give you meds and change dressings. You have to find someone to help you out say to bathe or get food or extra stuff. And talking about food, if you are not on a special diet, you don’t have to be on hospital food. You can order McDs, UberEATS, whatever you like.

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There isn’t any. No referral required to see a specialist in Taiwan. If you don’t care which particular specialist to see you can see one almost immediately if you want to. Some might be booked for a few weeks.

Out of pocket cost for uninsured here is a lot lower than even insured price in the states. I don’t know why Americans continue to put up with this. You know something’s wrong when people are going to Mexico to buy insulin.