| Doctors work around the clock, but it seems the | | | | a member of staff they want to keep on their |
| ones that work after hours hide in the shadows a | | | | payroll. |
| bit. Finding a doctor in public after 6pm needs | | | | Call your regular doctor |
| more than a little luck. And if you manage to | | | | All primary care doctors have an ethical obligation |
| catch one, you have often dealt with a long wait | | | | to provide after hours care. Sometimes they |
| and a higher than usual fee. When your medical | | | | have a roster of doctors on call, or they may |
| problem is a roaring emergency, the answer is | | | | employ a locum service. Some prefer you to |
| easy - simply call an ambulance or high-tail to the | | | | attend the local after hours clinic. The best way |
| emergency department (where a little inside | | | | to find out what your doctor would want you to |
| information will help shorten your wait). But when | | | | do is to phone their main number and listen to the |
| your problem is simpler, accessing a doctor | | | | recorded message. |
| seems a lot more complicated. | | | | If you are lucky, you will find out that your |
| You can imagine the situation. | | | | doctor has extended their hours since you last |
| It's 7pm and you are just making dinner when | | | | checked, or may be willing to stay a little bit |
| you slice your hand with a knife. "Ow! Swear | | | | longer to fit you in. |
| word! Ow!" you exclaim, as you compress the cut | | | | Visit a 24 hour clinic or "Super Clinic" |
| with a clean cotton dishtowel (rendered relatively | | | | Super Clinics are usually open all hours, often with |
| sterile by the iron). The cut is not huge, and you | | | | more staff available after hours. The quality of |
| are pretty sure it is not too deep, but it won't | | | | staff varies, although all are qualified to a minimum |
| stop bleeding and you think you might need | | | | standard. These clinics are a good solution for any |
| stitches. You are faced with the major modern | | | | after hours primary care emergencies, like cuts |
| medical dilemma - how do you find a doctor in the | | | | and grazes, sprains, colds and flus, and childhood |
| evening outside your local emergency | | | | illnesses. The system varies, but usually you |
| department? | | | | attend and simply wait until it is your turn. Usually |
| This situation can be stressful and it is often | | | | the wait will be longer than an appointment with |
| combined with other considerations. Maybe you | | | | your regular doctor, but shorter than attending a |
| have to look after your kids. Maybe you have an | | | | hospital ED. |
| early start in the morning and can't be up after | | | | These are not good places to go if you have a |
| midnight just to get your hand checked. There | | | | condition that could deteriorate rapidly, like chest |
| are a number of ways to make it easier, and less | | | | pain, or asthma. It is better to have these things |
| stressful. | | | | assessed by hospital staff. |
| Get to know a doctor personally | | | | These are also not good clinics to attend for |
| This is one of the best ways to get to see a | | | | regular appointments, as you can't usually get |
| doctor when you need them - rely on familial | | | | repeat appointments with the same doctor. |
| obligation. Be careful with this tactic, though, as it | | | | Call a locum service |
| can backfire. If the doctor is a member of your | | | | Locum services provide primary care doctors |
| family, you will have to respect them a little bit, | | | | that make house calls after hours. This is usually a |
| as you would if they were a "real" doc. If they | | | | paid service (as are most after hours services). |
| are a friend, you really only can do this once or | | | | Again, you will have to wait an unpredictable |
| twice before they stop answering your calls. So | | | | amount of time, as it depends on what other |
| pick your health emergency with care. | | | | patients have called in. However, you get to wait |
| Finally, make sure the doctor you choose to | | | | in your own home for the doctor to visit you. |
| befriend is appropriately qualified. When I was | | | | This is particularly valuable if you feel rotten, or |
| deciding what specialty to choose, my Dad | | | | you are minding children who are asleep. |
| strongly argued against paediatrics, purely because | | | | Locum services will communicate with your |
| he could see that he would never get his | | | | regular doctor so they know what has occurred. |
| "money's worth." For the record, he favored | | | | If you are not sure how ill you are, locums are |
| general practice, surgery or psychiatry. | | | | generally a good option. You can cancel the call if |
| Get to know Doctor's staff personally | | | | you decide you feel better. And if your condition |
| Most doctors are pretty malleable and are | | | | deteriorates, you can call an ambulance. |
| particularly at the mercy of their staff. As in all | | | | What to do now |
| industries, good staff are hard to find, and you | | | | When it is 2am and your partner is having an |
| want to do favors for them, if you can. If you | | | | episode of abdominal pain, it is really hard to figure |
| can marry a medical receptionist, or carpool with | | | | out what to do, and often they are not helpful |
| a practice nurse, you will have a reasonable | | | | (she speaks from experience). It is important to |
| chance to manipulate an after hours appointment | | | | figure out your plan in advance. Search your |
| in an emergency. | | | | telephone guide right now and find where your |
| For this to work, you really need to have a real | | | | local after hours clinics, and the number of your |
| emergency or extenuating circumstances to | | | | town locum service. Next time you visit your |
| persuade your friend to pull in a favor from their | | | | doctor, ask the staff what to do for after hours |
| boss. They must also be a treasured member of | | | | care. |
| staff, so make sure your friend is not a nuff-nuff. | | | | Being prepared, and in the know, will help you find |
| The doctor will only go out of their way to coddle | | | | the "doctor of the night". |