> Sounds like a typical American family doctor's office? Not any that I have ever been to, and I have been to several across two different metro areas. > All

> Sounds like a typical American family doctor's office? Not any that I have ever been to, and I have been to several across two different metro areas. > All of them in my area have long waiting lists. I have yet to encounter a waiting list. > You don't just show up at the front door like it's an auto mechanic's shop, you call to schedule your annual physical. Actually, I just book an appointment. Only once have I started out with my physical being the first appointment. Calling to book an appointment requires being a registered patient or member of that office. > Calling to book an appointment requires being a registered patient or member of that office. I am not a "member" of my doctor's office, not have I ever been. I just go on ZocDoc or my insurance company's website, pick a doctor, and make an appointment. Sure, some are marked as "not accepting new patients", but I just ignore those. > If they are, they'll get your medical records transferred and set you up for an intake appointment where they check to make sure that they know your status, and then you are able to schedule future visits. I have never had my medical records transferred, nor have I ever had an intake appointment. I just go in, discuss my issues, present any relevant history myself, and go from there. If I ever become dissatisfied, I just start going somewhere else. > You certainly don't just call any convenient office and expect to get an appointment in the next couple days, that would be anarchy. That's all I have ever done, so I don't see how I "certainly" don't. In fact, here is a ZocDoc PCP search using my insurance centered on Grand Central: https://www.zocdoc.com/search?address=Grand%20Central%20Terminal%2C%20East%2042nd%20Street%2C%20New%20York%2C%20NY&insurance_carrier=324&day_filter=AnyDay&gender=-1&language=-1&offset=0&insurance_plan=2778&reason_visit=75&after_5pm=false&before_10am=false&sees_children=false&sort_type=Default&dr_specialty=153&ip=69.191.241.34 https://www.zocdoc.com/search?address=Grand%20Central%20Term... There are seven doctors on that list that I could see today. No intake appointment, no physical, none of this crap you are talking about. So I ask again, what kind of system are you dealing with?