How to find a doctor accepting new patients
Join your province's or insurer's official list first, then call clinics directly and ask the same four questions, because online lists go out of date. Phone Bud can make those calls and put the answers in one table.
Make your first call freeStart with the official list
In Canada, join your province's list. In the US, start with your insurer's directory.
- British Columbia: register with the Health Connect Registry. Clinic waitlists in BC have moved onto it.
- Ontario: register with Health Care Connect.
- Other provinces: most have a similar list or search tool. Check your provincial health ministry's site.
- US: use your insurer's online directory, filter to doctors accepting new patients, then confirm by phone.
Both provincial lists ask for your health card number, so have it ready.
Questions to ask each clinic
Ask every clinic the same four questions so you can compare the answers.
- Are you taking new patients?
- Is there a waitlist, and about how long is it?
- Are there limits on where patients live, or on age?
- How do I register, and when is the earliest first visit?
Write down who you spoke to and the date.
When to call
Call soon after the clinic opens, mid-week. Expect a recorded greeting and a menu. If no one answers, leave a short message with your name and number. See how to leave a voicemail.
Other questions you can ask by phone
Clinic front desks also answer general questions:
- Holiday hours.
- Whether they accept a given insurance plan.
- Whether flu shots need an appointment.
Let Phone Bud call the clinics
Make one call, or start a campaign with a list of numbers and the same questions. A campaign puts each clinic's answers in one table, with the transcript for every call.
Here's a made-up example.
Example campaign
Numbers(555) 010-0110 and 4 more
RequestCall these 5 family clinics. Ask if they're taking new patients, how long the waitlist is, and how to register. My name is Sam Lee and my number is (555) 010-0199.
2 of 5 clinics are taking new patients.
- Clinic A
- Not taking patients
- Clinic B
- Yes. Register online, first visit in about 4 weeks
- Clinic C
- Voicemail left with your number
- Clinic D
- Waitlist, about 6 months
- Clinic E
- Yes, for patients who live nearby. Register in person
- Clinic:Family clinic, how can I help?
- Phone Bud:Hi, I'm calling for Sam Lee. Are you taking new patients?
- Clinic:We are. There's a form on our website, and the first visit is about four weeks out.
- Phone Bud:Thanks, I'll pass that on.
Limits
- General questions only. It doesn't give or get medical advice.
- It shares only what's in your request, so leave out anything you don't want said on the call.
- If registration needs a health card number, a form or a visit, the summary tells you the next step.
- It can't transfer the call to you.
- Clinic menus and voicemail are common, so some calls end with a message left.
- It calls US and Canada numbers only.
Every call has a transcript, and audio may be recorded. See recording and consent.
Related
See booking appointments by phone, having an AI call a business, or how to get a real person on the phone.
FAQ
Can an AI call a clinic for me?
Yes, for general questions like whether they take new patients, how long the wait is and how to register.
Will it share my health information?
Only what you put in the request, so leave out anything you don't want said on the call.
Can it register me as a new patient?
It can ask how registration works and pass on your name and number. Anything that needs ID, a form or a visit is yours to finish.
Can it call several clinics?
Yes. A campaign asks each clinic the same questions and puts the answers in one table.
Does it call clinics outside the US and Canada?
No. It calls US and Canada numbers only.