Home > Finding Melanoma Early: Appointment & Referral Problems


Problems Getting an Appointment with a Dermatologist

If you are having difficulty getting an appointment with a dermatologist, let the receptionist know that you are concerned about a possible melanoma, that you need to be seen quickly, and that you will take any time they can fit you in. Don't take no for an answer. If you can’t get an appointment within one week, even after insisting that you suspect melanoma, you can:

  • Make an appointment with a board-certified general surgeon or plastic surgeon. They are trained in the safe removal of moles and early melanomas, and appointments are usually available sooner than with dermatologists.
  • Make an appointment with the dermatology department of a large hospital. Many have pigmented lesion clinics, melanoma centers, and/or dermatology departments where you can see a dermatologist without a referral (your insurance company may require a referral to pay for the visit). In Boston, for example, Mass General Hospital's Melanoma Center and Pigmented Lesion Center offers mole exams Thursday and Friday mornings, and also has a Dermatology Department where you can be examined without a referral (again, your insurance company may require a referral for reimbursement). These are not walk-in clinics; you must call in advance, but if you let them know you have a lesion that is changing or looks like a melanoma they will do their best to schedule you quickly. All patients are accepted regardless of financial circumstances, and although services are not free, suitable payment terms can usually be arranged if your financial resources are limited.
  • Call the American Academy of Dermatology (888-462-3376) for information about other dermatologists in your area, or find a dermatologist online.


Problems Getting a Referral from Your Primary Care Physician

Most primary care physicians are reasonable about granting referrals, but some are overzealous in bowing to cost-containment pressures from HMOs. If so, consider changing physicians. Meanwhile, don't let anyone stand in the way of being seen by a dermatologist. Primary care physicians routinely misdiagnose early melanomas. We have received numerous letters from family members of patients who died because they took no further action after their primary care physicians told them a changing mole was benign. It isn't worth the risk, even if you have to pay out of pocket for the dermatologist appointment. The cost is small if it saves your life… or even if it just lets you sleep better at night.

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