Can I Get a Same Week Appointment as a New Patient? A Tulsa, Oklahoma Answer
Oklahoma ranks 45th among the 50 states for active primary care providers, with about 249 per 100,000 residents, according to America's Health Rankings. That ranking is the backdrop for a question Tulsa families ask us all the time: can I get a same week appointment as a new patient? The short answer is that it depends heavily on the kind of practice you call. Traditional insurance-based clinics in Tulsa, Oklahoma work from large patient panels and packed schedules. Direct primary care (DPC) practices like Reimagined Health, on the Ascension St. John campus at 1705 E. 19th Street, are built differently, and that structure is what changes the waiting math.
What the national wait-time data says about new patients
The most cited measure of new-patient waits is the AMN Healthcare survey, formerly run by Merritt Hawkins. Its 2025 findings, summarized by the AAFP's Family Practice Management, put the average wait for a new-patient family medicine physical at 23.5 days across the 15 large metro markets surveyed. That number was 20.6 days in 2022 and 20.3 days in 2009. Depending on the city, the family medicine wait ranged from 4 days in Miami and New York to 69 days in Boston.
Family medicine was actually one of the faster specialties. Obstetrics and gynecology averaged 41.8 days, and the survey estimated a national shortage of 57,259 physicians, projected to reach 81,180 by 2035. Tulsa was not one of the 15 markets sampled, so treat these as national context rather than a local promise. Still, in a state that sits near the bottom for primary care provider supply, there is little reason to expect Tulsa, Oklahoma to be much better than the average.
Why traditional clinics make new patients wait
The wait is rarely about a doctor being unwilling to see you. It is about arithmetic. For years, the assumed panel for a full-time family physician was 2,500 patients. A review in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine found that figure was never based on data and that a physician would need 21.7 hours per workday to deliver recommended care to a panel that size. Real-world panels in traditional primary care today run closer to 1,200 to 1,900 patients per physician, which is still a lot of people competing for the same 40-hour week.
Insurance billing adds a second bottleneck. Every visit has to be coded and reimbursed, so schedules are chopped into short slots to keep volume up. A study of more than 21 million visits, reported by EurekAlert, found that the average primary care exam lasts about 18 minutes, with a median of 15. New-patient visits take longer than that, so many clinics reserve only a few new-patient slots per week. Those fill fast, and that is why "new patient" often means "next month."
Can I get a same week appointment as a new patient at a DPC practice?
Direct primary care removes both bottlenecks. Members pay a flat monthly fee instead of per-visit insurance claims, so there is no coding incentive to pack the day. According to the AAFP, the average DPC practice carries about 413 patients per physician, and roughly 99 percent of DPC practices offer same-day appointments to their members. That is a fraction of a traditional panel, which leaves room on the calendar.
At Reimagined Health, that room shows up as unlimited office visits with no copays, longer appointments, telemedicine and virtual visits, and 24/7 access to the doctor once you are a member. Many concerns that would otherwise require an in-person slot can be handled by phone, text, or video. If you want a deeper look at how the model works, we have written about it separately.
One honest caveat: we do not advertise a guaranteed same-week slot for new patients. Availability changes as the practice grows and as the season shifts. The right move is to reach out for a free consultation and ask about current openings. Contact Reimagined Health today, and we will give you a real answer for this week, not a marketing promise.
Traditional clinic vs direct primary care at a glance
The table below pulls together the national figures cited above. Every number comes from the sources linked in this post, and none of them are specific to Reimagined Health.
| Factor | Traditional insurance-based clinic | Direct primary care practice |
|---|---|---|
| Typical new-patient wait | 23.5 days on average for a family medicine physical in 15 large metros (AMN Healthcare 2025 survey) | About 99 percent of DPC practices offer same-day appointments to members (AAFP); ask each practice about new-patient availability |
| Panel size per physician | Roughly 1,200 to 1,900 patients (JABFM review) | About 413 patients on average (AAFP) |
| Visit length | About 18 minutes on average, 15 minutes median (study of 21 million visits) | Extended visits are a core feature of the model (AAFP) |
| After-hours access | Usually an answering service, nurse line, or urgent care | Direct access to the doctor by phone, text, or video, often 24/7 |
| How to book | Call, verify insurance, wait for a limited new-patient slot | Free consultation, then enroll as a member and schedule directly |
In prose, the contrast is this. A traditional clinic averages a 23.5 day wait for a new family medicine patient, carries roughly 1,200 to 1,900 patients per physician, and schedules visits that average about 18 minutes with a 15 minute median. After hours you typically reach an answering service, a nurse line, or urgent care, and booking means calling, verifying insurance, and waiting for a limited new-patient slot. A DPC practice averages about 413 patients per physician, offers same-day member appointments at about 99 percent of practices, treats extended visits as a core feature, gives direct access to the doctor by phone, text, or video, often around the clock, and starts with a free consultation followed by enrollment and direct scheduling.
What to do if you just moved to Tulsa or lost your doctor
New arrivals to Tulsa, Oklahoma and patients whose physician retired or left a practice face the same problem: they need a doctor now, not in a month. A few practical steps help while you sort out a long-term home.
Ask any practice you call how far out its next new-patient opening is, and whether telemedicine can cover you in the meantime.
Gather your medication list, allergies, and recent lab results so a first visit can be productive.
Request records from your former clinic now, since transfers can take weeks.
Confirm hours and location before you commit, especially if you rely on transit or work a fixed schedule.
Ask whether the practice has a family cap or age-based tiers if you are enrolling more than one person.
DPC membership does not replace insurance for hospital care or surgery, so keep coverage for those events. What it does replace is the scheduling queue for everyday primary care.
Why Choose Reimagined Health for a faster start
A smaller patient panel is the structural reason a DPC practice can usually see new patients sooner, and that is the foundation of the Reimagined Health membership. Because members pay a flat monthly fee rather than per-visit copays, there is no financial reason to squeeze appointments into short slots or ration new-patient openings. Unlimited office visits, telemedicine and virtual visits, and 24/7 access to the doctor mean that a question on a Sunday evening does not have to become a Wednesday morning appointment.
The location matters too. Reimagined Health sits in the Holliman Building on the Ascension St. John campus at 1705 E. 19th Street, Suite 705, in midtown Tulsa, Oklahoma, with office hours Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM. For families who just moved to Tulsa or lost a longtime doctor, that central address is easy to reach from most of the city, and lab testing and imaging coordination, specialist referrals, and obstetric and newborn care are all handled by the same team.
Membership tiers are set by age, with a family maximum per household and an enrollment fee that is waived after the third family member enrolls. You can also ask about Taro Health insurance plans that include the DPC membership in the premium. Availability is not guaranteed, so the first step is simply to ask.
Conclusion
National data shows the average new family medicine patient waits more than three weeks, and Oklahoma's low ranking for primary care supply gives Tulsa families little cushion. Direct primary care changes the underlying math with panels around 413 patients instead of 1,200 to 1,900, no insurance scheduling bottleneck, and same-day access for members at nearly every practice. Reimagined Health cannot promise a specific timeframe for new patients, but a free consultation will tell you exactly where things stand this week. Call or text 918-794-0155 to start.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to get a new patient appointment with a primary care doctor?
The 2025 AMN Healthcare survey found an average wait of 23.5 days for a new-patient family medicine physical across 15 large U.S. metro areas. Waits varied from 4 days in some cities to 69 days in others. Smaller practices and membership models often have shorter waits.
Why are new patient appointments so much longer of a wait than regular appointments?
New-patient visits take more time because the doctor must review history, medications, and prior records from scratch. Many clinics reserve only a few of these longer slots each week, so they fill quickly. Established patients can be fit into shorter follow-up openings.
Why is it so hard to get a doctor's appointment?
The United States has a physician shortage estimated at more than 57,000 doctors, and primary care panels often run 1,200 to 1,900 patients per physician. Insurance billing also pushes clinics toward short, high-volume schedules. Together these limit open slots.
Can I see a doctor without being an established patient?
Yes. Urgent care centers, retail clinics, and telehealth services see walk-in and first-time patients for acute needs. For ongoing care, most practices require a new-patient visit before you can be scheduled as an established patient.
Does direct primary care offer same-day appointments?
According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, about 99 percent of direct primary care practices offer same-day appointments to members. Availability for brand-new patients varies by practice, so ask about current openings before enrolling.