Setting matters a lot. The two most responsive pdocs were a guy that didn't accept insurance and was very expensive and a woman who was through my university's student health services (she was part of the administration and salaried, so she only saw as any patients as she could treat adequately). I had another guy who would not return a phone call under any circumstances, but they could usually move your (5 minute) appt to within a week or 2. I fired him because of the short appts and unwillingness to respond to phone calls. Current guy is decent and usually will return a call at the end of the day and can move an appt to within a week. He might take insurance, but hasn't accepted either of the plans I have been on, so I pay the full fee out of pocket. Unfortunately, psychiatry seems to have become a get what you pay for situation. Friends who see pdoc's at sliding-fee clinics or even use their insurance seem to get second-rate care.

Best,
EJ