One problem with Kaiser (probably not only Kaiser) when it comes to specialists like mental health workers is that at least in California there was a policy of not allowing specialists to refuse new patients. So over time, specialists' backlogs get bigger and bigger and they are juggling more and more patients and it becomes harder for the specialist to keep track of what's going on. Meanwhile the wait for a new appointment becomes longer as a result - typically months. As a Kaiser patient I personally had multiple specialists quit Kaiser to work elsewhere and at least one cited this as the reason when they told me they were leaving.
It seems really nasty to pair this with reductions in triage staff and the use of algorithmic triage. Their people are already overworked.
It seems really nasty to pair this with reductions in triage staff and the use of algorithmic triage. Their people are already overworked.