[00:00:00] INTERVIEWER: Thank you for agreeing to participate in this study. As we discussed, we're exploring healthcare access experiences in urban communities. This interview will take approximately 30 minutes, and your responses will be kept confidential. Do you have any questions before we begin?
[00:00:18] PARTICIPANT 01: No, I'm ready to start.
[00:00:21] INTERVIEWER: Great. Let's begin. Can you tell me about your most recent experience trying to access healthcare services?
[00:00:30] PARTICIPANT 01: [Pause, approximately 3 seconds] Well, it was... it was actually quite difficult. I needed to see a specialist, you know, for a... for a chronic condition I have. And I called, I think, maybe five or six different clinics? And they all said the same thing—either they weren't taking new patients, or the wait time was like, three or four months out.
[00:01:02] INTERVIEWER: That sounds frustrating. Can you tell me more about that experience?
[00:01:08] PARTICIPANT 01: Yeah, it was really frustrating. I mean, [sighs] I have insurance, I have good insurance actually, but it didn't seem to matter. Every place I called, it was the same story. And I was in pain, you know? I wasn't asking for something cosmetic or elective. This was something that was affecting my daily life.
[00:01:35] INTERVIEWER: How did that make you feel?
[00:01:38] PARTICIPANT 01: [Long pause] Honestly? It made me feel... invisible. Like my health didn't matter. I know that sounds dramatic, but when you're calling place after place and getting the same response, you start to wonder if the system is even designed for people like you.
[00:02:05] INTERVIEWER: People like you? Can you elaborate on that?
[00:02:10] PARTICIPANT 01: Yeah, I mean... I'm not wealthy, you know? I work, I have insurance, but I'm not... I don't have connections. I can't call up a friend who knows a doctor and get an appointment. I have to go through the same system as everyone else, and that system seems broken.
[00:02:35] INTERVIEWER: What did you end up doing?
[00:02:38] PARTICIPANT 01: I ended up going to the emergency room. [Laughs, but sounds frustrated] Which is, you know, the worst possible solution. It's expensive, it's not what emergency rooms are for, but I didn't know what else to do. I was desperate.
[00:02:58] INTERVIEWER: And how was that experience?
[00:03:02] PARTICIPANT 01: It was okay, I guess. They helped me, eventually. But I waited for hours, and I felt guilty the whole time because I knew there were people there with real emergencies. But what was I supposed to do? Wait three months for an appointment?
[00:03:25] INTERVIEWER: That's completely understandable. Let's shift gears a bit. Can you tell me about your ideal healthcare experience? What would that look like for you?
[00:03:35] PARTICIPANT 01: [Pause] My ideal experience? Hmm. I think... I think it would be accessible, you know? Like, if I need to see a doctor, I should be able to see a doctor within a reasonable time frame. Not three months, but maybe a week or two? That seems reasonable, right?
[00:04:00] INTERVIEWER: That does seem reasonable.
[00:04:03] PARTICIPANT 01: And I think... I think the staff should be respectful. Not that they weren't respectful in the ER, but sometimes you feel like you're being a burden, you know? Like you're taking up their time. I wish it felt more like a partnership, like we're working together on my health.
[00:04:30] INTERVIEWER: That's a really insightful perspective. Can you tell me about any positive healthcare experiences you've had?
[00:04:38] PARTICIPANT 01: [Pause] Yeah, actually, there was one time. I had a primary care doctor, Dr. [Name redacted], and she was amazing. She really listened, you know? She didn't rush me, she explained things in a way I could understand, and she actually followed up with me after appointments. Like, she would call me a few days later just to see how I was doing.
[00:05:10] INTERVIEWER: What made that experience different?
[00:05:14] PARTICIPANT 01: I think... I think she saw me as a person, not just a patient. Does that make sense? Like, she cared about my whole situation, not just the medical problem I came in with. She asked about my work, my family, how things were going in my life. And that made me feel... valued, I guess.
[00:05:45] INTERVIEWER: That makes perfect sense. Unfortunately, she moved away, right?
[00:05:50] PARTICIPANT 01: Yeah, she did. [Sighs] And I haven't found anyone like her since. I've tried a few different doctors, but it's just not the same. They're all so busy, so rushed. I understand they have a lot of patients, but it's hard not to feel like you're on an assembly line sometimes.
[00:06:20] INTERVIEWER: That's a powerful metaphor. Let's talk about barriers. What do you think are the biggest barriers to accessing healthcare in your community?
[00:06:30] PARTICIPANT 01: [Long pause] I think... I think there are a lot of barriers. First, there's just not enough doctors, you know? Or at least not enough doctors who are taking new patients. Second, even if you can get an appointment, it might be really far away, and if you don't have reliable transportation, that's a problem.
[00:07:00] INTERVIEWER: Transportation is a barrier you've experienced?
[00:07:04] PARTICIPANT 01: Yeah, sometimes. I have a car, but it's old, and it breaks down sometimes. And when it does, getting to appointments is really difficult. Public transportation here isn't great, and taking time off work to go to appointments is hard too.
[00:07:30] INTERVIEWER: What about cost? Is that a barrier for you?
[00:07:35] PARTICIPANT 01: Cost is... it's complicated. I have insurance, like I said, but there are still copays, and deductibles, and sometimes things aren't covered. And even with insurance, some medications are really expensive. I've had to choose between filling a prescription and paying other bills before.
[00:08:05] INTERVIEWER: That's a really difficult position to be in. Can you tell me more about that?
[00:08:12] PARTICIPANT 01: Yeah, I mean... it's not something I like to talk about, but it's reality. I work, I make decent money, but healthcare is expensive. And when you have a chronic condition, those costs add up. So sometimes you have to make choices, you know? Do I get this medication, or do I pay my electric bill?
[00:08:45] INTERVIEWER: That's an impossible choice. Thank you for sharing that with me. We're almost done. Is there anything else you'd like to add about your healthcare access experiences?
[00:08:58] PARTICIPANT 01: [Pause] I guess... I guess I just want people to know that it's harder than it should be. And I'm someone who has insurance, who speaks English, who knows how to navigate the system. I can't even imagine how hard it is for people who don't have those advantages.
[00:09:25] INTERVIEWER: That's a really important point. Thank you so much for your time and for sharing your experiences with us. Your insights are incredibly valuable for this research.
[00:09:35] PARTICIPANT 01: You're welcome. I hope it helps.
[00:09:38] INTERVIEWER: It definitely will. The interview is now complete.