Doctor Appointment Availability by Specialty and City in America

This video, presented by Dr. Eric Bricker of AHealthcareZ, provides a comprehensive analysis of doctor appointment wait times across America, highlighting a significant and worsening crisis in healthcare access. The core premise is that since the COVID-19 pandemic, approximately 71,000 doctors, representing 7% of all physicians, have left the practice of medicine. This exodus has made it considerably more challenging for patients to secure timely appointments, a problem Dr. Bricker terms "accessing healthcare." He stresses that the cost and quality of healthcare become moot if patients cannot even "get in the door" to receive services.

The analysis is primarily based on a "fantastic study" conducted by ECG Management Consultants, a subsidiary of Siemens. This research involved surveying 3,712 doctor's offices across America by attempting to schedule appointments via phone in various states and specialties. A key methodological detail was requesting the "third available appointment" rather than the first or second, to avoid artificially low wait times caused by immediate cancellations and instead capture the true booking lead time for open slots. The study revealed a stark reality: the average wait time across all specialties in the U.S. is 38 days, which is more than double the standard hospital goal of scheduling patients within 14 days. Furthermore, the study uncovered a systemic communication breakdown, with 20% of calls failing to yield any information about appointment availability due to unnavigable phone trees or unreturned messages.

The video meticulously breaks down appointment wait times by both medical specialty and geographic location. Among specialties, orthopedic surgeons and general surgeons had the shortest average waits at 20 and 22 days, respectively. In contrast, neurologists and rheumatologists faced the longest waits, often exceeding 60 days. Interestingly, family practice physicians, often recommended as the first point of contact, had an average wait time of 29 days, which is longer than some specialists, creating a practical dilemma for patients. Geographically, Houston and New York City surprisingly reported shorter average wait times (27 and 28 days), while Boston stood out with an exceptionally long average of 70 days. Dr. Bricker also emphasized the wide distribution of wait times around these averages, citing an example where a neurologist in Phoenix could have an appointment available in 7 days at one practice but 290 days (10 months) at another, illustrating the variability and the effort required to find timely care.

Dr. Bricker concludes by offering practical advice for patients and those managing employee benefit plans. He underscores that making a doctor's appointment is "easier said than done" and requires significant persistence. Patients should expect to make "five to ten calls" and engage in "smile and dial" efforts to find a doctor who can see them in a relatively expedient fashion. This highlights the substantial burden placed on individuals to navigate a challenging healthcare access landscape, ultimately impacting patient care, adherence to treatment, and the overall efficiency of the healthcare system.

Key Takeaways:

• Significant Physician Exodus: The U.S. healthcare system faces a critical access challenge due to 71,000 doctors (7% of all physicians) having left practice since the COVID-19 pandemic, directly contributing to longer patient wait times.
• Extended Average Wait Times: The average wait time to schedule a new patient appointment across all specialties in America is 38 days, substantially exceeding the typical hospital goal of 14 days, impacting timely care.
• Systemic Communication Barriers: A notable obstacle to access is the inability to even obtain appointment information; 20% of calls to doctor's offices failed to provide an available appointment time due to inefficient phone trees or unreturned messages.
• Specialty-Specific Access Disparities: Appointment wait times vary significantly by specialty, with orthopedic surgery (20 days) and general surgery (22 days) having the shortest waits, while neurology and rheumatology exceed 60 days, indicating uneven access to specialized care.
• Primary Care Access Paradox: Despite the emphasis on primary care, family practice physicians have an average wait time of 29 days, which is longer than some specialists, potentially deterring patients from seeking initial care through primary channels.
• Geographic Variation in Availability: Access to appointments differs considerably by city; Houston (27 days) and New York City (28 days) show relatively shorter waits, whereas Boston experiences an average wait of 70 days, highlighting regional disparities.
• Wide Distribution of Wait Times: Even within specific specialties and cities, there's a broad range of wait times (e.g., a neurologist in Phoenix could range from 7 to 290 days), necessitating extensive patient effort to find timely care.
• Patient Persistence is Crucial: Patients are advised to anticipate making "five to ten calls" to secure an appointment, emphasizing the significant personal effort required to navigate the current healthcare access landscape.
• Implications for Life Sciences Commercial Operations: The difficulty in accessing healthcare professionals (HCPs) directly impacts pharmaceutical and life sciences companies' commercial operations, sales force effectiveness, and ability to disseminate medical information.
• Value of Data-Driven Market Insights: The detailed data from studies like the one by ECG Management Consultants is invaluable for life sciences firms to understand market access challenges, optimize resource allocation, and refine engagement strategies with HCPs and patients.
• Increased Need for Digital Engagement: Given the challenges in traditional physician access, there is a growing imperative for digital solutions, such as AI-powered chatbots for medical information or intelligent sales operations assistants, to facilitate efficient communication and support for HCPs.

Tools/Resources Mentioned:

• ECG Management Consultants (subsidiary of Siemens): The firm that conducted the comprehensive study on patient wait times across the U.S.
• Beckers Healthcare newsletter: A publication that initially brought the ECG study to the speaker's attention.

Key Concepts:

• Healthcare Access: Defined as the ability of patients to obtain necessary healthcare services. The video underscores that without effective access, the quality and cost of care become secondary concerns.
• Third Available Appointment: A specific methodological approach used in the ECG study to measure true appointment wait times by requesting an appointment beyond any immediate cancellations, thereby reflecting the standard booking lead time for open slots.