Senior’s Wait Time for Doctor’s Appointments Increasing

It’s not your imagination. The time it takes for seniors to secure doctor’s appointments continues to grow. This comes as no surprise. Lack of health care providers in NYC has increased over the last five years. According to Definitive Healthcare, more than 330,000 healthcare providers left the workforce in 2021 alone, with physicians representing the lion’s share.

Today our medical workforce is aging fast. Almost 45% of all physicians are over 55 years old and the average age of a nurse is 57. And then there’s electronic paperwork. Health records, insurance pre-authorizations, doctor reimbursements,etc.,they all take time away from patient consultations.

And Americans are not just getting older they’re getting sicker. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 60% of Americans have a chronic illness and 40% have two or more. As more seniors call for medical appointments, their waits times are going to increase.

How Can You Get a Doctor’s Appointment Faster?

According to David Berg, CEO of Redirect Health in Scottsdale, Arizona, you can speed up the process of securing an appointment by finding offices that use a hybrid of telehealth and in-person visits. Scheduling remote telehealth video consultations over the phone or computer, may satisfy initial medical requirements and get your in-person physical appointment faster.

Lastly, if a fast appointment time is urgent, you can always use the “Cash” option. Let the provider’s office know you are self-pay and want to pay at the time of service. Occasionally, this can still open doors and move you up in the doctor’s calendar. In addition, cash prices for services are often lower. However, keep in mind, cash payments do not count towards your insurance deductibles.

Written by Lou Ma