mha2017waittimesurveyPDF.pdf

According to Merritt Hawkins’ recent “2017 Survey of Physician Appointment Wait Times,” average wait times for new patients increased in the private sector, to 24.1 days (this is up 30% since 2014). In larger markets, like Boston, wait times average 109 days to see a family physician which increases to 122 days in a city like Albany. That’s more than 4 months!

Meanwhile, in VA, the average national wait time for new patients is 20.27 days. Overall, VA patients see providers, on average, 15.9% faster than compared to the private sector. In fact, with a specialty like cardiology, patients often see a VA specialist in 18.34 days (compared to 45-days in Boston, 32 days in Portland, 30 days in San Diego, 28 days in Philadelphia, and so on).