Since 2022, The Average Wait Time For Physician Appointments In Five Specialties Increased By 19%, To 31 Days

The average consumer wait time to schedule a new physician appointment in five specialties increased by 19% between 2022 and early 2025, from 26 days to 31 days, according to a secret shopper survey that spanned 15 major metropolitan areas. The average increase accounts for a decrease of 29% for one specialty, orthopedic surgery, and for increases ranging from 6% to 33% across four specialties obstetrics/gynecology, cardiology, dermatology, and family medicine. The researchers said the increase in wait times indicated a “growing shortage of physicians.”

The five specialties with trend data had been tracked in previous surveys, some since . . .