Why have waits at doctor offices in Boston grown to be about a year?

Despite Boston's abundance of top-notch medical specialists, the waits to see dermatologists, obstetrician-gynecologists, and orthopedic surgeons for routine care have grown longer - to as much as a year for the busiest doctors.



A study of five specialties shows that the wait for a nonurgent appointment in the Boston area has increased in the past five years, and now averages 50 days - more than three weeks longer than in any other city studied.



Patients in Boston and other areas of Massachusetts for years have faced notoriously long delays, according to earlier surveys of physicians' offices. A number of factors contribute, doctors said, but the 2006 health insurance law, which has required hundreds of thousands of state residents to obtain coverage, probably has worsened the waits.



"We had a bus that was pretty full, and then we invited more people on the bus," said Dr. Gene Lindsey, president of Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates, a large physicians group. "Now people are standing in the aisles."



Merritt, Hawkins %26amp; Associates, a Texas-based consulting and physician recruiting firm, surveyed 1,162 doctors' offices in 15 metropolitan areas, trying to replicate what new patients would experience if they were searching for a doctor for a nonurgent appointment, including a heart checkup, a skin exam to detect possible cancer, knee injury or pain, a gynecological exam, and a complete physical exam.



Boston had the longest delays to see dermatologists, obstetrician-gynecologists, and family practitioners, and was second after Dallas in delays to see orthopedic surgeons. Waits increased since 2004 for appointments with dermatologists, obstetrician-gynecologists, and orthopedic surgeons, but patients can get in faster now to see cardiologists; Boston ranked fourth in waits for heart doctors, behind Minneapolis, Miami, and San Diego. The company did not survey family practitioners in 2004.



http://www.boston.com/news/health/articl鈥?/a>Why have waits at doctor offices in Boston grown to be about a year?
There was no rant there. This is simply a C%26amp;P of the mouthpiece of the Republican party, the Boston Globe (please get a grip).



The truth of it is get used to this. This is the future of "universal" health care (call it what you want). Yeah, it's "only 50 days". Tell someone that is in escrutiating, non-lethal pain that they have to wait "only 50 days".
That's a health-care system set up by then-Governor Mitt Romney, a Republican and a complete ignoramus. And some people wanted, and STILL want, that bum to be President.



By contrast, America has a Democratic President, an intelligent, compassionate man named Barack Obama, and he will do better.Why have waits at doctor offices in Boston grown to be about a year?
Maybe you should talk to somone in the health industry in Boston about the "waits" for a year....

Then you say 50 days. Last time I checked, thats not a year....

Also, health care is never a bad thing. Why should those lucky enough to have money be the only ones that can see a doctor????
Waits for non-essential care? That's pretty common place.



(The OB-GYN issue is common place the US over due to less people in the profession due to incredibly high malpractice insurance rates for that speciality)Why have waits at doctor offices in Boston grown to be about a year?
yes americas failed health care system :) Funny how the most liberal of states have all these problems(CA hospital closings etc). The solution must be to do more of that.
I didn't read the rant that followed your question, but the simple answer is America's failed health care policy.
Any thing you say there Nostradamus.
It'll get worse with socialized medicine.
"Obamacare" is much better than No care.
All of our extra ambulance services got shut down in my city. Only hospitals can have them now- So I guess with less ambulances in town- more people will die, this must be a Obama thing!
universal health care. welfare and freeloaders.
too many words my head hurts
"Waits increased since 2004 for appointments with dermatologists, obstetrician-gynecologists, and orthopedic surgeons..."



So why blame a "phenomenon" that has been occurring since 2004 on a law that took effect in 2006?



I think the dilemma is simple, its supply versus demand. There aren't enough doctors to provide care so there is a wait... So the answer is that we need more doctors...



Problem solved.
I know some people that moved away from MA but still come back to MA for health care. I wonder if that has grown? Hasn't MA been losing population? There seem to be fewer options as well or maybe it has not kept up with the population. I do believe that more people are delaying preventative health care.



No - I would think it would be the same. It's crazy what is going on but there are a lot of different forces at work here. The problem is complex and if we are to tackle it then it's going to work on the major forces. The pay off will be in the future but we have to bold and brave. I hope we are that. One force is the cost of medical school. It is preventing more general practitioners because they cannot afford to practice. They specialize so they can make enough money to pay back their loans. We the patient want preventative health care so we stay well.